Selling in the EU - Where to start!

Hello,

We are looking at branching out into the EU stores.

I understand there are 2 main options for this.

Remote Fulfilment - Amazon take care of VAT / Higher FBA fees / Slower delivery times

Local Inbounding (sending to FC in EU) - Must be VAT registered / Lower FBA Fees / Faster Delivery times

It certainly seems as though local inbounding is more beneficial and would make us more competitive in the target markets.

What is the difference between local inbounding and PAN-EU FBA? They seem the same.

I was just after some recommendations from anyone selling in the EU. Can you recommend any company that you've had a good experience with handling your VAT affairs in these countries? I have heard good things about Avalara and E-VAT but there are so many companies out there.

Is there anything else that's worth nothing when opting for local inbounding? Is the VAT reporting for the EU countries easy enough?

Thank you in advance! :)