Cost of clearing EU goods through UK customs post Brexit.

[pw66]

Now that a trade deal has been announced I am in the process of working out the costs of importing from my EU suppliers, prior to changing my website prices.
Although there is no duty payable, there will still be charges for getting the customs declaration sorted, but I can't find many details of the likely govt. costs (paperwork, port charges etc).
TNT look to be charging about £20 for their admin involvement, but has anyone got any idea of the rest of the likely costs? ( not including vat)

[Earl Smith]

If I was you I would ask your suppliers over on the continent. Most have been preparing for this moment and most have sorted out the costs and what to do. The UK side is still coming to grips so it will probably be a while before they have info.
This is a website from Germany. Full of what has to be done from my region. Good luck with that.
https://www.land.nrw/de/pressemitteilun ... abgewendet

[pw66]

If I was you I would ask your suppliers over on the continent. Most have been preparing for this moment and most have sorted out the costs and what to do. The UK side is still coming to grips so it will probably be a while before they have info.
This is a website from Germany. Full of what has to be done from my region. Good luck with that.
https://www.land.nrw/de/pressemitteilun ... abgewendet

It has been about 15 years since I last imported anything (apart from the EU), and I seem to remember there being separate charges for the customs clearance, port handling (bonded warehouse) fees and couriers admin fees, as well as vat. I have been searching for over a day, and all I can find is Govt. websites telling me to prepare(!) which is what I am trying to do:biggrin:.

The couriers - in this case TNT/Fedex - deal with most of the customs clearance for my suppliers, and pay the Vat and other charges to HMRC on my behalf. My suppliers have little information on costs UK side.

TNT are transparent about their handling charges, but I can find very little info on the likely cost of the actual customs clearance, which makes costing difficult. I have seen estimates of £15 - £56 per consignment. Add on TNT costs of £20, and some port fees.
To be realistic/safe I am going to work on added costs at the thick end of £100 per consignment, and impose a minimum order quantity of 200 pieces on EU sourced items.

[pw66]

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but I have just brought in my first EU consignment since brexit, via TNT/Fedex.

Pleasantly surprised at the charges. Fedex only charged a flat rate £12.75 admin charge. Doesn't appear to be any other port fees.
There was import duty charged at 12%. This was due to the 'rules of origin' regs- the garments were originaly made outside the EU so not part of EU tariff free trade.

Even though the goods are 12% more than they would have been a year ago the saving over similar goods from the UK wholesale network is worthwhile.

[Andrew]

I recently bought from Bestsub Poland and after all additional costs it added nearly 30% onto the original purchase cost. It is a shit show out there when it comes to getting info on what you might pay. Originally many seemed to think there were no extra costs. Around 8 months ago I bought some items from a UK website and turned out they had no stock left so sent it from their Ireland branch. Endless arguments over the import duty with them as they said I would never be charged more. Easier to stick with China unfortunately as at least you know what is coming. There probably is more info out there now on EU imports but rarely buy anything so have searched again...... other than getting recently caught with Bestsub.

[socialgiraffe]

Exporting is also a shit show with considerable more paperwork and many items being returned without explanation.

Recently sent 150 odd consignments across the world, all had exactly the same contents. About 40 of them for the EU which now requires the same paperwork as the RoW consignments. 16 were returned without any reason, was told by the shipping agent that the best thing is to just put them through again. Did that and number returned was 4 which were sent again and finally got through.

Customer doesn't care as its a bank who are making a bucket load out of this mess.

But hey ho, at least my blue passport has arrived

[pw66]

I must admit that I was surprised there wasn't seperate port fees and an HMRC charge for customs clearance.
In retrospect I am going to enquire about the 12% rules of origin tariff. The goods originally came from Bangladesh and are supposed to be duty free under the UN Least Developed Countries Framework.

[Paul]

.... But there wont be any customs thy said... :rolleyes:

[pw66]

.... But there wont be any customs thy said... :rolleyes:

.... they 'forgot' to mention rules of origin duty on goods that originated outside of the EU. Apart from food that includes nearly everything.....