Custom Duties in Eu
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Mark,
I've bought almost everything I have in my setup in the US.
You are supposed to be paying (in Italy, where you live), two kind of taxes: what's is called "dazio", i.e. custom fees, and IVA (VAT for US).
How much?
It depends on declared value and merchandise category, but it can oscillate between 10 and 35%.
According to my personal experience, I generally have a total amount of 30-40% as overall expenses over declared valued (be careful that they add transportation costs too!
).
But for example a rebuilt 9" tube from VDC went through with 0 VAT because it was a "computer spare part" (don't ask me why, but thanks to FedEx for telling me...).
Should you find April's issue of Digital Video Home Theater, I wrote there an article with some suggestions based on my own experience... .
Hope this helps!
I've bought almost everything I have in my setup in the US.
You are supposed to be paying (in Italy, where you live), two kind of taxes: what's is called "dazio", i.e. custom fees, and IVA (VAT for US).
How much?
It depends on declared value and merchandise category, but it can oscillate between 10 and 35%.
According to my personal experience, I generally have a total amount of 30-40% as overall expenses over declared valued (be careful that they add transportation costs too!
).But for example a rebuilt 9" tube from VDC went through with 0 VAT because it was a "computer spare part" (don't ask me why, but thanks to FedEx for telling me...).
Should you find April's issue of Digital Video Home Theater, I wrote there an article with some suggestions based on my own experience...
.Hope this helps!
Mark,
I have explained where to find the custom fee information and how to calculate it in the below thread:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ghlight=custom
cheers,
Halcy
I have explained where to find the custom fee information and how to calculate it in the below thread:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ghlight=custom
cheers,
Halcy
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6,227 Posts
Do you know of no one with a business that could claim it as a presentation projector and get the VAT costs back....
If using Airborne Express thier forms have 2 value declarations... One for customs value (the amout that you should get billed for) and one for 'insured value' if you take the option... This of course leads to a case where the item can be declared at a small figure and insured at a realistic figure...
Packages sent via courier are cleared through customs for speed first and then the bill for taxes sent later... If the package is addressed to one Michael Mouse (and the address is not Disneyland) after the package has arrived and the bill comes the courier company can be informed that Mr Mouse no longer stays there (usually best to add that he ripped you off and you would like to know where he is too) and that is that... This method screws the courier company not the Government, this in turn leads to higher shipping costs for the shipping community at large and is antisocial... However if a courier company has ever trashed your goods in shipping you will have an idea of how 'social' thier insurance disclaimers are and revenge is a dish best served cold... This I leave to your own concience
Anyway there are others (sending as a 'sample of merchandise'... sending with 0 value... sending another (same size weight) package with the same shipper back to the origin and claiming product was defect and returned... etc etc etc)... Sneaky yes, but these are all techniques...
Eagles may soar... But weasels rarely get sucked into Jet engines...
If using Airborne Express thier forms have 2 value declarations... One for customs value (the amout that you should get billed for) and one for 'insured value' if you take the option... This of course leads to a case where the item can be declared at a small figure and insured at a realistic figure...
Packages sent via courier are cleared through customs for speed first and then the bill for taxes sent later... If the package is addressed to one Michael Mouse (and the address is not Disneyland) after the package has arrived and the bill comes the courier company can be informed that Mr Mouse no longer stays there (usually best to add that he ripped you off and you would like to know where he is too) and that is that... This method screws the courier company not the Government, this in turn leads to higher shipping costs for the shipping community at large and is antisocial... However if a courier company has ever trashed your goods in shipping you will have an idea of how 'social' thier insurance disclaimers are and revenge is a dish best served cold... This I leave to your own concience
Anyway there are others (sending as a 'sample of merchandise'... sending with 0 value... sending another (same size weight) package with the same shipper back to the origin and claiming product was defect and returned... etc etc etc)... Sneaky yes, but these are all techniques...
Eagles may soar... But weasels rarely get sucked into Jet engines...
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100% true and I am not advocating any of these options merely presenting them...
It is also true (in my understanding) that these taxes are supposed to be imposed only on new items NOT second hand items.. Try telling your local customs office that an item is not new and already has had local taxes paid at sale...
Also ever sent a new item out of Europe (being a private seller) ?? Were they happy to refund you taxes based on the fact it was exported unused ??
Consider the problems in shipping your projector for a calibration to the US and then getting it back... Serious tax bills on a DILA.. For what ??
Personally I think the feudal states of Europe a royal PITA when it comes to over complex taxation rules (I have specialized the last 6 years in employment tex legislation) and stifles much free enterprise.... However as I run businesses I have not had to run foul of the scenarious above as I put costs like these through my business and reclaim them...
It is also true (in my understanding) that these taxes are supposed to be imposed only on new items NOT second hand items.. Try telling your local customs office that an item is not new and already has had local taxes paid at sale...
Also ever sent a new item out of Europe (being a private seller) ?? Were they happy to refund you taxes based on the fact it was exported unused ??
Consider the problems in shipping your projector for a calibration to the US and then getting it back... Serious tax bills on a DILA.. For what ??
Personally I think the feudal states of Europe a royal PITA when it comes to over complex taxation rules (I have specialized the last 6 years in employment tex legislation) and stifles much free enterprise.... However as I run businesses I have not had to run foul of the scenarious above as I put costs like these through my business and reclaim them...
I know Phat that there are some ways to get custom duties around or to pay less.... the best way would be to have a declared value which is lower of the real one. The problem is that this value is written on the documents by the seller and I don't think that in case of buying something form the online stores they will accept your request " please put value = 0" ...
That's because they risk customs penalty.
I was also asking myself :
and what happens if I want to return the product ? I mean If I use one of the available return policies ? What happens with the taxes I paid ?
That's because they risk customs penalty.
I was also asking myself :
and what happens if I want to return the product ? I mean If I use one of the available return policies ? What happens with the taxes I paid ?
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Exactly one of the biggest headaches... Seeing the amount of people who are returning a product to a well known Japanese source for the US I read it and cringe at the prospect that these could be European that have not worked with the EU customs rules before.. It is quite likely that they would pay 2 lots of duties or go to court against the Customs Office (read attempting to defend againt the government... Just pay the bill)...
Dont mis understand me either... Some taxation on luxury goods is fair... Buying a new item that has not had taxes paid on it deserves some form of charge... Having your PJ shipped for calibration does not (just imagine the shock of sending off your 12k G20 and then finding that you have to pay 21% of the insured value to get it out of the customs lock up !!)... My experience is that the customs office has a rule.. If it has a value add local sales tax, if it was already yours and you have paid it previously... TOUGH !!
Dont mis understand me either... Some taxation on luxury goods is fair... Buying a new item that has not had taxes paid on it deserves some form of charge... Having your PJ shipped for calibration does not (just imagine the shock of sending off your 12k G20 and then finding that you have to pay 21% of the insured value to get it out of the customs lock up !!)... My experience is that the customs office has a rule.. If it has a value add local sales tax, if it was already yours and you have paid it previously... TOUGH !!
I was looking on an online store that ships worldwide and
during the checkout process they calculate the custom taxes/duties based on your country. So they bill you the total of the pj + the duties and say that you have not to pay nothing more when the goods arrive in EU.
Is this realistic and good or do you think that there's the risk to pay duties 2 times ?
I calculated the taxies that "should be" based on the taric database and the value of the item and found out that this online shops bills a lower import as custom duties ( 200 $ lower ) .... Some help please ! ....
Thanks
during the checkout process they calculate the custom taxes/duties based on your country. So they bill you the total of the pj + the duties and say that you have not to pay nothing more when the goods arrive in EU.
Is this realistic and good or do you think that there's the risk to pay duties 2 times ?
I calculated the taxies that "should be" based on the taric database and the value of the item and found out that this online shops bills a lower import as custom duties ( 200 $ lower ) .... Some help please ! ....
Thanks
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It is possible for the shipper to be liable for duties...
I have never seen a shipper do this yet but then theres much in this world I have yet to see...
If they are charging you less than the duties should be I would be curious as to how... Perhaps they mis declare... Perhaps they do some other games... Also if they are careful they would not pay the taxes on the shipping charge as most EU countried do...
If you PM me the site address I will have a scope... Dont forget if you buy by credit card and the deal is explicitly including to the door all taxes paid you have the power to insist that is the case...
I have never seen a shipper do this yet but then theres much in this world I have yet to see...
If they are charging you less than the duties should be I would be curious as to how... Perhaps they mis declare... Perhaps they do some other games... Also if they are careful they would not pay the taxes on the shipping charge as most EU countried do...
If you PM me the site address I will have a scope... Dont forget if you buy by credit card and the deal is explicitly including to the door all taxes paid you have the power to insist that is the case...
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6,227 Posts
Credit card every time....
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271 Posts
Mark,
do you save so much by buying from outside EU that it's actually worth the troubles and risks? I was looking into this myself but decided that I'd rather pay $500 extra (or even more) and have the dealer next door. What about repairs? Will the insurance be valid?
Also, remember that you can buy from another EU country. Then you will pay that country's VAT, not Italy's. In that case, any insurance should still be valid in Italy.
do you save so much by buying from outside EU that it's actually worth the troubles and risks? I was looking into this myself but decided that I'd rather pay $500 extra (or even more) and have the dealer next door. What about repairs? Will the insurance be valid?
Also, remember that you can buy from another EU country. Then you will pay that country's VAT, not Italy's. In that case, any insurance should still be valid in Italy.
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