Bringing goods from the EU

[sploo]

Yebbut we've still got the navy. Remember Dunkirk!

I do. I fought a rearguard action along with Mark "Killer" Francois.

 

[billw]

When I shipped a load of my personal belongings back from Gibraltar a few years back I got charged duty even though it was virtually all stuff I'd taken there from the UK in the first place. Don't want to think what they'll try and do when my furniture comes back under the new rules.

 

[Rorschach]

Yes, but given the relative size of the UK market vs the rest of the EU block, it may well be cheaper to say "made to EU standards only" (and accept the loss of UK sales) rather than take on the costs of meeting an extra standard purely to sell into only one extra market.

Certainly for smaller vendors the paperwork alone may make it pointless.

True, it might, we'll find out.
The fact that european car manufacturers happily make RHD vehicles solely for the UK market would suggest they don't have a problem with different specifications. It's likely anyway that our standard will very closely match EU standards for most products anyway. As I say, we'll find out, no sense in getting all worried about hypotheticals.

 

[Jacob]

Yes, but given the relative size of the UK market vs the rest of the EU block, it may well be cheaper to say "made to EU standards only" (and accept the loss of UK sales) rather than take on the costs of meeting an extra standard purely to sell into only one extra market.

Certainly for smaller vendors the paperwork alone may make it pointless.

But brexit is about reducing regulations, so we may get de-regulated sub-standard products from the EU

 

[doctor Bob]

let it go chaps ......... or at least give me an analogy to laugh at.

 

[marcros]

let it go chaps ......... or at least give me an analogy to laugh at.

lets not get the good doctor started on analogies...

 

[sploo]

let it go chaps ......... or at least give me an analogy to laugh at.

Reality's a b!tch ain't it Bob.

 

[sploo]

True, it might, we'll find out.
The fact that european car manufacturers happily make RHD vehicles solely for the UK market would suggest they don't have a problem with different specifications. It's likely anyway that our standard will very closely match EU standards for most products anyway. As I say, we'll find out, no sense in getting all worried about hypotheticals.

That's a good example and a fair point. It is a very high value product though, and designing a right hand drive version of a car isn't useful just for the UK market.

 

[alanpo68]

True, it might, we'll find out.
The fact that european car manufacturers happily make RHD vehicles solely for the UK market would suggest they don't have a problem with different specifications. It's likely anyway that our standard will very closely match EU standards for most products anyway. As I say, we'll find out, no sense in getting all worried about hypotheticals.

So basically promise a Unicorn laden, cake and eat it Brexit in which you talk up any possible positives. When the reality of the situation is pointed out though, it's best not to be worried about hypotheticals. When it inevitably goes **** up just blame it on COVID.

 

[RobinBHM]

especially given the C19 situation

Ive certainly noticed people are getting the covid excuses in early.

 

[RobinBHM]

I'm currently trying to buy some (not specifically woodworking related) kit from a vendor in Denmark, and despite being literally hours away from the new rules they tell me they still haven't been given clear information on what those rules will be. I suppose this is the consequence of promising the country an impossible utopia, then having to actually deliver something (meaning you've had to mostly make it up as you go along, and backtrack on most of your promises).

I guess it'll all become clear in time, but the very fact we're at this point in without businesses having a clear understanding of the new rules is absolutely farcical. Though I guess that's in keeping with the rest of the sh!tshow we've been living through for the last few years.

in order to deal with all the transit documents and customs declarations, the UK govt have been working on an IT system (which I understand to be 8 systems cobbled together).

The system went live on 23rd December 2020.

and then there is the Kent access permit....a kind of "force the chaos away from the border" system.

 

[RobinBHM]

When I shipped a load of my personal belongings back from Gibraltar a few years back I got charged duty even though it was virtually all stuff I'd taken there from the UK in the first place. Don't want to think what they'll try and do when my furniture comes back under the new rules.

Gibraltar situation is rather ironic.

I believe the deal for Gibraltar means Spanish people can work in Gibraltar without permits or visas.....but a UK person cant.

 

[doctor Bob]

Reality's a b!tch ain't it Bob.

Sorry to hear you are struggling with reality, I genuinely thought you'd have got used to it.
Anyway I shall leave you all too it, don't get mean and nasty, I'm off to make a dog sofa.

 

[RobinBHM]

As I say, we'll find out, no sense in getting all worried about hypotheticals.

I always find this brexit argument rather perplexing.

this argument is making the claim that: negatives can only be hypothetical but the perceived benefits must be real.

 

[sploo]

Sorry to hear you are struggling with reality, I genuinely thought you'd have got used to it.
Anyway I shall leave you all too it, don't get mean and nasty, I'm off to make a dog sofa.

Reality is full of people who are somehow surprised that Boris is a fountain of excrement. I do certainly struggle with that.

Just don't make the dog sofa from anything you need to order from outside the UK; no one yet seems to have a clue how to get it into the country.

 

[Noel]

But of course for UK manufacturers they must still use EU standards in order to sell into the common market otherwise their products won’t be allowed. And if the UK creates a new standard for entering other global markets then this is a double or triple cost for them! Cant see the sense of diverging from EU standards at all

Exactly. This has been 100% the case since day one. Even if a future UK standard was "better" it would still make sense for a UK made product to conform to the standards that are used across the widest possible market.

The difference (of course) now is that we don't have a say in the future direction of those EU standards. Winners all round

The future is here, well tomorrow.
New GB standard marking is UKCA. Some products will need it from day one, others end of year and other from 2022. If you sell in GB* your product needs the UKCA standard mark, the CE mark will eventually not be accepted.
* GB only. The new mark will not be accepted in NI where the CE standard will continue as it will in EU states and many markets across the world.
Won’t be easy, or worth it, for many small businesses in GB or NI.

UKCA - UK Conformy Assessed

I assume, as well as having it’s own little standard mark, UKCA is in preparation for future standard divergence.

 

[sploo]

The future is here, well tomorrow.
New GB standard marking is UKCA. Some products will need it from day one, others end of year and other from 2022. If you sell in GB* your product needs the UKCA standard mark, the CE mark will eventually not be accepted.
* GB only. The new mark will not be accepted in NI where the CE standard will continue as it will in EU states and many markets across the world.
Won’t be easy, or worth it, for many small businesses in GB or NI.

UKCA - UK Conformy Assessed

I assume, as well as having it’s own little standard mark, UKCA is in preparation for future standard divergence.

My employer sells products (we design and build) to mostly the mainland GB market, but also with the possibility of items ending up in NI; so this has been an area we're also having to look into. I've not been personally involved so I don't know the situation at the moment though.

 

[Droogs]

@dfps you will probably be better off selling the kit locally rather than bring it back to UK as by the look of things you will have to pay import duty on it. From what I can gather it will be much like when I returned from Switzerland, I had to pay import duties on my stuff to the Swiss on the way in and to the UK on the way back even though I had receipts for all the furniture and white goods etc and it showed they were all over 2 years old, even my flaming bike

 

[Richard_C]

When I started this thread it was as a 'heads up' to anyone who regularly or occasionally brings in items from the EU. A few months back there was a useful thread (I think in woodturning/lathes) about ordering a chuck from Australia, how did the total cost compare with buying locally. That sort of informative discussion is helpful

It's turned into a Brexit debate with the odd useful question and comment on practical things. It's all very entertaining I (and I must admit to being very pro Europe for reasons that go well beyond economics) but three things are clear:

• Nothing said on here will change anyone else's mind. Opinions are entrenched regardless of facts so there is little point arguing
• Nothing on here will influence the bigger debate. If you feel strongly then raise your voice at election time and be careful who you vote for. But do vote, even the EU referendum had a dismal turnout. Even if you convince all the contributors here it makes no difference.
• It's done, its over. We live with it whether we like it or not.

So back to the purpose of the post, if you plan to bring stuff in take care and check out what you need to do and what costs and delays you might face, just like you would from any other country.

Happy New Year all, although I won't be celebrating at 11.00 pm (midnight CET) when many of my rights and protections evaporate.

 

[RobinBHM]

When I started this thread it was as a 'heads up' to anyone who regularly or occasionally brings in items from the EU. A few months back there was a useful thread (I think in woodturning/lathes) about ordering a chuck from Australia, how did the total cost compare with buying locally. That sort of informative discussion is helpful

It's turned into a Brexit debate with the odd useful question and comment on practical things. It's all very entertaining I (and I must admit to being very pro Europe for reasons that go well beyond economics) but three things are clear:

• Nothing said on here will change anyone else's mind. Opinions are entrenched regardless of facts so there is little point arguing
• Nothing on here will influence the bigger debate. If you feel strongly then raise your voice at election time and be careful who you vote for. But do vote, even the EU referendum had a dismal turnout. Even if you convince all the contributors here it makes no difference.
• It's done, its over. We live with it whether we like it or not.

So back to the purpose of the post, if you plan to bring stuff in take care and check out what you need to do and what costs and delays you might face, just like you would from any other country.

Happy New Year all, although I won't be celebrating at 11.00 pm (midnight CET) when many of my rights and protections evaporate.

great level headed post

A very happy new to all from me too

Stay safe everybody, I know its getting awfully tedious but keep washing those hands....