First import from the EU

[Rorschach]

Just in the interest of dragging this away from an argument, I'm trying to buy something in greece and struggling to find a shipper - I'll be one euro pallet. Value is very low (cabinet for a milling machine I have) If @Rorschach or @Trainee neophyte (or anyone else) have any bright ideas for who to contact please PM me!

My item came using TNT, the price was ok but they were very slow, 3 weeks I think it took in total. It was only one of that mini pallets though so their prices for a full size could be a lot more, different companies have weird pricing schedules.

I had a domestic pallet delivered a few months back via DPD and that was a good price, I know it's only a UK rate but I thought it was good value and worth asking their european rate, it was £40 for a 1 ton pallet, flat rate 2 days delivery. Mine only weighed 1/2 ton, I was still happy at that price though.

Definitely worth asking who the locals use and TN might have an idea here.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

I have sent Mr French a message but might as well put it in the thread, too.

Firstly, don't use a Greek shipping company - they have have a closed shop arrangement, and charge the earth.

We use a company called Nomad International - they are are bit slow, in that they only do a run once or twice a month, but they take olive oil, unlike almost everyone else, and they don't need a pallet - they are actually a house removals company. Removals to Greece, Italy & the Mediterranean - Nomad International . They charge by volume, and will take anything "two men can lift".

If that doesn't work, I can also get you a Polish man-with-a-van, but that uses the wife's Facebook account, so marginally more tricky. Let me know if I can help. BTW, where is the cabinet? It may make a difference.

 

[Blackswanwood]

, I can also get you a Polish man-with-a-van, but that uses the wife's Facebook account, so marginally more tricky.

That sounds like the makings of a Guy Ritchie film

 

[clogs]

thanks for that......
just gonna say the same as T/neophyte.......
also, I have a guy who does make reg trips to the UK in a truck...he's based in Athens.....
he's just bringing our last parcel from the UK.....
He transports animals (dog's n horses) and open to oppertunities....so far all reports that he charges a fair rate.....
Nomad run from Crete ( Vamos, my next village) then via Athens to Peterborough........they use 40ft artics and occ luton transits....

 

[TFrench]

The cabinet is in Patras which I think is a little off the truck route for the UK - assuming they run up through the Balkans, if they ferry to Italy and then up it would be perfect. I'll try Nomad again, the guy said he thought it sounded too big, I'll try to persuade them!

 

[sploo]

sploo are you Kier Starmer? .............. you seem to be wiffle waffling, re stating your stated position and changing your opinion regularly.

Back to content-free trolling then I see

 

[doctor Bob]

Guys, love your company, however, Dad needs to go into a nursing home asap, Mum can't cope, need to get power of attourney sorted, first day of Garden studio build, up to my neck in work, second business going mental.
I'm dropping out as this thread is irrelevant in the big picture. May be back in a week or two.
Good luck to all of you, Jacob, sploo, Robin and Noel, honestly, I like you all, I'm quietly confident that I really don't get to any of you, and the reverse is true as well

 

[Blackswanwood]

Guys, love your company, however, Dad needs to go into a nursing home asap, Mum can't cope, need to get power of attourney sorted, first day of Garden studio build, up to my neck in work, second business going mental.
I'm dropping out as this thread is irrelevant in the big picture. May be back in a week or two.
Good luck to all of you, Jacob, sploo, Robin and Noel, honestly, I like you all, I'm quietly confident that I really don't get to any of you, and the reverse is true as well

Sorry to hear that about your Mum and Dad - hope you get them settled and sorted quickly.

 

[Nick.]

Guys, love your company, however, Dad needs to go into a nursing home asap, Mum can't cope, need to get power of attourney sorted, first day of Garden studio build, up to my neck in work, second business going mental.
I'm dropping out as this thread is irrelevant in the big picture. May be back in a week or two.
Good luck to all of you, Jacob, sploo, Robin and Noel, honestly, I like you all, I'm quietly confident that I really don't get to any of you, and the reverse is true as well

doctor Bob - I wish you all the best - we are in similar situation except Spanish father in law is in Spain & power of attorney gone - we need to get over there asap to sort things as we didn't realise how bad it all was after not being able to visit for a long time etc. He also needs 24hr care asap whilst we are both still stuck here working flat out and trying to sort it remotely..
I haven't contributed to this thread but have enjoyed reading yours and others differing opinions - and the to and fro-ing has been just what an open forum was created for.
I hope you get things sorted.
Nick.

 

[francovendee]

That's what an election is for. Both sides show their arguments then the people decide who they believe and what direction they want the country to go. It was on remainers to show an argument why remaining in the EU was best, which they failed to do, especially considering most MSM, politicians and big businesses were on the remain side. The argument was basically "remain and everything stays the same" which wasn't something most people wanted.

Unfortunately elections rarely reflect the majority view. I wish it were otherwise but until some form of PR is in place you can't know for sure .

 

[artie]

Posted for humour value only. please don't get you y fronts in a wad..

 

[Trainee neophyte]

Another parcel arrived from the UK yesterday. Value just over £100, UK VAT paid (albeit hardly anything because it contains herbs and spices etc).

€40 required on collection: 25% duty plus €15 admin fee for the post office. Last week we received €100 worth of clothes and other tat from China, and as usual no additional fees were required.

My understanding is that, although Ms Merkel forced forced an agreement through before Christmas, there is no EU trade deal with China in place yet, so why do Chinese goods not attract punitive duty when UK goods do? It's not as if Europe collectively is vindictive and protectionist and trying to make a point, so what could the reason be? Anyone know?

 

[RobinBHM]

Europe collectively is vindictive and protectionist and trying to make a point

I see you up to your dishonest tricks as usual.
Are you unable to debate honestly, ever?

Tell me, does the EU run every courier business, does it have a special directive telling exporters they must be vindictive?

Or is it that imports exports between EU and UK have been gloriously frictionless for many decades and now the couriers, customs agents, hauliers are now having to deal with masses of Brexit red tape.

10,000 trucks going through Dover every day......I can't imagine why putting a heap of Brexit red tape on each lorry would cause a load of grief

 

[RobinBHM]

Guys, love your company, however, Dad needs to go into a nursing home asap, Mum can't cope, need to get power of attourney sorted

Sadly that's been happening to me over the past 3 years or so. My Dad stayed at home but got too frail to cope, my FIL got Lewy body dementia and had to go into a care home. Just at the start of the 1st lockdown last year. The home cost £1300 a week and we couldn't even go and visit.

It's all horrible really, my best regards to you with dealing with all that.
Be careful with care homes, many are owned by the big corporates like careUK. Fancy receptions but operate with skeleton care staff on minimum wage.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I see you up to your dishonest tricks as usual.
Are you unable to debate honestly, ever?

Tell me, does the EU run every courier business, does it have a special directive telling exporters they must be vindictive?

Or is it that imports exports between EU and UK have been gloriously frictionless for many decades and now the couriers, customs agents, hauliers are now having to deal with masses of Brexit red tape.

I don't think he's being dishonest, just making a point.

The rules on tariffs, tax and so on within the EU are set by the EU, given their single market and customs union, not by the couriers and postal services. Whatever your point of view of the EU, it does have a history of being rather protectionist, and it does have a vested interest in making life for the UK as tricky as possible to dissuade other countries from leaving.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

@RobinBHM - please explain to me, because I don't understand, why i must pay punitive duty on goods imported from the UK, but not from goods imported from China. I can probably import from other countries too, without duty being charged - last time I bought something from the USA I didn't pay duty, but it was a couple of years ago, and things may have changed.

BTW, I don't go out of my way to write things purely to make you seethe - it is not intentional. I really am sorry if you get upset by what I write, or the way I write.

 

[sploo]

Posted for humour value only. please don't get you y fronts in a wad..

The icing on the cake is the misspelling of "Benefits"

 

[sploo]

@RobinBHM - please explain to me, because I don't understand, why i must pay punitive duty on goods imported from the UK, but not from goods imported from China. I can probably import from other countries too, without duty being charged - last time I bought something from the USA I didn't pay duty, but it was a couple of years ago, and things may have changed.

BTW, I don't go out of my way to write things purely to make you seethe - it is not intentional. I really am sorry if you get upset by what I write, or the way I write.

Genuine question: Is that not more likely because the UK<->EU deliveries are done "by the book", but the Chinese deliveries have a tendency to be listed as "pencils" and valued at $1.27? I.e. you/I/we should also be paying the same duty on goods from China?

 

[selectortone]

@RobinBHM - please explain to me, because I don't understand, why i must pay punitive duty on goods imported from the UK, but not from goods imported from China. I can probably import from other countries too, without duty being charged - last time I bought something from the USA I didn't pay duty, but it was a couple of years ago, and things may have changed.

BTW, I don't go out of my way to write things purely to make you seethe - it is not intentional. I really am sorry if you get upset by what I write, or the way I write.

It's because China is still considered a 'developing nation' by the UN. The UN Universal Postal Union allows China to ship small parcels at massively subsidised rates and also avoid VAT in many cases. To add insult to injury the subsidies are paid by the destination nations - in the UK's case by the Post Office.

If you google "UN UPU China subsidies" there's pages and pages of stuff on it.

Quite why the UN classes on of the most poweful countries in the world as a 'developing nation' is a good question.

 

[Noel]

Another parcel arrived from the UK yesterday. Value just over £100, UK VAT paid (albeit hardly anything because it contains herbs and spices etc).

€40 required on collection: 25% duty plus €15 admin fee for the post office. Last week we received €100 worth of clothes and other tat from China, and as usual no additional fees were required.

My understanding is that, although Ms Merkel forced forced an agreement through before Christmas, there is no EU trade deal with China in place yet, so why do Chinese goods not attract punitive duty when UK goods do? It's not as if Europe collectively is vindictive and protectionist and trying to make a point, so what could the reason be? Anyone know?

You and others are conflating trade agreements with customs. Two separate entities - trade agreements help with the flow of goods, customs protect that flow of goods.