Hello,

Has anyone heard or received information regarding the prohibiting of selling cakes on RYS? 

sound like it could happen.......

something about a registered/health inspected kitchen 

i think i heard you can still sell them, but not if you dont have permission from the base commander like one of the ladies on there, she got into some serious trouble 

You aren't supposed to run a business out of your home if you live in housing. If you live off base, I don't know how they would enforce regulations on here, since it is an open/anonymous website. 

It is illegal unless you get permission. Be very very careful. There have been lots of people who have gotten in a lot of trouble lately. 

I posted this link on the other thread about home businesses. At the bottom, it states you if your business is dealing with food stuff, you will need permission from the German health authorities (Gesundheitsamt) along with registering the business with the German officials. 

I only know of a few people who run 'businesses' out of their homes that go by the rules and laws. Eventually it was going to get the smack down put on it. Just pay taxes, file the proper papers, and you can be legit 

That's why I stopped doing the Tastefully Simple stuff... too much hassle and not worth it if you get caught. 

Jobs for spouses are hard to come by as it is, so some resort to finding something - whether it's a craft, baking, art, etc - to do, if only to keep sane.
I read the link that was posted. If I read that correctly, every photographer, Pampered Chef consultant, masseuse, and crafter would have to have a German plated car simply to move about in the name of "business".
Way to squelch true entrepreneurship. 

If I read that correctly, every photographer, Pampered Chef consultant, masseuse, and crafter would have to have a German plated car simply to move about in the name of "business".

Basically what it says. You can always buy a cheap POS to register in the German system and just write it off as a business expense. :) 

You can always buy a cheap POS to register in the German system
We were told all POVs owned by AD and dependants HAVE to be registered with USAEUR plates. 

well as i dont drive so it doesnt effect me . but i do understand both sides. 

It DOES affect you...if you bake cakes form your home it is illegal. There is more to it than what you drive and how your car is registered....if you are doing cakes from your home you need to call JAG before someone catches you and you get into serious trouble. Home based businesses are illegal here and believe me there are people who have been busted here and are hell bent to turn others in. It happened to my friend. If you take money for your products in any form, trade or cash you are breaking German law. 

We were told all POVs owned by AD and dependants HAVE to be registered with USAEUR plates.

They told you wrong then. Per AEP190-34/USAFE31-206 Section 33a(1)"Family members may register POVs with the German authorities or the RMV."

For those interested, Home Base Businesses are covered in AER210-70/USAFE Instruction 211-16, On-Post Commercial Solicitation.

Also, here is a nifty little handout put out by the legal folks at Stuttgart. 

Not trying to play devil's advocate, but you are telling me that every Pampered Chef, Party Lite, Scentsy, etc. consultant has to register their vehicle with the German gov't and pay off base prices ($8+/gal) for gas?
How are they expected to make any money???? 

Well, they are SUPPOSED to. That doesn't mean they do, or that they will. OF course, they are supposed to get things sent to them from the corporation through german addresses, not the APO, but I doubt that happens much, either. I don't think the military is concerned with how they are supposed to make money at these jobs. The military is just trying to follow the protocols set forth in the SOFA. It isn't that they are trying to punish people for making money, but these consultants are breaking the law the way the law and SOFA are set up. 

Well I don't make cakes but I do work from home, off base) I filled out all of the needed paper work and payed the fees as I was and registered for tax , I don't use any car or APO box as my insurance would be void if I was not using products from the correct distribution for the country I am in!
Sure I would make mire money buying products in USD , but being insured is more important to me than a quick $ ever will be.

Maybe I am missing the point ? And I see there are different regs for on or off base housing but the paper work side of it was not that bad . And the fees wear not that much . And if you Have to get your stock with in the EU surely you reflect that with in your prices and then you claime it in the tax ?
I don't really see why it is so hard?

Also not 100% sure( I don't do mobile now) but in the UK taxi's are tax deductible ! As long as your going somewhere different each time for your place of work , if it's the same here that would be a good thing for mobile hairdressers, photographers ect? 

I operate an online Pampered Chef business from my home off base. I do not get any materials via my APO box. All of my shows are conducted online and all of the items purchased are shipped directly to my customers and I don't sell to local nationals. I also pay US taxes on my earnings. I am not in violation of any reg that I know of... 

I may be wrong, but you are running your business in Germany, therefore you have to pay German taxes. 

OriginalJD...they do not care if you are using your APO or not (I mean they care but...)..it is still Illegal. 

THIS (as posted above) looks like total b.s. to me.



According to this, people who want to run a home based business can't sell anything that AAFES sells. What does Pampered Chef or any of the HBBs sell that AAFES does not compete with?

That and the next paragraph about not being allowed to conduct business in government owned or leased buildings. Does this not include homes that people live in and get rent reimbursement for? If the government is paying for your lease, then it is a government leased building.

The rules seem very prohibitive. The AAFES rule seems to be way out of line. If AAFES can't handle competition from a small HBB, they need to consider lowering their prices and competing rather than pushing out the small businesses. This sounds like something Walmart or Home Depot does in the U.S. when they open in a town and push out the competition. 

And this folks is what happens when the government gets their sticky little fingers in our lives. In this case, they aren't on our side at all.

They NEGOTIATE the SOFA with Berlin. If Berlin is going to force us to bend over backwards and just take it, why can't the US Gov't just say, "Fine we are packing up ALL of OUR toys and heading home"? Really, Germany benefits WAY more for us being here than we would ever imagine. 

You forgot AAFES. It looks like we should be provided with an institutional size jar of Vaseline. We are being told that if we want to have a home based business that it is fine just so we don't compete with the almighty AAFES.

Free enterprise is dead. 

Really? Getting pissy because you have to follow certain rules? Deal with it. 

So what Gary your the only one that can be pissy around here? I mean I know your in the sandbox and life sucks yadda yadda ya.. you used to actually but imput on helpful info on this board and now you just come here to be rude it seems. 

I just find it stupid that people are pissing and moaning because there are rules they have to follow.

Rules are rules. Deal with them. 

Gary - Were you not hugged as a child?

I am sure that you follow every rule blindly and have no individual thought. You think inside of the box. When told to jump, you ask how high.

You are the perfect example of someone that can only do as told and not question anything.

You are a robot. We should all bow down to you Gary. You are such an exceptional person. I want to grow up to be just like you. 

Oh STFU. You don't like the rules don't play the game. It's the simple. 

Oh STFU. You don't like the rules don't play the game. It's the simple.

Did your wittle feelings get hurt? I'll bet that wittle Gawy has never even attempted to do something on his own like run a business. Wittle Gawy is too busy following orders to try and make some additional income.

You love to tell people how great you are. I'd bet that you can't do anything without a manual.

Poor thing. Come to momma and let me give you a great big hug. 

I never said I was great.

And you're right, I do follow orders, it's part of my job to.