New EU VAT e-commerce rules

[Endeavor]

Thank you for letting us know which one it is not, very helpful

Let's try IOSS than (Import One Stop Shop); https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/business/vat/online-sellers_en

...... or perhaps it's one of those other OSS's?

Fact is that there is an EU system by which the appropriate duty can be paid at the source (Seller). This would hopefully avoid the "friendly" local handling-fees.

They are absolutely right in one line give in the IOSS article; "As EU customers are used to prices including VAT, the payment of additional fees at the time of importation might lead to the customer refusing the package in question."

I do hope that CousinsUK signs up for that system ..... making them aware of the coming problem doesn't seem to be that easy.

[alvaropinto]

In short, Items coming from the UK will be retained in customs for taxes proposes. In Portugal, values under 22eur(including shipping!)are exempt but otherwise I'll have to pay 23% vat plus all other small bureaucratic expenses. I think CousinsUk has just lost a customer. Sad...

[Endeavor]

9 minutes ago, alvaropinto said:

In Portugal, values under 22eur(including shipping!)are exempt

That's all about to change as per the 1st of July. No more €22 tax exempt. We all (within the EU) have to pay taxes and bureaucratic expenses over the first €-cent when bought outside the EU.

Great the EU, isn't it !?

Edited June 26, 2021 by Endeavor

[alvaropinto]

WHAT?? That's outrageous!  What a great Brexit deal we got!!

[Endeavor]

"Nothing" to do with Brexit. It's a new (Brussels) EU-rule (under the disguise of "protectionism" / "unfair competition" => read more tax-collection) for everything bought outside the EU. Unless the (for example) Chinese seller signs up to the EU-system, you can per the 1st of July kiss goodby (unless you like to pay a fortune) to all the cheap stuff / parts out of China ......

It's the new "iron curtain" but it is now us who are trapped inside .....

Therefore it's to hope that CousinsUK signs up to the system so at least parts from them stay payable.

Edited June 26, 2021 by Endeavor

[jdm]

I have created this topic to take in (including moving posts where necessary) all the discussions about the new rules that will be in effect in the EU about importing goods from outside the Union, starting July 1st, 2021. The official website to read first is the following:
https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/business/vat/vat-e-commerce_en

You can also find online other publications and article about IOSS, that is the program with which (n the future) VAT could be paid at the source for small personal imported goods, if the seller joins the program and his country will have provisions to do so. At the day of this writing this, it is not active anywhere.

Now, anyone in the world would rather not pay any kind of tax, and our forum rules do not preclude political discussion, however since this forum has not been created and maintained with the Admin's money to serve as a soapbox, I kindly ask to avoid making general political statements, limiting instead to fact sharing, supported by relevant links. 

On that line my own take is that it was unfair and self-damaging for the EU to allow the Chinese to get an advantage by selling tax free in EU, while is worth noting that also China took a tough stance on illegal imports since 2019 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daigou

However, IMHO the matter must also be seen in term or reciprocity, e.g. an official Chinese source states that the tax free postal allowance for items imported in China by post is RMB 1,000  (€129) http://english.customs.gov.cn/Statics/097b86e8-14bc-470a-b20f-081b199cfaf7.html while their VAT is 13% (actually import taxation is more complicated than just that)  https://www.china-briefing.com/news/import-export-taxes-and-duties-in-china-2021/#:~:text=From April 1%2C 2019%2C China's,39).

[jdm]

A question about forum rules has been split and answered into the proper section:

 

[jdm]

Good news! Aliexpress is  working already with IOSS. VAT is collected at payment and nothing to pay at delivery. 

 

[jdm]

A couple of weeks ago I received my first IOSS purchase, that is a small tool from a reputable Ebay UK seller. The label clearly indicated "VAT Paid IOSS xxxzzz", notwithstanding this my national post charged an accessible €5.90 as customs handling fees - no VAT was charged. That is clearly not in the intent of the program, but unless the EU mandates that no additional fees on IOSS can be charged (and I doubt that will happen), I'm afraid that any postal administration, and private courier will still continue to charge as they please. Their justification is that current regulations state that "any package presented to customs" is charged handling fees.

In contrast, the Chinese (AliExpress) already do better than that. They charge VAT at time of purchase, and ship all EU orders to a centralized hub in the Netherlands, where they clear customs and combine multiple packages to a same customer when possible. The shipment is then made from the EU and no charges are due at delivery.

[Tony13]

I had the same problem with my last order from Cousins.

I am in The Netherlands. Post NL simply charges you extra declaration fees and they will keep on doing it as they say they are entitled to as you explained.