Besides the usual purchase refunds, if you are travelling on Business (you define it) and you are not an EC person, you can recover the VAT from your hotel bills, a goodly sum sometimes.
I got a booklet from HM Customs and Excise that gives the rules for the EC countries. Look at
www.hmce.gov.uk See "VAT 65A - Application for refund of VAT by a business person who is not established in the community."
Of course it is up to you what you do with the refund...........