Post Brexit (01/Jan/2021) postage issues between EU and UK

UPS now stopped shipping, I currently have a parcel between here and Germany with them 🤦🏼‍♂️

Shipping from Japan and the US is, I’m lead to believe, still available and unaffected ££ wise (as in still expensive and you’ll probably get done for customs).

UPS now stopped shipping

Hmmm, I just ordered a bit of steel tube from a place in Germany, it was to be sent with UPS.

Hopefully hasn't left the seller yet so they may be able to find an alternative courier?

I had to fork out for a 25% tarif on importing the tube from the US to the EU.

Forms required to be filled in to post from France to the UK, pre-Brexit:

1 Attachment

Forms required to be filled in to post from France to the UK, post-Brexit:

1 Attachment

And yes, I can confirm that the post office won't accept a box over 150cm total length now.
(Although I think this depends on the post office, as the assistant said it was due to the size of the van transporting the packages from that post office to the sorting depot.)

Simpleton's question here, but I'm a bit confused, as I've actually never posted anything that I've sold to outside of the EU before, so I've never had this issue...

It's for a private sale of a 20 yr old, under-£100 mtb frame.

On the CN23 form you have to declare the item as one of the following:

• Gift
  
• Sample
  
• Returned goods
  
• Sale of goods
  
• Other
  
  

It's not a 'commercial' sale, but it's still a (private) sale, so on the first examples of forms I found online, I put 'Sale of goods'. I didn't fill in anything for the invoice number, certificate number, and license number, but included a pro forma invoice.

From Chronopost website:
Whether you're sending goods for commercial purposes or not, you must attach customs documents (invoices in triplicate), which must contain precise information on the nature, origin and value of the goods.
For your trade exchanges (goods intended for sale):
You must attach commercial invoices.
These must specify the Incoterms. Depending on the destination and the value of your shipment, it is recommended to declare the origin of the goods on the commercial invoice or to attach an EUR 1 or ATR 1 document.
For your non-commercial exchanges (goods not intended for sale):
You must attach pro forma invoices.
They must contain the words "sans valeur commerciale - no commercial value" and "valeur pour la douane - value for customs purposes only."

Tonight I tried filling in the customs declaration form direct through the LaPoste website:
https://www.laposte.fr/formulaire-douane/declaration

But if tick the box 'Sale of goods' then I can't continue without giving an invoice number, certificate number, and license number; it red flags me and tells me I need to fill them in to continue to the next step.

So what should I declare it as?

• 'Gift' ? (will this get flagged up and then penalised as trying to pass a sale item off as a gift?)
  
• 'Other' (and then note that it is a 'private sale', hence the pro forma invoice?)
  

I mark everything as 'gift'.

By "everything" I mean jewellery or stuff like stems that I've made myself, headset caps I've laser engraved or used goods, normally bike parts that I'm selling on.

Think I started doing so when it was the older, smaller cn22 we had to attach to the back of parcels and the options were Gift, Sample, Documents or Other.

Possibly the person at the post office counter directed me to mark it as Gift, possibly I just chose to do so myself.

Never had any issue marking things that way although perhaps it'll come under more scrutiny now.

Thanks. 'Gift' appears the least-hassle option.

From Gov.uk website:
Notice 143: a guide for international post users
(Updated 13 January 2021)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users/notice-143-a-guide-for-international-post-users

Under international postal agreements, the sender must complete a
customs declaration (form CN22 or CN23), which will be fixed to the
package in most cases. The declaration includes a description of the
goods, their value and if they’re gifts or commercial items.

Most goods arriving in the UK are liable to any or all of the
following taxes:

• Customs Duty
  
• Excise Duty
  
• Import VAT
  These taxes must still be paid if:
  
• you purchase the goods or receive them as a gift
  
• the goods are new or used (including antiques)
  
• the goods are for your private use or for re-sale
  
  

commercial consignments (goods you’ve purchased) of £135 or less are
free from Customs Duty and not subject to Import VAT - this does not
include alcohol, tobacco products, perfume or toilet waters as these
items are excluded from the relief of Customs Duty and VAT at import
is payable

So for private sales under £135, no Customs Duty and no Import VAT.

Which leaves Excise Duty...

Excise duty is applied to try and discourage the use of potentially
harmful products such as tobacco and alcohol. Products that cause
pollution are also singled out for excise duty.
(https://www.thomasnet.com/insights/duty-vs-tariff-what-s-the-difference/)

From Gov.uk website:
UK Trade Tariff: excise duties, reliefs, drawbacks and allowances
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-trade-tariff-excise-duties-reliefs-drawbacks-and-allowances/uk-trade-tariff-excise-duties-reliefs-drawbacks-and-allowances

This part concentrates on goods liable to Excise Duty. It lists the
rates of Excise Duty chargeable for the following:

• wine and made-wine
  
• beer
  
• cider and perry
  
• spirits
  
• low alcohol beverages
  
• imported composite goods containing alcohol
  
• tobacco products
  
• hydrocarbon oil – this section includes details about rebates for such products
  
• Climate Change Levy
  
• biofuels
  

It appears that bike frames and bike parts in general are therefore not subject to Excise Duty.

So (in theory) whether I put 'Gift' or 'Other', neither should incur any extra charges on a 20 yr old, under-£100 mtb frame.

I've been looking at getting a cumulus quilt shipped from Poland.

As far as I can tell, its going to cost me £185 + 2% (if its classed as sleep wear) or 12% (if its classed as camping fabrics) + 20% VAT + Out of EU Shipping + whatever the courier wants to charge for administering this. (which I can't find info on anyway)

What a bloody faff.

Apparently Wiggle has £650k of stock sitting in ports or in held-up logistics right now.

Buy in or £ retail?

Treat EU purchases the same way you treat US ones.

Getting £15 "admin fee" to open a parcel and then charge even more.

All UK shipping companies have just been given a machine to print money so why would they not make the most of it??

If anyone is wondering about outgoing parcels, I asked at the post office this morning.

If it’s the size that Royal Mail deal with, it’s just a cn22 sticker on the back as it’s always been for stuff going outwith the eu (now it’s for anything leaving the country though).

If it’s a larger parcel and going via parcel force then there’s a shit load of forms to fill in.

Ridiculous state of affairs!!!

https://www.brooksengland.com/en_uk/uk-shipping-notice

So now i can't order a Brooks saddle made in the UK, sent to Italy to their "logistics hub" to then be sent back to the UK.
I give up...

Thanks for the heads up - that makes sense.

Based on this, they might let all small packages slip through due to lack of staff / not being arsed?

I didn’t ask.

I didn’t ask about the haribo either.

I'm having a nightmare with shipping to and from Germany.
My Power2max packed up after 7 years, so I sent it back to the factory at the start of January. Its taken weeks, due to paperwork (for a return with no value).
Power2max have offered my a trade in, payment was a pain due to tax changes. P2M are unsure when they can ship due to couriers stopping shipping. I have no idea when it will arrive, how much I will get charged when it gets to the UK, plus the courier customs handling fee.
I don't have the option to cancel, due to the trade in.
Can someone tell me why this is better than before?? Because previously it would have taken a week. Its utter stupidity, talk about chopping our noses off.

cos we now have control of our borders and most importantly we have our sovereignty back!!

Whats the point in having control if no bugger wants to come and deliver anything, we are an island reliant on imports.
Led by Donkeys!!

Update on my parcel coming from Germany with UPS, I queried the use of them as I'd read on here they weren't bringing stuff into the UK. Seller (Aircraft Spruce) reckons that UPS are able to go eu - uk alright, its into the eu (not sure where from) that they are having problems with.

"Dear M_V,

I have checked with our warehouse team and it looks like outbound to UK so far has been fine. There seems to be a problem or delay with products coming to Europe with UPS.

I hope it all goes well..."

Edit: I've had a shipping/tracking email from UPS so fingers crossed!

I've been getting stuff shipped regularly from Girona to the UK via UPS over the last few months.

In October, stuff would generally take 2-4 days (had one thing turn up the next day!).

December, stuff was taking a little longer, maybe 4-7 days on average.

January, at least 10 days. Currently waiting for one thing that was shipped on the 17th, stuck in UPS in Barcelona for 5 days and it looks like today it's on the move.

The website contradicts itself, it suggests if you are sending a gift over £39 then its charged import duty:

'Goods sent as a gift that are over £39 in value are liable to Import VAT.'

but also states:

Goods value: £0.01 to £135
Customs charges applicable: No Customs Duty No Import VAT

So I'm still none the wiser!

I'm having a nightmare with shipping to and from Germany.

My Power2max packed up after 7 years, so I sent it back to the factory at the start of January. Its taken weeks, due to paperwork (for a return with no value).
Power2max have offered my a trade in, payment was a pain due to tax changes. P2M are unsure when they can ship due to couriers stopping shipping. I have no idea when it will arrive, how much I will get charged when it gets to the UK, plus the courier customs handling fee.
I don't have the option to cancel, due to the trade in.
Can someone tell me why this is better than before?? Because previously it would have taken a week. Its utter stupidity, talk about chopping our noses off.

Brexists are currently answering your question with "look at the mess the EU have made of the Astra-Zeneca contract, thank god we're out", so a voluntary procurement exercise that we didn't join (and wouldn't have had to join if we'd stayed in the EU) is the answer to your question, just don't mention the hundred thousand corpses of Covid victims that we've now accumulated.