I have to agree with Nautic. Unfortunately you're wrong fran82. I already wrote the following in another thread, but it surely belongs to this thread.
The limit where you have to pay 25% VAT in Denmark is 80 Danish Crowns and has NOT been changed in 15 years! (this is without postage, but you must pay 25% VAT of the postage also if you break the limit). That limit is equal to about $13.80 but the PO add another $28 fee to do you the favour. That way an order of $14 becomes $45. Denmark is famous for having the highest taxes and prices.
But we only have to pay toll (customs duties) on orders bigger than about $198 and normally this is only 6%.
I'm sure I read earlier that there was a limit of 170 SEK (~18,90 EUR) before you had to pay customs or VAT but checking the official swedish customs homepage today it seems to be gone. This means you have to pay 25% VAT plus a handling fee of 100 SEK for any item from outside the EU (e.g. that would be 11,97 EUR for one DX pig light!!!). If your order is more than 1600 SEK up to 20% customs will be added.
I think robbery is too nice a word! |(
Luckily it seems that customs is not very often interested in these yellow padded envelopes from the far east. From my about 15 orders from HK/CN last year only one was caught. :p
2.3 What are the limits for customs duty and import VAT?
Commercial consignments of £18 or less are free from customs duty and import VAT. For example, goods purchased over the internet with an intrinsic value not exceeding £18, will not be charged any duty or VAT but this does not include alcohol, tobacco products, perfume or toilet waters. See paragraph 2.5, 2.6 and section 3.
If you are sent a gift with a value of £40 or less, and which complies with the rules shown in paragraph 2.4, it will be free from customs duty and import VAT, but this does not include alcohol, tobacco, perfumes and toilet waters.
Customs duty becomes payable if the value of the goods is over £135 but duty is waived if the amount of duty calculated is less than £9.
There are a number of other circumstances where relief from some or all customs charges may be available. If you think your goods may be eligible for a relief you should contact the Customs Helpline for further information.
Goods sent as a gift that are over £40 in value are liable to import VAT. Customs duty also becomes payable if the value of the goods is over £135 but is waived if the amount of duty calculated is less than £9.
To qualify as a gift:
the customs declaration must be completed correctly
the gift must be sent from a private person outside the EU to a private person(s) in this country
there is no commercial or trade element and the gift has not been paid for either directly or indirectly
the gift is of an occasional nature only, for example, for a birthday or anniversary.
Note: if you purchase goods from outside the EU to give as a gift to a relative or friend, whether or not addressed to that person, is treated as a ‘commercial consignment’ for which the import VAT relief threshold is £18 (paragraph 2.3 refers).
I theory there are taxes of 50% of the value of the object you receive, and you have a "free tax ticket" of 25usd per year per person. So, if you receive something wich costs 30usd, you will have to pay the 50% of the difference, that is (30-25)/2 = 2,5usd.
In real life, if packages are not too big, customs don't check it and you receive them at home. So I buy multiple small packages.
Not sure about that. The particular order of mine that got caught was for 352 SEK. I had to pay 88 SEK (25% moms) plus 100 SEK for handling a procedure I did not want to have in the first place.
Well, soon the Easter will be here. Then we will have some very good, strong 0.5 L beers in Superbrugsen called "Willemoes Påske Ale" (has a dark green label). They are often on sale before Easter (3 for DKR 40-45)
Good English beer works very well for me. Scottish beers not so much because they are too strong and too sweet. Strong beers in general I find to be unacceptably sweet.
But I'd bet on Fuller's London Pride against any beer anywhere. Or better still, if you can get it, Fuller's ESB. If you get the chance, try them.
If you like ridiculously strong beers, look out for Tactical Nuclear Penguin which is brewed about 50km from me.
I think it is revolting, but it is the highest alcohol beer ever brewed at 32% alcohol by volume. And 125 euros per litre.
