In the EU, a VAT identification number can be verified online at the EU's official VIES website. It confirms that the number is currently allocated and can provide the name or other identifying details of the entity to whom the identifier has been allocated.
A culture is a way of life of a group of people--the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next. Culture is symbolic communication.
Culture informs communication. It brings understanding to communication through a common background of shared experiences and histories. The people of a unique culture usually share a geographic location as well. This common geography also affects the unity of the group in that they will all share the same experiences of weather and topography. Shared experiences over hundreds or even thousands of years create culture that contributes to understanding and communication.