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Tourists or online shoppers buying EU items valued at more than £ 390 will have to pay customs duties, the government revealed.
VAT and handling fees may also apply to some items, while packages may be held at post offices until the recipient has cleared all duties and fees in the UK.
Red tape and additional charges from January 1 will be one of the most visible consequences of Brexit for consumers, affecting them in the same way as businesses, albeit on a smaller scale, with implications for online shopping.
It will also announce the end of “booze cruises” to Calais wine shops to stock drinks for special occasions as unlimited alcohol allotments are ending. EU alcohol for personal consumption will be restricted to 42 liters of beer, 18 liters of wine and 4 liters of spirits or spirits with more than 22% alcohol. Personal tobacco allowances will be limited to 200 cigarettes.
Sending messages to friends and family in the EU, including Ireland, will also become more bureaucratic. Those who send packages as of January 1 must complete the customs declaration forms, CN22 or CN23, detailing the type of merchandise, its value and its weight.
Letters and documents can be sent to the EU as normal, but the post office advises customers to fill out customs declaration forms on all products destined for the EU as of December 29 for packages to comply with Brexit upon arrival.
Royal Mail says that all consumers receiving products from the EU will need to make sure they comply with customs regulations and warn that they may have to pay taxes, VAT or handling fees before they can pick up their package.
This could have unforeseen consequences for online shopping for UK customers purchasing EU products and for EU residents purchasing UK products.
The recently released government guide on the entry of goods to the UK details the post-Brexit rules.
Goods up to a value of £ 390, or £ 270 for those arriving by plane or private boat, will be allowed through the green channel at airports. The notice says, “If a single item is worth more than its allowance, you pay duties or taxes on its full value, not just the value above the allowance.”
Importers of goods purchased on vacation or business travel will be charged a 2.5% duty on goods with a value between £ 390 and £ 630, and other fees will apply for more expensive goods depending on the type of goods. Any higher amount will incur excise taxes and VAT.
There may also be VAT charges and handling fees depending on the value of the item they are shipping and whether it is a gift or a commercial product, Royal Mail said.
The notice reads: “For items under £ 135 (with the exception of gifts), VAT will be charged directly when purchasing the products online. For goods worth more than £ 135 (and gifts over £ 39) Royal Mail may collect VAT and customs duties from the customer prior to delivery. These charges are applied on behalf of HM Revenue & Customs ”.
The government says it is “well placed” to manage the impact of customs processing changes already applied to goods going to non-EU countries, adding: “We are working closely with the government. and other stakeholders to ensure that all mail continues to flow efficiently. “
