new VAT rules for imports from 1st jan 2021

[Simon G]

I have, multiple times, from the States and Canada. Always made me cry.

Stuff from the EU now ought to appear VAT-free on their websites so we pay the fee and collection charge here. I guess it’s a case of these people getting to grips with it so we just line FedEx’s pocket instead of everybody’s pocket.

Yeah, it all seems a bit arse about face.. it's not like they've had almost 5 years to sort it all out or anything.

 

[Simon G]

Stuff from the EU now ought to appear VAT-free on their websites so we pay the fee and collection charge here. I guess it’s a case of these people getting to grips with it so we just line FedEx’s pocket instead of everybody’s pocket.

Yup, this is right... I've just seen this on a German companies website..

So the new trade agreement means buying from the EU is now the same as it was buying from the rest of the world .... but the government have changed the rules for buying from the rest of the world to what it used to be when buying from the EU. (paying VAT at time of purchase)

no wonder we were confused @zouzounaki everything now is the opposite of what it was.

Which begs the question... will some smaller packages from the EU slip through in regular mail like they used to coming from other parts of the world?

 

[zouzounaki]

Yup, this is right... I've just seen this on a German companies website..

View attachment 237113

So the new trade agreement means buying from the EU is now the same as it was buying from the rest of the world .... but the government have changed the rules for buying from the rest of the world to what it used to be when buying from the EU. (paying VAT at time of purchase)

no wonder we were confused @zouzounaki everything now is the opposite of what it was.

Which begs the question... will some smaller packages from the EU slip through in regular mail like they used to coming from other parts of the world?

no, this isn’t right. any purchase from overseas should have uk vat added at the point of purchase, and the seller registered for uk vat, whether it’s eu or the rest of the world. go back and have a look at the gov doc.

 

[zouzounaki]

@Simon G

“For imports of goods from outside the UK in consignments not exceeding £135 in value (which aligns with the threshold for customs duty liability), we will be moving the point at which VAT is collected from the point of importation to the point of sale. This will mean that UK supply VAT, rather than import VAT, will be due on these consignments.

 

[Snakebitex10]

I ordered some spring clamps from Ali express a few days ago to the value of £2.50
The shipping is free but was hit with 42p tax on top of the final value

Total price paid was £2.93.
They ripped me off another penny.

 

[andipandi]

Which begs the question... will some smaller packages from the EU slip through in regular mail like they used to coming from other parts of the world?

Of course they might well do, and also, from outside the EU, government information itself suggests that they cant check every package, hence the switch to import VAT. If a company doesn't collect VAT upfront then I assume we would get VAT, plus courier fee and maybe later on perhaps the government will implement additional sanctions on the purchaser, if too many packages are found not to conform to the new VAT rules.

As for those Germans, in your link, well, they've got that wrong

 

[Simon G]

As for those Germans, in your link, well, they've got that wrong

If the biggest instrument retailer in the whole of Europe has it wrong then I have no idea.

 

[andipandi]

If the biggest instrument retailer in the whole of Europe has it wrong then I have no idea.

Best get an order in, as you was looking

Edit: any further info in the FAQs, on that site?

 

[Simon G]

Best get an order in, as you was looking

Edit: any further info in the FAQs, on that site?

yeah it says:

Special Rules for our UK Customers
With the new trade agreement between the EU and the UK, new regulations have been applied to all commercial transactions between the two distinct markets.

As of 01.01.2021 all current prices shown on our UK website do not include VAT 20% (Value Added Tax).
According to the new regulations, the VAT (20%) and additional handling fees will have to be paid to the courier upon delivery with the only exceptions being special VAT-free zones (e.g Channel Islands).

Based on the feedback we have received so far, Government Charges will be collected by UPS and they consist of the 20% VAT plus a small amount for the paperwork involved (usually around 2.5%). There is also an additional amount to be paid to UPS for their service, which is a minimum of 11.50 GBP. As not every order has the same customs requirement, for further information we advise that you check the costs and procedures in advance with the courier locally.

VAT will be added and charged by Thomann GmbH after processing an order only if the net value of the items is equal or less than 135.00 GBP or if delivery will be to Northern Ireland. In these cases, no additional fee will have to be paid upon delivery.

For items exceeding 31 kilos, or heavy goods such as PA equipment, pianos, etc., we have to employ the services of a heavy haulage company. As these new regulations only came into effect a few days before the end of the transition period, delivery by this method of transport to the UK is currently not possible. Further information will be included in our order confirmation email.
Please be assured that with more than 20 years of close cooperation with our UK customers, it is our priority to find new solutions that will allow us to provide door-to-door online prices as soon as possible.

 

[Simon G]

ah, there you go

"VAT will be added and charged by Thomann GmbH after processing an order only if the net value of the items is equal or less than 135.00 GBP"