Import costs to Belgium/EU

whirleygigSun, 01/09/2024 - 13:22

Hi all, new to the forum but been lurking for a while.

I'm sure all EU users are familiar with having to pay import/customs fees on packages from outside the EU these days. But in Belgium the fees are really extortionate. We pay a 20 euro handling fee on everything, then 21% VAT on top of that. So that's already nearly 25 euros even for a package with a nominal worth of zero... They're the highest import fees in Europe, I believe. Needless to say it gets very expensive when you factor in shipping costs as well, even for a package of just one patch.

I recently found a patch vendor based in China (https://bhmoxm666.bigcartel.com) saying that all their packages are sent as a letter so there are no import fees into the EU. I'm very sceptical. As far as I'm aware, at least in Belgium they charge customs fees even on private (non-commerical) packages. And I've even heard of goods sent as a letter being refused at customs because they don't have the correct paperwork and all 'goods' must be sent as a parcel instead. So obviously that makes me quite reluctant to place an order.

Does anyone have experience navigating the customs fees, especially in Belgium? In your experience are private trades also subject to the same fees? Are there any workarounds? I'd hate for these stupidly high extra costs to get in the way of a good trade.

bad_american1992 on Sun, 01/09/2024 - 16:02

From my experiences, if you sent a patch in a letter enveope with no customs form or tracking, then the reciever doesn't have to pay any import fees. In the USA we have an "international letter stamp" which costs about $1.50 USD. I guess the Zoll thinks you're sending a Christmas card back home to your Grandma or something. THe downside is without tracking, if your letter disappears or the reciever lies about it no arriving you have no way to verify this.

Sorry your country has such high fees in packages... everytime I think we're getting fucked in the USA I hear about other countries where it's even worse.

whirleygig on Mon, 02/09/2024 - 21:05

Wait till you hear about our taxes!

Heavy Metal Chemist on Mon, 02/09/2024 - 07:01

The Netherlands became also very strict in checking packages. Many years ago it was a hit or miss whether customs would check your package, but nowadays all packages get checked and charged import fees. 20 euro handling fees is crazy. In the Netherlands we pay 6 euro of handling fee for packages declared up to 150 euro, and 12 euro for those higher.

Here are my tips to 'avoid' these fees:

1) Like Bad_American1992 said; ask that your patches are being shipped in an envelope, using a stamp. The mail just thinks you are sending a letter or a postcard. Most patches I receive come in a piece of cardboard of multiple pieces of paper so it also feels like a letter with documents or a postcard. Sending with a stamp means no tracking. I ship like that many times (on buyers/traders request) and have very good experiences with it.

I know there are many countries within the EU that offer registered shipping on 'mailbox packages' as well, which includes letters/postcards. So ask the seller/trader to send as such. Many smaller patch distros send as such.

2) Ask the seller to declare the package for less than the 'real amount'.

a) When buying, and you pay lets say over 150 euro of patches, ask the seller to declare it for less. Some companies are willing to go along with that, which can safe you significantly on the import fees.

b) I don't know for Belgium, but in the Netherlands, you can receive gifts up to 45 euro without paying import fees. You still have to pay the handling fees, but that can safe you significantly on the VAT as well. I recommend you look on the website of the Belgium Customs for more information.

3) Depending on how much you buy, but you when buying from the US lets say, have it shipped to a US friend and ask him/her to ship it to you under specified conditions. Some US sellers (especially companies) can be very expensive when shipping to Europe, and they declare everything perfectly. If you have a US based friend who is willing to ship in an envelope, or is willing to ship as a gift, you might avoid the import fees.

These are my tips and tricks. However, unfortunately, you once in a while have to just pay to get your package...

whirleygig on Mon, 02/09/2024 - 21:15

Thanks a lot for your advice! I think, as humus mentioned below, the Belgian authorities are particularly keen to squeeze every cent from us. I believe the rules explicitly say that gifts are not exempt(!). And maybe I could sneak one single patch through as a letter, but when it's 5 or 6 in an envelope, I bet that wouldn't fly. (That's why I don't really trust the claim on bhmoxm666 that their shipping method will avoid import fees. Although I'd be curious if anyone has actual experience with that site?)

I have seen some of these online 'mailbox services', which if nothing else would at least allow me to merge several packages into one before having it sent to Belgium - so I'd only pay a handling fee once rather than X times. But I'm a bit wary of using them, introducing another middleman and presumably more fees. Has anyone had experience using one of these services?

I guess, as you suggest, it's time to start making friends in the US, China, Australia, etc.!

humus on Mon, 02/09/2024 - 15:08

The actual handling fee is €16.5 at the moment. But indeed, very high, and frustrating, especially because Bpost is at liberty to charge whatever the fuck they want.
Do take into consideration that they will try to charge you for every package, even if legally they are not entitled too. Small packages with low value and marked as gift are exempt from this, yet they will still 'invite' you to pay import duties. You can appeal this in the bpost app normally, but do take into account they are both judge and defendant at the same time.

In short, there are no workarounds and the easiest is just to avoid buying outside of the EU, or being prepared to pay extra if you do.

whirleygig on Mon, 02/09/2024 - 21:09

Isn't it €18.50? I rounded up a bit for effect, but given that they've already put up the fee two or three times since it was introduced (in 2021?), I'm sure it'll be at 20 before long.
Yes, that's my experience so far, that everything gets stopped, unless the seller is registered with the EU one-stop-shop for VAT (usually only big businesses do this). I wasn't actually aware that you can make an appeal... but I can imagine the success rate isn't very high! Anyway, I'll bear that in mind if I do get asked to pay for something shipped by an individual as a private trade. Thanks.
Luckily I can have items sent to friends in other countries, but all the same, I would prefer not to leech off their generosity too much if possible.