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> After a series of rises to the threshold, it allowed retailers to ship packages worth less than $800 to US customers without having to pay duties or taxes. >

> After a series of rises to the threshold, it allowed retailers to ship packages worth less than $800 to US customers without having to pay duties or taxes. > The European Union has also proposed plans to scrap duty-free exemptions for parcels worth less than €150 (£127.50; $169.35). Does the threshold apply the package entering the border (a container) or the package for the foreseen destination (the cardboard in your mailbox)?

dharmab 1y ago
It applies to each parcel, not an entire shipping container. Note that a parcel can contain multiple physical boxes for a single order.
madaxe_again 1y ago
The EU exemption does not exist in practice - if you ship something worth €20 from the U.K., you can expect to pay ~€50 in import vat, tariffs, customs inspection fees, and courier handling fees. It’s only really worth importing stuff that’s well over the theoretical threshold, as you’re going to be paying the flat rate fees anyway.
- detaro 1y ago
  The key point is that the 150€ limit is a tariff-enforcement limit, but VAT limits are set by the countries (and in recent years often much lower), so even if you don't pay tariffs on your parcel it might still go through the system for VAT purposes and incur the various fees around that.And privatized postal systems means that they can choose how large these fees are.
  - madaxe_again 1y ago
    Right, but I’m telling you it’s normal to pay tariffs on small value items in the EU - China seem to get the carve-out, but anywhere else, you’re paying duties. I’m not confusing VAT and tariffs.
    - detaro 1y ago
      not in my experience. shrug Plenty stuff ordered from UK, US and Switzerland, only ever had to deal with VAT. (and most of the the time taking care picking sellers that do IOSS so that happens automatically)
donalhunt 1y ago
EU exemptions are gone afaik. Previously we had exemptions to avoid VAT / customs (much lower de minimus) but they have been removed in recent years. The shipping / customs industry has not evolved to support the volume of low value goods.

dharmab 1y ago

It applies to each parcel, not an entire shipping container. Note that a parcel can contain multiple physical boxes for a single order.

madaxe_again 1y ago

The EU exemption does not exist in practice - if you ship something worth €20 from the U.K., you can expect to pay ~€50 in import vat, tariffs, customs inspection fees, and courier handling fees. It’s only really worth importing stuff that’s well over the theoretical threshold, as you’re going to be paying the flat rate fees anyway.

detaro 1y ago
The key point is that the 150€ limit is a tariff-enforcement limit, but VAT limits are set by the countries (and in recent years often much lower), so even if you don't pay tariffs on your parcel it might still go through the system for VAT purposes and incur the various fees around that.And privatized postal systems means that they can choose how large these fees are.
- madaxe_again 1y ago
  Right, but I’m telling you it’s normal to pay tariffs on small value items in the EU - China seem to get the carve-out, but anywhere else, you’re paying duties. I’m not confusing VAT and tariffs.
  - detaro 1y ago
    not in my experience. shrug Plenty stuff ordered from UK, US and Switzerland, only ever had to deal with VAT. (and most of the the time taking care picking sellers that do IOSS so that happens automatically)

donalhunt 1y ago

EU exemptions are gone afaik. Previously we had exemptions to avoid VAT / customs (much lower de minimus) but they have been removed in recent years. The shipping / customs industry has not evolved to support the volume of low value goods.