To everyone from Belgium buying things from the USA (an probably rest of the world, except for China), BE AWARE.
Lately I’ve started buying stuff from the USA as well and all items so far have been taxed ridiculously high.
For exemple 25 euros for a 30 euro pen…
This week customs held the light I got from DB Customs for 4 full days after which they decided I have to pay 48 euros!!!
I wasn’t at home so the light is at the post office, but I’m not getting it right yet.
I wrote a letter to our minister of finance, asking why these ridiculously high prices are charged…
Belgium must be world nr 1 in making you pay for anything…
The thing is though, that the flood gates seem to be wide open from countries like China…
Ofcourse I’ll pay this sum before the 2 week period expires to get my package.
I’m really dying to see the performance of this amazing light.
And of course I’m very grateful for DB giving it to me.
But to anyone ordering or even receiving gifts from the USA, reconsider if you can buy it for only a little more inside Europe
If you get something from any country outside the european union you will have to pay.
For us in Hungary, it is 27% vat (for anything over 22 euro) and a standard custom fee (6 euro).
So for a flashlight that costs 50 euros, the final price will be 70 euros (if it is stopped at the customs).
It is pretty much the same here.
The rules apply in all of the EC, only the actual percentages may be different per country.
In the case of a 50 EURO flashlight I would have to pay 21% VAT on 50 EURO plus a (avg) 13 EURO handling fee.
But scheven……. That’s the case when you buy goods from a regular professional seller of goods.
In your case you have won a GAW. That is almost a once-in-a-lifetime event.
It is a gift from a private person to a private person, a used object (no offence) for which you have payed nothing.
An object that you not are going to use in a bussines environment, nor in a professional capacity.
Rules are different for these situations. I would ask around if I were you. Would not hurt a bit.
Beware of the mental state of civil servants. Don’t like to be commandeered. Don’t like a know-it-all.
But can be very useful if you guide him/her in the right direction by friendly asking the right questions.
Indien een familielid, vriend of kennis wonende buiten de Europese Unie u een zending, zelfs indien dit een geschenk is, zendt, zult u bij de invoer de rechten bij invoer, BTW en eventueel de accijns moeten betalen.
When a family member, friend or acquaintance living outside the European Union sends you a package, even if this is a gift, you will have to pay taxes, VAT,…
It should be a percentage
Mostly of the value printed on the label
That’s the reason a lot of phones from China are labelled MP3 player value $20
All the big vendors lie about value (or maybe the printed value is more on par with the truth then what we pay for it ;))
Well its EU m8 , get use to it, we have to feed all those unemployed ones, we have a huge social care programs, we do spend tens of billions per year supporting Africa and who knows else, and wait: there are like 10 millions incomming every year ( applauds to Merkel, i do love her, she invited them all) with a trend to become even more, maybe double.
Those money have to come from somewhere, and its usualy Vat, taxes and so on
Yes m8 it is, do you know that actualy the gas exsice in Eu is more than the fuel itself? at least 420 euros per metric ton or at least nearly half an euro for a litre? Of course we do love that
Anyway, why don’t you educate yourself and do some importing from the US, you will find out what costs are actually involved or the effort required to avoid them and how it contrasts with Chinese imports :money_mouth_face:
In Germany we have to pay 19% taxes for products with a value (include shipping) is higher as 22€, but if the fees are under 5€, these will not be charged (result: orders under 26€ are free). At the moment we do not have a handling fee (only if your order packages with the express services like DHL, FedEx).
If I get a package of a friend (a gift) the package value incl shipping under 45€ is free.
If someone in a Euro country (in this countries with the Euro the Paypal friends option is available - it does not work from a European account to an US account) has a high handling fee, I could offer this: I will order it and send it to you (it will cost 5€ for a package with a weight of max. 499g, without insurance and without a tracking number. A trackingnumber costs 2,50€ more, insurnace - I don't know at the moment).
If you have a high handling fee, this option could save you some money.
Careful, there. Be***um is the rudest word in the Universe. :O It is completely banned in all parts of the Galaxy, except in one part, where they don't know what it means, and in serious screenplays.
