First import from the EU

[niemeyjt]

No - the UK is a third country. A third-world country is something different.

And you are correct - the Greeks should not charge VAT in the first place - but maybe that is a 23% sweetener for them.

And as I understand the same will happen pan EU from July - VAT will be due in purchaser's country not seller's country - the UK is just affected earlier.

 

[Jonm]

And as I understand the same will happen pan EU from July - VAT will be due in purchaser's country not seller's country - the UK is just affected earlier.

That looks like an internal EU arrangement for countries in the SM/CU, which country gets the vat, where the purchaser is located or the seller. As for “the UK is just affected earlier” I do not understand, we are affected because we left the EU.

But please let us not develop this in to another Brexit slanging match, dealing with the practical issues of where we are is very useful.

 

[PetePontoValentino]

Uk has left the EU. You will pay duty and VAT if duty is due. I bought something from Australia cost me duty, vat and clearance.

You will not get any Greek vat back. Uk is now a third world country as regards EU.
Its a nightmare.

I didn't realise the UK had left the EU...

As the UK is now a third party country the goods are being exported so the seller should export ex vat. I ran a small trading company in about 15 years ago and would do this on a regular basis.

 

[Flartybarty]

Agreed - worst decision the UK ever made.

 

[Rorschach]

Agreed - worst decision the UK ever made.

This is not a thread for those kinds of opinions.

 

[RobinBHM]

A third-world country is something different

In the UKs case I'm not so sure.

 

[Rorschach]

Well my parcel arrived at the end of last week. No hold up's in the shipping process.

I haven't had to pay any fee's up front, we will see if I get a retrospective bill for VAT or anything. The paperwork shows the cost of the goods and my EORI number but no indication of VAT, gotta love the Greeks.

 

[Distinterior]

So,...Are you saying you haven't paid or been asked to pay any VAT either in Greece or here in the UK?

Did you have to do the Customs Clearance yourself or did you use an Agent or not at all?

If no VAT is or is going to be applicable and you have not had to have your Humble Pie cleared through Customs,....then I'm totally confused!!??

 

[Rorschach]

So,...Are you saying you haven't paid or been asked to pay any VAT either in Greece or here in the UK?

Did you have to do the Customs Clearance yourself or did you use an Agent or not at all?

So far no VAT charge here, it wasn't specified if I was paying VAT in Greece or not, as I said, "Greeks" lol.

The courier just delivered it right to my door.

 

[Distinterior]

And Customs Clearance...?

 

[Rorschach]

And Customs Clearance...?

As I said, delivered directly to my door, didn't have to do anything with customs.

 

[Distinterior]

The reason why I'm confused Rorschach, for more than the last 10 years, I have been importing some goods for my business from suppliers in Germany.
Obviously, from 1st January this year, that process was made far more "challenging" than before.

Back at the beginning of December, I ordered €155 Euros worth of cabinet handles from my usual main supplier. Unfortunately, they were out of stock and I was advised that they wouldn't come until late Jan/ early Feb. Normally, prior to 1st Jan 2021, there would be no VAT charged on the goods as it is a business to business transaction within the Single Market & Customs Union.
I am a VAT registered business and have had my EORI number for way over a year now.

When the order confirmation from my supplier arrived, there was still no VAT shown on the paperwork even though the delivery was expected after 1st Jan but I had to arrange for Customs Clearance/ Import Declaration of the goods through an approved Agent.

The handles were dispatched 3rd week of January and I was advised by the Agent when the package was due to arrive.
I also had to pay the Agent their fee for the clearance/ declaration BEFORE the handles would be delivered.
Their fee was £35 Pounds........

Without knowing what it was you have actually purchased & imported into the UK, you can perhaps understand my confusion as to why you haven't had to jump through any inconvenient hoops and yet I have??

 

[Rorschach]

I have no idea why you had the trouble.

My order was pretty much like ordering anything from the UK, I contacted the seller, placed my order, paid the money, courier picked it up and delivered it to my door. Delivery was somewhat slower than it was in the past but otherwise all smooth.

 

[Distinterior]

Well, it would seem you have found the sunlit uplands that you were promised.....the best of both worlds.
The rest of us will just have to suck it up and get on with it.....
Enjoy!

 

[Rorschach]

Well, it would seem you have found the sunlit uplands that you were promised.....the best of both worlds.
The rest of us will just have to suck it up and get on with it.....
Enjoy!

I suspect it is more luck that I was dealing with Greeks rather than Germans.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I bought exhausts for my bike from a firm in California (ironically they were illegal there) and thought myself lucky not to have been walloped with VAT when they arrived ............ then a few weeks later got a bill for the VAT and the handling charge.

 

[Distinterior]

I suspect it is more luck that I was dealing with Greeks rather than Germans.

Well, as long as we all only trade with the Greeks and not the other 26 member countries of the EU, we should all be golden.
I can only assume that the reason for your easy transaction has something to do with the mysterious and secretive item you imported that you are not willing to divulge.......
I dont think your personal experience of importing from the EU is a typical example.
I would be interested to hear from anyone else as to their experiences.

 

[Rorschach]

I bought exhausts for my bike from a firm in California (ironically they were illegal there) and thought myself lucky not to have been walloped with VAT when they arrived ............ then a few weeks later got a bill for the VAT and the handling charge.

I am fully expecting a bill in the post and will update if I do.

 

[Rorschach]

Well, as long as we all only trade with the Greeks and not the other 26 member countries of the EU, we should all be golden.
I can only assume that the reason for your easy transaction has something to do with the mysterious and secretive item you imported that you are not willing to divulge.......
I dont think your personal experience of importing from the EU is a typical example.
I would be interested to hear from anyone else as to their experiences.

No it probably isn't, but I thought it worth sharing.

 

[Jake]

I tried to do my first yesterday, wine from from a Languedoc vinyard I've bought from for a few years. No go, they no longer ship to the UK, closest they get is to deliver to an agent near Calais for collection.