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Wine Club - rules and regulations


milkeybar kid

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For over 2 years a friend of mine has given talks on " wines of the region"  and tastings  charging €15.00 a head, minimum attendance 10 persons in his own home, sometimes friends .

Does he need to register as a buisness  simply because "money is made" or could this sort of activity be classed as a  "hobby" . His evenings at most are only 2-3 a week. He wonders if there is a law that forbids him to actually take orders for the wine he has promoted that evening maybe with customs and excise or an alchol related rule. Some positive information would be appreciated if only to reassure people's whose houses are used for The Wine Club's evenings.

Post edited ,to make it clear  the information gathered is for his benefit  and anyone else who is not sure if this sort of activity is a hobby or a buisness.

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You have given me a good idea - in the UK if you shop an illegal trader, tax avoider or someone using unregistered software you can get paid for the information.

If this is the same in France I would like to know my nearest contact and I will start shopping spivs, tax avoiders, and petty criminals - this should give me a nice little income to supplement my out of reach pension that seems to be diminishing before I am even old enough to have it.

I will of course need some friends to shop but as it will be strictly business friendship shouldn't get in the way as it's nothing personal - just business.

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Thanks Nick, thats positive information that I can pass on, (correct me if I am wrong) . If he earns more than the minimum wage through his own activities (eg The Wine Club) he must register the activity as a buisness , if he fails to do so he is working illegally.?

 This "registering the activity" and declaring the income would apply across the board be it selling wines,ones own paintings , giving talks, giving art classes where there is an exchange of money that amounts to more than the minimum wage.

If a small income from varying or same activities amounted to less than the minimum wage then he is not obliged to "register the activity" it would just be a case of declaring it as an income on the tax form .? Would u agree.

I know people other than myself that find the subject quite fascinating but confusing as regards to register or not  as auto entrepeneur etc. The one flaw I see in the above interpretation is - how are u to know if you you are going to make more than the minimum wage so you can register first, but then I suppose your tax form is filled at the end of the first 12 months so you would register then, or not as the case might be. To be able to tap into the forum and ask such questions and get useful answeres is great, we seem to forget that there are many , many people out there that dont have access the the internet/computer and therefore are never able to find an answer to small queries. It can  be so daunting (trying to speak French but ending up playing charades) to go and ask what you think is a simple question at an official place but end up feeling like you have signed your life away.Thanks again.
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With a few exceptions, you must be a registered business, regardless of the amount you earn (or even lose). There is no confusion, I'm afraid, that is the situation nd it has long been so.

Most "ordinary" folks around here live on the minimum wage, on which they pay (or don't pay) tax. Legally. The point I was trying to make is that your friend is earning more illegally - someone is going to report him, for sure.

Yes, he could register as an AE, but he must take advice from one of the charade-playing bodies. Especially as he wants to sell a controlled product, such as wine (which is also illegal without a licence).

 

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Milkey Bar Kid, you don't say where you are but several departements now have English speaking advisors in the CdM who can pass your friend on to the appropriate body.

My OH belongs to a proper wine club, not a business run by somebody who charges people to learn about wine.  Their co-ordinator charges nothing, they have a kitty from which he buys the wines for tasting etc and no other money passes between them.  As Nick says, he's running a business and should regioter - and why buy wines through him, why not go straight to the vinyard yourself, her wineclub passes round order forms, they buy in bulk and have it shipped at a reduced price and their animateur buys along with the rest of the group.

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