With 50 years of experience, Shibolet Law Firm is one of Israel’s premier experts in the fields of Indirect Taxation, International Trade, and Regulation of imported goods.
Headed by Adv. Ehud Kronfeld and Adv. Sharon Sufrin, our department provides legal representation to clients involved in civil, commercial, and criminal disputes. Services include objections to tax authority rulings and court representation in tax-related appeals and claims.
Import Taxes
Shibolet law firm has been involved as a prime adviser as well as a representative in all major import tax reforms instituted by government offices and Knesset committees in recent years, including import reform and automotive part regulation reforms.
The firm provides ongoing import tax consultation to foreign companies and serves as their trusted legal advisor in transactions conducted in Israel.
Over the past decade, the firm has represented prominent companies in large-scale tax disputes. The firm’s clients include Israel’s leading importers and business entities, and some of the world’s largest international corporations.
Key Areas of Expertise
- Classification of Goods: Importer representation and consultation in disputes about the classification of goods for customs purposes.
- Restitution of Import Taxes: Importer representation in disputes relating to entitlement for restitution of import taxes concerning goods exported from Israel.
- Seizure and Forfeiture of Shipments: Importer representation in disputes of the seizure and forfeiture of imported goods on suspicion of violations of the Customs Ordinance and the Sales Tax Law.
- Certificates of Preferential Origin: Importer representation in disputes relating to their entitlement for exemption from customs, following Israel’s free trade agreements.
- Taxation of Royalties: Importer representation in Tax Authority disputes regarding the inclusion of the value of royalties in the goods’ value, for tax purposes.
- E-Commerce: Representation and consultation to businesses in the field of e-commerce before the tax authorities and regulators
- Committee Representation: Representation of businesses before the Import Committee and the Committee for Financial Sanctions in cases of import unlawfulness, such as tardy presentation of import approvals and licenses, non-marking of goods, etc.
- Sales Tax & Value Added Tax: Representation of domestic manufacturers in disputes concerning the tax authorities, throughout the assessment and objection stages, in appeals to the court, and ongoing legal counsel.
- Criminal Law: Representation of persons being investigated or accused of offenses related to import taxes, V.A.T, and sales tax in domestic manufacturing; Ongoing consultation to persons under investigation throughout all criminal investigation stages; Defendant representation after the filing of indictments.
- Standardization: Representation of importers and entrepreneurs in disputes with the Standards Institution of Israel and the Standards Supervisor at the Ministry of Economy and Industry.
- Professional Liability: Legal claims against customs agents/international forwarders concerning their field of expertise.
International Trade
Shibolet law firm represents local and global companies in all aspects of international trade regulation enacted by the Ministry of Economy and Industry, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Transportation and Road Safety, and various government committees.
As Israel’s most prominent legal experts in anti-dumping duties and import levies, the firm’s attorneys are actively involved in significant legal proceedings. The firm represents Israeli and international companies before the Commissioner of Trade Levies at the Ministry of Economy and Industry, the Advisory Committee to the Minister of Economy and Industry, and the Knesset’s Finance Committee.
International Shipping
Shibolet law firm represents clients in a wide range of maritime and shipping law claims. The firm has extensive experience in freight insurance claims and disputes relating to damages throughout the logistic supply chain. In addition, the firm represents Israeli and foreign companies in commercial disputes of international sales agreements, bills of lading, documentary credits, and general interpretation of Incoterms.
