Re: CD + shirts shipping Canada -> Germany = customs to be paid?

[Wim Vandeputte <wim@kd85.com>]

On Fri, Oct 31, 2003 at 07:25:23PM +0100, Alexander Farber wrote:
> my gf fetched the package from the post today -
> the 3.4 CD and 2 T-shirts - and had to pay EUR 21,80
> for the customs.

Welcome to the wonderfull world of cross-border shipping.

> WTF? :-[ This has happened for the first time to me.
> Has anyone in Europe and particularly in Germany had 
> this experience already and is there a way to get 
> the money from the "Hauptzollamt" back?

You can't really get it back, unless you are a company. In that case, you
can claim back only the VAT part.

Basicly, when your package crosses the border from Canada to Germany, 
every package should be inspected. Because many don't have an invoice
attached to the outside, unless they are sent with a package service like
UPS or FedEx where they make it mandatory to add the invoice in triplet
to the outside of the box, some get through. It's a sort of lottery with 
regular mail packages. If the package looks small, like beeing a Tshirt 
only or a CD only, it will pass. If it comes from a well known outlet like
Amazon or an electronics chain, they will get picked out. If it looks like
a big package, it will get picked out.

You are charged at least 3 things:

1. VAT
2. import tax
3. handling tax

You cannot escape VAT, but you can claim it back if you are a company. Tax
varies depending on the item, for example 6% on books and 21% on CDs in Belgium.

The import tax depends on the item too, some items are not taxed, others are,
quite severely. This is a protectionist measure to discourage people from 
importing stuff. For example, in Belgium there is no import tax on CDs but
there is one on textile. There is no way to claim back this tax, even if you
are a registered company.

And to finish off, they always charge you a minimum handling fee, which
really sucks if the value of your package is low, as it adds to the price.
First of all they charge you something like EUR 8 to EUR 20 for doing the
paperwork and then they charge you a percentage on the VAT + import tax
because they prepay it for you to the goverment, as you have to pay your
dues to the guy that delivers the package for you.

In summery, a big rippoff for people who order from the US and think they
are getting a good deal. Try ordering two coffee mugs EUR 18, you pay a shipping
fee, EUR 20, VAT (EUR 3.78), import tax (EUR 0.50) and handling (EUR 22).
And your package is stuck at some warehouse for 4 days while they figure
out the paperwork for you ;-) That actually happened to me, it trippled the
value of the coffeemugs. Note they can't charge VAT on the shipping charges
as that is a service performed in the US and is not taxated in Europe.

One way around all this, is having a friend ship you items and hang a 
special customs paper on it (sometimes a green sticker) that says 'Gift' or
'RMA item'. Or lie about the value of the package, as there is a minimum
of EUR 30 or EUR 50 depending on your country regulations where they don't
bother with handling the small value packages. But don't expect companies 
like Amazon to do it, as it's considered to be fraud to the customs people. 
(and actually it is fraud, it's depriving the goverment of income and nobody 
 here would consider tax evasion an honourable thing, right ;-)

Simple way to avoid this: buy stuff from within your own zone, in your case
the Euro zone. Amazon for example has an outlet in the UK, so if you
order from them, no import tax. For OpenBSD, consider ordering from
Belgium next time (see https://https.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/order.eu)
So if you ship from UK or Belgium to Germany, no borders and hence no
pesky customs people. If you live in Norway or Switserland, whether you order 
from Canada or Belgium, your package will pass a border and thus customs.
In that case, your only option is to look for a local reseller in your
own country.

> The customs have put a paper into the package and
> list the OpenBSD CD as "AUDIO-CD". Will it help if
> I let them know it's software?

Nope, sorry. Sucks, hey? :-)

Wim /* Your loyal OpenBSD shipping bunny in Europe */