What has changed shipping from the UK to EU (European Union) countries after BREXIT?

The situation is still very fluid and will continue to evolve, but we wanted to let you know what we know so far in order to help our EU customers where we can.

What is the key difference? One of the significant changes is that you will need to declare the value of your goods, describe them and then submit a commercial invoice. We will then complete the commodity code for you. The good news is that we complete a commercial invoice electronically at no cost to you.

Do I have to pay tax or VAT? Yes. EU member states now charge VAT upon arrival of goods into the EU. 

How about duty? There are no duties on goods below EUR 150 (with the exception of alcoholic beverages, perfume, and tobacco). If you can keep the value of an individual shipment below EUR 150 then no duties will apply to that shipment – only VAT.

Can I avoid tax and duty? No. You may be able to avoid duty for goods under EUR 150. You want to consider shipping it separately up to the threshold mentioned above instead of consolidating it. You need to decide if it is worth the extra shipping cost and the trouble of splitting things and shipping them separately. However, tax or VAT is still chargeable by local customs.

How about items not allowed into the EU? Food items, plants, and medication are not allowed into the EU

Please note shipping cost paid to Forwardvia does not include tax and duty. For more information, please see https://ec.europa.eu/