Sending parcels to Spain post Brexit

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pcatterall

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We often send parcels to Spain ahead of our flights out there, bits and bats for the boat and sometimes even clothing. Its partly to avoid lugging and paying for cabin baggage but sometimes the parcels would be a bit large even for the hold. It was very inexpensive and usually arrived 1 or two days into our holiday.
I wonder if this will become difficult now. I know we will have to fill in some sort of customs declaration, but am not sure what delay/cost the customs checks will bring. If the Spanish customs are 'that way inclined' there could be issues and as the goods come addressed to the marina office there could be further problems.
Any guesses as to how complicated things could become?
 
pcatterall said:
We often send parcels to Spain ahead of our flights out there, bits and bats for the boat and sometimes even clothing. Its partly to avoid lugging and paying for cabin baggage but sometimes the parcels would be a bit large even for the hold. It was very inexpensive and usually arrived 1 or two days into our holiday.
I wonder if this will become difficult now. I know we will have to fill in some sort of customs declaration, but am not sure what delay/cost the customs checks will bring. If the Spanish customs are 'that way inclined' there could be issues and as the goods come addressed to the marina office there could be further problems.
Any guesses as to how complicated things could become?
Click to expand...
It's already happening, DHL are asking people to come to the airport in Palma to pay customs taxes and do paperwork before releasing packages.
 
It will likely depend on (a) what you're sending (and what you state on the customs' declaration) and (b) whether a Spanish customs' officer decides to inspect your parcel. If duty or VAT is payable, you may well find that the package is held somewhere and won't be released to you until you've paid what they demand. You might want to allow time & funds for this before you're able to set sail.

If what you're sending are newly purchased items, you might do better to buy them from a European supplier and have them send them directly to Spain.
 
I don't know the detail of the rates of duty and VAT applicable in Spain but they will not vary greatly from the rules for goods "in small consignment" from UK to Ireland:
The monetary value of the goods, as declared on the Customs Declaration label attached, (or the value as decided by Customs, whichever is higher, plus the cost of shipping and insurance, is the value of the goods for Customs purposes. This is dutiable at a rate of 12%. The resulting sum is liable for VAT at 21%. The Post Office/ courier then adds a €10 fee for handling.
Up to 31 Dec '20 , rather than buying locally, it was cheaper for me to buy chandelry online from the UK than buying locally in Ireland, and the USA was definitely to be avoided as the charges outlined above applied. Now however, goods such as marine electronics, originating generally in the US cost me the same, whether ordered from the UK or the US.
My next big purchase, an MFD, is, surprise surprise, cheapest from a local supplier.
 
Clancy Moped said:
It's already happening, DHL are asking people to come to the airport in Palma to pay customs taxes and do paperwork before releasing packages.
Click to expand...

Needing to pay the duty is to be expected, but having to go to the airport in person is surprising. Did they require that for people buying goods from the USA or Fiji last year?

Pete
 
as said before time will tell, i suspect that if you are sending "used" clothing and low value "used" items you should be OK but it will depend how difficult the Europeans decide to be.
I had a parcel sent from the USA , the currier used an "assumed value" as agreed with UK customs to determine the value (not the attached paperwork ) and charged VAT and handling based on that. The assumed value was way more than i paid but to query it put up the handling/administration charge so i just paid it.
 
Covid seems to have had a bigger effect so far. Two recent shipments, both never delivered, just languished in various depots with a variety of excuses and an absurd amount of phone calls and paperwork to try to get them released.
 
I received an email from DPD last week saying that they were suspending road shipments to Europe until it's sorted out which is a bit of a pain. However, it looks like we're not going to the boat anytime soon anyway :cry:
 
AngusMcDoon said:
Why are they charging a tarrif?
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For tarrif read "Customs Duty". It was not applicable for intra-EU consignments when Britain was a member, but Brexit has changed all that. It's what all the fuss has been about over the last four years.
See my post #6 above for an outline of the additional costs in getting a parcel from UK ("third country") into Ireland (EU member).
To add insult to injury the couriers/post office have been allowed to add a €10 "handling charge" to every consignment.
I curse those Brexiteers every time I look at my boat improvement wish-list!
 
Clancy Moped said:
From a local FB group, I've cropped the name out for obvious reasons, this is one of many such posts.

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See my post #6 above. The Import Duty is 12% of the cost of the item plus shipping. To this is added VAT% at the country's standard rate. The courier will then add a further handling charge.
For a more expanded explanation, get on to the Irish Customs website revenue.ie and search " importing goods from outside the EU" (The preceding sentence has been edited)The information will pertain to Ireland, but it will not differ much from what applies in Spain.
 
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Spirit (of Glenans) said:
For tarrif read "Customs Duty". It was not applicable for intra-EU consignments when Britain was a member, but Brexit has changed all that. It's what all the fuss has been about over the last four years.
See my post #6 above for an outline of the additional costs in getting a parcel from UK ("third country") into Ireland (EU member).
To add insult to injury the couriers/post office have been allowed to add a €10 "handling charge" to every consignment.
I curse those Brexiteers every time I look at my boat improvement wish-list!
Click to expand...

But surely being in Dublin and therefore still in the EU, and that one of the primary objects of the EU is, with a market so large an advantage to the consumer, with free movement of goods, you have 26 other countries to acquire your boat improvement items from, that won't suffer the additional costs that U.K. purchases will?
Or is it that the disadvantages of Brexit (which gitane seems to delight in advising us) are also going to hit those that are living in those countries that still comprise the EU?
 
Praxinoscope said:
But surely being in Dublin and therefore still in the EU, and that one of the primary objects of the EU is, with a market so large an advantage to the consumer, with free movement of goods, you have 26 other countries to acquire your boat improvement items from, that won't suffer the additional costs that U.K. purchases will?
Or is it that the disadvantages of Brexit (which gitane seems to delight in advising us) are also going to hit those that are living in those countries that still comprise the EU?
Click to expand...
It means that every parcel is now under scrutiny and as marine electronics generally originate outside the EU the duty will apply, irrespective of whether it has been already paid by a dealer in Germany etc.
 
Just read the rules of origin details of the new post Brexit trade deal. Tariffs are payable on goods imported into the EU from the UK if all of these apply...

1 The goods are not largely manufactured or processed in the UK
2 The value of the goods exceed €500
3 There is no paperwork confirming the goods as largely manufactured or processed in the UK

I guess that for a personal parcel number 3 will be difficult to fulfill.
 
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