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Dealing with the EU from the UK

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boxplayer4000

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I'm in the UK. Brexit has made it more complicated to import/export to the EU. Has anybody here got recent experience of the process for 2nd hand accordions?
In particular I would be interested in dealings with the Republic of Ireland.
I've looked at the Government websites which are supposed to explain the processes but I don't find them very clear or helpful. The seem to aimed at business rather than private sales of single, secondhand items (such as accordions).
 
Keep me posted....I wanna do a straight swap with someone in Ireland but customs protocol is making nigh impossible....
Also I'd be interested in a new Sonola SS4 from Italy and was quite happy to pay a middle man to sort all the paper shizz out for me....I contacted Emilio Allodi and he is totally frustrated and no longer importing anything since customs have sent instruments back and generally made the whole process impossible for him to deliver his normal high standard of service....sad days as this will have a real heavy impact on his livelihood....
Pah ...island life....what a mess....
 
Bought a second hand accordion from netherlands shop after brexit , had to pay extra 20% duty
 
My memory is a little fuzzy on all this so take with a pinch of salt

I was going to bring one back from Spain a few months ago and what I had learnt is that you could bring back anything from the EU and pay no additional fees as long as it was made in the EU. Now for shipping over that will work differently since you're just going to pay duty on the value, even if it's not new. Seems silly because once you're spending £1000 or more, well for £200 you can very easily just fly to the country you're buying from and bring it back yourself.

That's if you're buying from a private seller, from a business it shouldn't in theory cost you more since you won't be paying any sales taxes to the country of origin. So if you were buying from an Italian business, you'd be buying it for 20% less than what the locals in Italy would be paying, and then paying the UK government the 20%. In the end you pay the same as pre-Brexit.

Basically, if you are buying form a private seller in the EU and having it shipped to the UK it's worse now because you will get taxed on the declared value of the item (even if it's used). You can, bizarrely, bring it over yourself free of any charge... That's my understanding at least
 
losthobos said:
Keep me posted....I wanna do a straight swap with someone in Ireland but customs protocol is making nigh impossible....
Also I'd be interested in a new Sonola SS4 from Italy and was quite happy to pay a middle man to sort all the paper shizz out for me....I contacted Emilio Allodi and he is totally frustrated and no longer importing anything since customs have sent instruments back and generally made the whole process impossible for him to deliver his normal high standard of service....sad days as this will have a real heavy impact on his livelihood....
Pah ...island life....what a mess....
Click to expand...
I believe Romano Viazzani of ZZ Music might still doing imports. Great guy
 
Thanks all for responding. It seems a bit of mess and a massive own-goal for the UK. I've heard dealers express the same views as Emelio Allodi and have more or less given up on the process.
If I make a private sale of a second hand instrument to a person in the Irish Republic (the EU) from the UK is it the buyer in Ireland who can expect to pay 20% tax? Have I seen a comment somewhere where items below a value of £250 (?) are exempt from tax?
 
boxplayer4000 said:
[...]
If I make a private sale of a second hand instrument to a person in the Irish Republic (the EU) from the UK is it the buyer in Ireland who can expect to pay 20% tax? Have I seen a comment somewhere where items below a value of £250 (?) are exempt from tax?
Click to expand...

Beware, the following is for buyers in Germany (from UK), for IRL it may be different!

  • Yes, the buyer hast to pay the taxes.
  • There are TWO taxes involved: Import tax and VAT
  • The amount (percentage value) of import taxes depends on the type of article. The customs website should have a list. In the list is also written up to which value the specific article is "duty free".
  • VAT has no "duty free" threshold, buyer has to pay VAT in any case.
  • To calculate the "value" of the article (to further calculate the taxes) customs add the shipping price (postage and insurance) to the selling price.
  • Customs are even allowed to estimate a propper (higher) value for the article if they have the feeling that your reported selling price is under the common market-value. (But I doubt that they have expertise in used accordions.)
 
Last edited:
Airy said:
Beware, the following is for buyers in Germany (from UK), for IRL it may be different!

  • Yes, the buyer hast to pay the taxes.
  • There are TWO taxes involved: Import tax and VAT
  • The amount (percentage value) of import taxes depends on the type of article. The customs website should have a list. In the list is also written up to which value the specific article is "duty free".
  • VAT has no "duty free" threshold, buyer has to pay VAT in any case.
  • To calculate the "value" of the article (to further calculate the taxes) customs add the shipping price (postage and insurance) to the selling price.
  • Customs are even allowed to estimate a proper (higher) value for the article if they have the feeling that your reported selling price is under the common market-value. (But I doubt that they have expertise in used accordions.)
Click to expand...

Yes, very similar here in Spain, both for UK imports and other non EU imports (USA, China, Brasil, ...).
And yes, they usually apply their own (higher) estimate value for the article, seems they have tables or something similar, postman told us.
Used to shop at the British Museum online shop for special presents, but no more, it's a gamble and always too expensive now.
 
Thanks Airy and Corinto for throwing some light on dealing with this disaster.
It would appear that for a private sale the burden will fall on the buyer.
 
You could of course write to your MP asking how to do this. If they're a Remainer maybe they'll know how to navigate the system or tell you who does. If they're a Brexiteer you could ask them how to navigate the system and also ask them why Brexit is such a good idea.? They'll probably ignore you though.
 
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