[milkpowder]

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/...:0002:EN%3aPDF

I must confess it took me a while to understand this document, and I'm still uncertain of what exactly it is trying to say

Basically (correct me if I'm wrong) -

As of 1 Dec. 2008, the item value before import duty can be charged will be raised from 22EUR (1ECU = 1EUR) to 150EUR. This will apply to all EU countries.

 

[apatN]

I think it's already 150€ for electronics here in The Netherlands. You are talking about customs/vat right?

 

[yepyep_]

Hmm. Found on another forum:
Quote:

There's been a lot of wishful thinking on this despite what some of us have said. This is what HM Revenue and Customs have to say on their site: "I have read recently that the threshold for importing goods will increase from €22 (£18)* to €150* does that mean that all goods under that value will free of all duties? No, these changes will apply only to Customs duty. VAT and Excise duties will remain unaffected. Other charges eg handling fees made by Royal Mail, Parcelforce Worldwide and charges made by other carriers will also remain unaffected. For example, you will no longer be required to pay Customs duty from 1 December 2008 for goods up to a value of €150 ECU when ordered from outside the EU. However you will still have to pay import VAT on goods that are over the current €22 (£18)* threshold as well as any Excise duty that may be applicable. * This rate of exchange will be subject to annual adjustment and is announced in the European Commission Official Journal in the first working day in October to take effect from 1 January".

 

[argentum]

The shipping costs are added to the items value and then the duties and -VAT are calculated on the whole of the sum.

 

[milkpowder]

Thanks yepyep.

So the amount I have to pay to get something imported will indeed go down a rather small amount (UK import duty is 3.5% for items below 290GBP in value).

UK VAT is 17.5% and I've hardly come across excise duty before (I don't buy oil, alcohol or tobacco from overseas sources). So from now on I will only have to pay 17.5% VAT + courier administrative charge for items less than 150EUR in value. I've paid up to 40-50% item value in custom duties/VAT/handling charges before.

Postage on "gifts" is excluded from import (aka customs) duty calculation unless sent by EMS.

 

[Audio-Omega]

It's AUD$1000 in Australia before we have to pay import duties.