Author Topic: Cundco.de: are there any import taxes to UK? (Read 3928 times)

MMike · « **on:** January 19, 2021, 03:22:11 AM »

Hi all,
now that the brexit has taken place, I'm trying to figure out if people living in UK will incur in import taxes when ordering from EU online shops like CunCo.

I think there is some kind of law for parcels of £135 value or above, not too sure if the value is less

Linkback: https://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=4997.0

Decar · « **Reply #1 on:** January 19, 2021, 04:30:43 AM »

So my understanding was that while we were in the EU, the UK could levy VAT from shipments from the EU... but they never did because they were part of the same trade zone.

The no-tariffs mentioned in the trade deal, apparently have nothing to do with VAT.

I've seen in the news people in the Netherlands and France have had to pay VAT for things bought in the UK. I think this may be the EU deciding to enforce something that they could have always done.

I ordered a book last week from Germany, it arrived with no VAT. Thought it wasn't very expensive.
I had a kickstarter hold up in Poland/Netherlands over new year, and didn't have any VAT.

I've not yet ordered a sizeable package from Cundco, or elsewhere to discover if the UK decides to charge VAT in EU imports. So most of this is speculation.

corinthiens13 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 20, 2021, 06:53:46 AM »

Quote from: Decar on January 19, 2021, 04:30:43 AM

So my understanding was that while we were in the EU, the UK could levy VAT from shipments from the EU... but they never did because they were part of the same trade zone.

The no-tariffs mentioned in the trade deal, apparently have nothing to do with VAT.

I've seen in the news people in the Netherlands and France have had to pay VAT for things bought in the UK. I think this may be the EU deciding to enforce something that they could have always done.

I ordered a book last week from Germany, it arrived with no VAT. Thought it wasn't very expensive.
I had a kickstarter hold up in Poland/Netherlands over new year, and didn't have any VAT.

I've not yet ordered a sizeable package from Cundco, or elsewhere to discover if the UK decides to charge VAT in EU imports. So most of this is speculation.

In Switzerland (we're not in EU either, but the Swiss-EU agreements are probably different than the UK-EU agreements), we pay Swiss VAT when the shipment's value is above CHF 65 (about 60 Euros)...

But if we're passing the border ourselves with merchandise (so the merchandise isn't shipped), we pay Swiss VAT only when the merchandise's value is above CHF 300 (about 280 Euros).

And then there are custom taxes, and those are different depending on the merchandise...

The no-tariff deal you mention is probably about custom taxes, not about VAT

Fritz_Spinne · « **Reply #3 on:** January 20, 2021, 11:57:46 AM »

I tjhink there can be taxes and tolls, but also a VAT. When you ship something from Germany another country you can buy it without German VAT, but you have to pay the VAT in your country. I think there are different exemption limits in different countries.
The brexit is new and now all companies have to learn about the new trading terms.

Willem · « **Reply #4 on:** January 20, 2021, 01:05:33 PM »

For now the Checkout button is still not available in the English language in Cundco.
When I select German, it is available, and I can select the UK (or any other country), but a bit surprised that it's been this way for quite a few days now. If it's just a bug, surely it would've been fixed by now

Fritz_Spinne · « **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2021, 08:48:14 AM »

I just read an article in the german news-magazin SPIEGEL
https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/service/brexit-folgen-165-euro-zoll-fuer-ein-paar-stiefel-aus-deutschland-a-9e72aecc-dca8-4dfd-984b-9b32cf8acce9
It's about tolls, taxes and VAT after brexit ... seems as if you have to pay a high extra for things from the EU.

Lydster · « **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2021, 05:28:52 AM »

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2021/jan/21/eu-website-purchases-the-import-charges-uk-customers-have-to-pay

This article gives a good general overview and implications for Vat, tarrifs and handling charges in post Brexit UK.

egamar · « **Reply #7 on:** August 01, 2022, 06:55:46 AM »

A late update to the original thread, but it is valid today and I haven't seen it posted elsewhere. Similar procedures exist in EU countries when importing from e.g. the UK.

1. You will pay VAT at the extant rate (currently 20%) on any commercial shipment into the UK from overseas (including the Republic of Ireland)
- the previous "low value shipment relief" has been abolished.

2. You will pay duty on the entire shipment if the shipment is valued at above £135.
- Duty on board games is 0% (Customs Code 95049080). There might be duty payable on other items in the shipment if the rate of duty on those items is more than 0%

3. You pay VAT on the cost of goods, the amount of duty (if any) plus the shipping cost.

4. The carrier (e.g. Parcelforce, DPD, UPS, Hermes) will charge you a handling fee (maybe £12)
- You will have to pay this before the delver the goods.

Note 1. Sure, sometimes things slip through : count your blessings, but don't bank on it
Note 2. Different rules apply for low value items sent as genuine gifts and other more specific case, but I am not writing about them here.
Note 3: As we know, Cundco do not remove the German VAT when shipping outside Germany, saying they are too small to cope with the IT system changes. You can expect similar behaviour from any small EU retailer not geared up to ship outside the EU.

Singing Dwarf · « **Reply #8 on:** October 10, 2022, 01:16:18 PM »

Does anybody have any actual experiences of the duty/tax implications of ordering from Cundco since Brexit?

Willem · « **Reply #9 on:** October 10, 2022, 01:18:45 PM »

Yep, bought lots of stuff, never paid import taxes.
Always stayed under about £130, which I thought was the limit. Although I've read lots of articles stating otherwise, but I've never had any issues

egamar · « **Reply #10 on:** October 10, 2022, 01:27:04 PM »

Quote from: Singing Dwarf on October 10, 2022, 01:16:18 PM

Does anybody have any actual experiences of the duty/tax implications of ordering from Cundco since Brexit?

Yes. I refer you to my post above.

Assume you WILL be charged VAT and a £12 processing fee. The UK is not part of the EU.

It doesn't matter whether the seller is Cundco or anyone else in the EU (or the US, or Canada, or Switzerland, or Ireland ... you get the picture)

egamar · « **Reply #11 on:** October 10, 2022, 01:28:37 PM »

Quote from: Willem on October 10, 2022, 01:18:45 PM

Yep, bought lots of stuff, never paid import taxes.
Always stayed under about £130, which I thought was the limit. Although I've read lots of articles stating otherwise, but I've never had any issues

Do you buy for delivery to the UK, Willem? Or for delivery to another EU country. The £135 "exemption" for importing to the UK from the EU is long gone ...

Willem · « **Reply #12 on:** October 10, 2022, 01:46:36 PM »

For UK delivery.
I've been buying stuff from all over into the UK, and never paid import duty.
But I also don't stay up to date with the rules, so that means they don't apply to me

egamar · « **Reply #13 on:** October 10, 2022, 01:56:48 PM »

Quote from: Willem on October 10, 2022, 01:46:36 PM

For UK delivery.
I've been buying stuff from all over into the UK, and never paid import duty.
But I also don't stay up to date with the rules, so that means they don't apply to me

Well, the rate of duty on boardgames (Customs Trariff 95049080 ) is 0%. from anywhere, so no-one would pay any duty, no matter the value. The rate of VAT on goods imported to the UK from anywhere is 20%, however.

Willem · « **Reply #14 on:** October 10, 2022, 02:07:40 PM »

That's what I mean; I clearly have no idea what I'm talking about, hence the rules don't apply to me, hence I don't pay any duty/vat/etc

The rate at which I'm buying into the UK has gone down I must admit, and more and more companies and people don't want to ship out to the UK, so I have it send to a EU address for later pick up.

But nevertheless, I haven't had any issues. Of course I could be an exception with great luck in this, but this is my experience at least