European import taxes.

[bubinga5]

If i were to trade for a bass in the EU what am i looking at paying etc etc. Is it a massive amount. ? Not sure what the deal is.  Thanks

[Doctor J]

It'll be about 25% of the declared values, including shipping costs.

[bubinga5]

This might sound stupid but what if you declare the value of the bass as less than its worth.?

[Downunderwonder]

Assume you are in UK and thinking of importing from EU?

 

Just now, bubinga5 said:

This might sound stupid but what if you declare the value of the bass as less than its worth.?

You can have it confiscated.

[fretmeister]

1 minute ago, Downunderwonder said:

Assume you are in UK and thinking of importing from EU?

 

You can have it confiscated.

 

And destroyed!

[Downunderwonder]

You pay VAT on the sum of the bass and the value of the shipping. You pay a flat fee for customs clearance.

 

The 25% is for an average bass coming from an average EU place. An expensive bass from Calais will cost same as a cheaper bass from Estonia by the time you get it.

[Reggaebass]

If your trading and not parting with any money, so basically swapping, you wouldn’t pay anything would you?

[bubinga5]

Yes just a straight trade and im in the UK.

[Downunderwonder]

22 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

If your trading and not parting with any money, so basically swapping, you wouldn’t pay anything would you?

You would think that, but you'd be wrong.

[BlueMoon]

2 hours ago, bubinga5 said:

This might sound stupid but what if you declare the value of the bass as less than its worth.?

Sounds like a good idea until they check at customs or you have a claim against the courier if lost or damaged. It quickly ends in an expensive potential short-cut. Customs are switched on to most prices and will over-estimate in cases of doubt and levy a fine for trying to declare value below their estimate.

 

For 2nd hand gear, it's about 25% on top of the price paid locally to import.

[bubinga5]

I wonder if its cheaper to trade from the US.?

[ped]

5 minutes ago, bubinga5 said:

I wonder if its cheaper to trade from the US.?

Same. 
 

I’d go and meet up. Take a full gig bag and return with one too. Maybe combine it with a couple of fights abroad 

[Reggaebass]

That’s what I was thinking, you could get a cheap flight to the EU with your bass and return with a different bass in the case 

[Downunderwonder]

When I flew to Japan with my bass they put a sticker on it ''Examined by Customs''. It was a cheap P impression.

 

On return I went to peel off the sticker and it was utterly unpeelable despite appearing to be the cheap temporary kind.

 

Careful as ye go. 

[bubinga5]

Does anyone know he equivalent % to import from the USA.? Is it any cheaper.? cheers.

[Downunderwonder]

43 minutes ago, bubinga5 said:

Does anyone know he equivalent % to import from the USA.? Is it any cheaper.? cheers.

The equation is:

 

(Cost of bass + cost of shipping)× ( 1 plus local sales tax) + customs clearance fee.

 

The variables are shipping fee and clearance fee.

[BlueMoon]

This ^^^^^^^^^^^

 

And watch for spurious "administration cost" which courriers sometimes add if they act as go between.

[Woodinblack]

On 04/11/2021 at 18:03, Downunderwonder said:

Assume you are in UK and thinking of importing from EU?

 

You can have it confiscated.

 

And then if it doesn't get confiscated, but gets lost in the post you can only claim up to the value you said it was worth.

[BlueMoon]

2 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

And then if it doesn't get confiscated, but gets lost in the post you can only claim up to the value you said it was worth.

And good luck with that!!!