Legalities of Schengen & EU

[[3889]]

I'm in Marina du Chateau, Brest and there's a notice in the office advising that boats arriving from or departing to non-Schengen countries must report to Customs.
I've crossed UK to France and vice versa many times and been boarded by the Douane without problems so is this a new thing?

 

[JanZ]

Legally speaking when moving from non-schengen to schengen and vice versa, Douane should get involved but previously as you say nobody really bothered. Perhaps this is the start of the "Brexit" backlash???

JanZ

 

[CLB]

I used to do this when going to Holland, but they gradually made it harder for me to do, as they really were not interested. Don't bother anymore. For France I have never had to do it.

 

[jimbaerselman]

Legally speaking when moving from non-schengen to schengen and vice versa, Douane should get involved but previously as you say nobody really bothered. <snip>

The Schengen rule is that immigration should be informed - not Customs. And, yes, this requirement has usually been ignored by France. Customs only come into the picture if it's EU customs zone to non-EU customs zone - such as France or UK to Channel Isles. And, yes, that's also been ignored by France . . .

 

[macd]

Perhaps this is the start of the "Brexit" backlash???

Jan, I'm not sure there's any such thing as a "Brexit backlash". Certainly, before anyone cites it as a reason for any change in policy, they're going to have to do more than simply assume it exists.

A great many people in the rest of the EU take as little interest in foreign affairs as their counterparts in the UK. It would be surprising if it were otherwise. Many to whom I've spoken had heard about the Brexit referendum last year, and are surprised to be told that the UK is still a member of the EU (and a full one, at that). Inevitably some of these people are officials which, as we know, is no protection against ignorance. There have been a couple of reports on here of such people taking it upon themselves to behave as if Brexit has already happened, to the consternation of the sailors involved. But such behaviour is is a very long way from policy - or backlash.

 

[[3889]]

The Schengen rule is that immigration should be informed - not Customs. And, yes, this requirement has usually been ignored by France. Customs only come into the picture if it's EU customs zone to non-EU customs zone - such as France or UK to Channel Isles. And, yes, that's also been ignored by France . . .

The bi-lingual notice specifically said "Customs" not immigration. Having inadvertantly sailed to France once before without my passport (though I did have SWMBO's!) and after much frantic research, AFAIK Brits do not require even this document to enter France which is why I was surprised at the marina notice.

 

[macd]

The bi-lingual notice specifically said "Customs" not immigration.

That's pretty weird. A sail from the UK to France takes you from the EU customs union to...er, the EU customs union.

 

[prv]

The bi-lingual notice specifically said "Customs" not immigration.

Possibly just a less-than-perfect translation meant to refer to officialdom generally? Certainly even plenty of native speakers wouldn't necessarily make the distinction between Customs and Immigration - they're all just lumped together as "the people in uniform you get at borders".

Having inadvertantly sailed to France once before without my passport (though I did have SWMBO's!) and after much frantic research, AFAIK Brits do not require even this document to enter France

Pretty sure it's required legally, just not necessarily needed in practice due to the French relaxed attitude to checking.

Pete

 

[macd]

Whilst not answering the Customs vs Immigration reporting riddle, there's useful info in a Freedom of Information answer here: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/are_passports_compulsory

 

[[3889]]

Possibly just a less-than-perfect translation meant to refer to officialdom generally? Certainly even plenty of native speakers wouldn't necessarily make the distinction between Customs and Immigration - they're all just lumped together as "the people in uniform you get at borders".



Pretty sure it's required legally, just not necessarily needed in practice due to the French relaxed attitude to checking.

Pete

You may be right but at the time, 2013, I distinctly remember that whereas entering the Low Countries without a passport was illegal, this was not the case for France. IIRC this was in Reeds, though it is not in the current edition so it may have been a dream.

 

[westernman]

If you drive by car from Montpellier to Marseille, 9 times out of 10 you will pass a customs control. They stop quite a few cars/trucks and search them. I have never been stopped yet - it must be my angelic youthful face that does it.

Last time I checked both Montpellier and Marseille were in the same EU country!

 

[macd]

If you drive by car from Montpellier to Marseille, 9 times out of 10 you will pass a customs control.

Is that possibly (whatever the French is for) Customs & Excise control? They still have a job to do whether borders are crossed or not. I've seen one on Greenwich Common.

 

[libertyman]

The notice was there 2 years ago so nothing to do with Brexit. I ignored it but next day had a visit from the men in black. They were very polite and did not mention my having failed to log in to Schengen. They were interested in my movements prior to arriving in Brest and made numerous phone calls which I assumed were to the ports I had visited so as to confirm my log. Never encountered this anywhere else so perhaps just a local requirement?