Bringing goods from the EU

[D_W]

I don't know about the exact implementation of these new rules because all my stuff from Banggood is arriving from China with no problem, no duty or VAT paperwork. Admittedly the last thing I bought cost me £30 and the customs declaration said £3.18.

What would a 30 pound parcel bring -6 pounds of revenue? Probably safe on the small things for quite some time as the customs folks know where they make their money.

We do have things that require duties in the states, but they're usually archaic competition-related things (like a 9% increase on the price of japanese guitars, and on an individual basis - someone buying a guitar from japan - only over a fairly high value threshold)

 

[sploo]

What would a 30 pound parcel bring -6 pounds of revenue? Probably safe on the small things for quite some time as the customs folks know where they make their money.

We do have things that require duties in the states, but they're usually archaic competition-related things (like a 9% increase on the price of japanese guitars, and on an individual basis - someone buying a guitar from japan - only over a fairly high value threshold)

As far as I recall, there was an exemption whereby anything under about £19 was ignored (though I heard that had now been stopped).

For small value deliveries that come via the normal postal service (i.e. not with a major courier), Royal Mail would charge you the duty and VAT (and VAT on the duty), plus a handling fee of £8. Obviously (as they're a percentage) the duty and VAT on low value deliveries wasn't a big deal, but the £8 handling fee kinda took the urine.

 

[D_W]

yeah, that's a rough fee.

Those kinds of things develop here in the states when an agency decides that fees and such will make up a large part of their operating budget. It doesn't take long for certain parts of that to go away and the whole policy (self-funding agencies) is neutered.

Some of our regulatory bodies are taking on a policy of enforcement rather than fee based compliance now, though - I guess they're a "business", too. Government business.

Took me a little while to get up to speed with the whole customs thing on ebay "please sell me X and Y separate, and ship all in X container with receipt from sale, but not much description".

Um, no.

Usually requested after the sale. I don't doctor customs (But don't sell much international now, either). The idea that something you're selling at a minor loss or clearing a couple of dollars on should come with fraud and some oddball refinagling of paperwork is wee.

 

[Jonm]

I don't know about the exact implementation of these new rules because all my stuff from Banggood is arriving from China with no problem, no duty or VAT paperwork. Admittedly the last thing I bought cost me £30 and the customs declaration said £3.18.

I think the new rules apply to goods from EU, there is no change to goods from China.

 

[Noel]

Brexit going well in Larne:

https://t.co/zVs6RBm0ww?amp=1

 

[sploo]

yeah, that's a rough fee.

Those kinds of things develop here in the states when an agency decides that fees and such will make up a large part of their operating budget. It doesn't take long for certain parts of that to go away and the whole policy (self-funding agencies) is neutered.

I suspect we'll start to see much more of an issue with fees on imports from the EU to the UK now. There's a good German based vendor of musicians kit (www.thomann.de) that recently put up a detailed page explaining what they were having to do with regard to shipping to the UK. I can't find the specific page right now but it detailed a similar small paperwork charge for orders under £135 (orders over that have different UK import rules). It's not huge, but a rough calculation told me that a £130 order would cost ~£144 (about an 11% increase). Not a big sum of cash on one order, but it all adds up if every such small order from the EU is hit similarly.

 

[Noel]

I suspect we'll start to see much more of an issue with fees on imports from the EU to the UK now. There's a good German based vendor of musicians kit (www.thomann.de) that recently put up a detailed page explaining what they were having to do with regard to shipping to the UK. I can't find the specific page right now but it detailed a similar small paperwork charge for orders under £135 (orders over that have different UK import rules). It's not huge, but a rough calculation told me that a £130 order would cost ~£144 (about an 11% increase). Not a big sum of cash on one order, but it all adds up if every such small order from the EU is hit similarly.

Is that free of MWSt? VAT on top upon entry into GB?

 

[sploo]

I think the new rules apply to goods from EU, there is no change to goods from China.

Not specifically Brexit related, but this (EU 2021 ending €22 import exemption; Import OSS returns) contains the details of the removal of the duty free limit.

How policing this is going to work (in theory anything sent to the UK - e.g. from China should already be subject to VAT) - I don't know.

 

[Droogs]

SWMBO told me this morning that the legal rules regarding animal welfare in farming in the uk were revoked last night. Ah well , welcome to the 51st state

 

[sploo]

Is that free of MWSt? VAT on top upon entry into GB?

I believe that Thomann are doing the UK VAT collection for orders <£135; so they'll remove the German VAT, charge the UK VAT, add a fee for the hassle of the UK related paperwork, and send it. Over £135 the rules are different; plus I guess those sort of orders would likely go via a courier; who will charge their own fees for the paperwork.

I don't know exactly how a low value (e.g. tens of GBP) package will be marked for shipping into the UK; I mean, how do the authorities know if the EU seller has already collected the UK VAT on behalf of HMRC? I assume that would be stated on paperwork - but paperwork with every small value order is going to be a nightmare of bureaucracy and extra cost.

I found this (How a New VAT Rule From BREXIT Now Impacts Every US Seller Shipping to UK Customers) useful article for US based sellers. Whilst it mentions that if the seller fails to collect the UK VAT from the buyer (for <£135 orders) it may result in delays and the package being returned to the seller, it doesn't indicate how the UK system will know whether the VAT had been collected or not (unless there is some accompanying paperwork).

All sounds like a huge mess TBH.

 

[sploo]

SWMBO told me this morning that the legal rules regarding animal welfare in farming in the uk were revoked last night. Ah well , welcome to the 51st state

Couldn't immediately find any articles about a related vote in parliament; but it wouldn't be surprising - they've already started to roll back protections on workers' rights, food standards, and protections for the NHS in votes in recent weeks (all things that were definitely Project Fear and would never happen).

 

[Rorschach]

SWMBO told me this morning that the legal rules regarding animal welfare in farming in the uk were revoked last night. Ah well , welcome to the 51st state

Do you think UK farmers are chomping at the bit to start whipping their animals and it was only the EU that could hold back their bloodlust

 

[Blackswanwood]

SWMBO told me this morning that the legal rules regarding animal welfare in farming in the uk were revoked last night. Ah well , welcome to the 51st state

I cannot find anything in any of the news or online about this Droogs - do you know specifically what it was as I thought there was a commitment to maintain if not strengthen them (for instance banning some live exports).

 

[Droogs]

From what she said it is to do with what can be sold. So basically foreign meats do not need to meet the same ethical standards as uk produced products. So the way is almost clear for yankee chicken and beef but uk farmers still have to follow eu rules so a really level playing field not

will see if i can get the source from her when she gets back in as I have apparently shrunk the arrse of all her jeans when i did the washing

 

[Jelly]

Do you think UK farmers are chomping at the bit to start whipping their animals and it was only the EU that could hold back their bloodlust

I'm not worried about our farmers animal husbandry practices... Certainly the ones I know care deeply about their herds/flocks and treat their animals very well.

I am quite concerned by our farmers being put out of business by the kind of faceless corporate agribusiness which would be only too happy to lower welfare standards to make a quick buck.

 

[Noel]

I believe that Thomann are doing the UK VAT collection for orders <£135; so they'll remove the German VAT, charge the UK VAT, add a fee for the hassle of the UK related paperwork, and send it. Over £135 the rules are different; plus I guess those sort of orders would likely go via a courier; who will charge their own fees for the paperwork.

I don't know exactly how a low value (e.g. tens of GBP) package will be marked for shipping into the UK; I mean, how do the authorities know if the EU seller has already collected the UK VAT on behalf of HMRC? I assume that would be stated on paperwork - but paperwork with every small value order is going to be a nightmare of bureaucracy and extra cost.

I found this (How a New VAT Rule From BREXIT Now Impacts Every US Seller Shipping to UK Customers) useful article for US based sellers. Whilst it mentions that if the seller fails to collect the UK VAT from the buyer (for <£135 orders) it may result in delays and the package being returned to the seller, it doesn't indicate how the UK system will know whether the VAT had been collected or not (unless there is some accompanying paperwork).

All sounds like a huge mess TBH.

.

HMRC’s plan (and nothing to do with the TCA agreed on Dec 24th BTW) was for the package/parcel to have some kind of “VAT accounted for“ stamp/bar code/QR code. No idea if it ever happened.
Of course the courier/RM etc may need to charge to scan the code, you know how it is....... Or rather, “can we charge for that” ? Damn sures we will....”.

 

[Rorschach]

I'm not worried about our farmers animal husbandry practices... Certainly the ones I know care deeply about their herds/flocks and treat their animals very well.

I am quite concerned by our farmers being put out of business by the kind of faceless corporate agribusiness which would be only too happy to lower welfare standards to make a quick buck.

Ultimately that will be down to the consumer. If you buy meat from a supplier with high welfare standards then the farmers won't go out of business. Meat in this country is very clearly marked as to country of origin and welfare practice. Personally I buy (almost) exclusively British meat and the meats that are not British (bacon, sausage, cured meats) come from EU countries.
While I am not against things like for example chlorine rinsing of meat as practised by a few producers in the US (note that all bagged salads we buy are chlorine washed so it's nothing crazy) I have no interested in buying American chicken when I can buy British chicken very cheaply.

 

[Droogs]

Yeah but they are also bringing in legislation allowing meat that is bulk imported and has its final packaging put on in the uk (and this can be jus a cardboad loop) to be marked as british.

 

[Rorschach]

Yeah but they are also bringing in legislation allowing meat that is bulk imported and has its final packaging put on in the uk (and this can be jus a cardboad loop) to be marked as british.

I can't find any articles to support this, can you link to some?
If that is the case then there is no way the meat could be marked produced in UK if it is simply packed here. A change of packaging would have to occur and I could change my buying habits appropriately.

 

[Droogs]

I'll see if I can dig out the piece I read about the meat packaging, it was a while ago when they were talking about a us deal and was mentioned by some conservitive being interviewed, may take a while as I am doing online work at the mo and just dipping in here, but will get it to you