[Elecraft] Re: Italy Customs Duties

[Mario Lorenz]

Am 15. Jun 2006, um 10:36:05 schrieb Peppino Berria:
> Hi Gents,
> First of all I believe it's wrong to talk about EU
> customs: Italy makes the difference! Look here:
> 1) Back in oct 2004 my K2 kit plus options came from
> Elecraft under codes 8525-2099-00 and 8529-9040-00.
> Total amount US$ 1.719,03 (shipping and hand. $105
> included). Italy customs changed codes as
> "transmitting apparatous + other apparatous" and
> charged on it EU.280,77 (VAT, excise,fees and more)!!


Peppino,

the customs tariff really is EU wide, the VAT is not.
With the elecraft code, and the paperwork that once was done
by the DARC you should be able to get your K2 kit including
all options in easily at 0% Customs.

What is not EU wide is the VAT, but you do pay that on any
goods you buy anywhere. According to Google, VAT in Italy is 20%.
So of $1719, assuming an exchange rate of 1.20 USD to the EUR,
youre at 1432 EUR import price, and thus you get a VAT in the
range you mentioned.
Should your invoice include real customs duty, you can get that
usually back easily by sending in the additional documentation.

Seriously, the only "robbery" thing happening to me in the
past was when USPS sent their parcels via GLS and they
charged a $20/parcel handling fee, but (from what I read somewhere
due to massive customer complains USPS has reverted their european
deliveries back to the national postal services.

Now tho, what happened to my last 3 US purchases is that some
lazy post officer did not do the customs forms & COD the fee,
and directed the parcel to the local customs office, with
"missing documentation" as an excuse, requiring me to deal with
that directly (ie. go there personally & pick up the parcel).
In all these cases, the invoices & paperwork were good & proper.

I would be interested in hearing from other german hams if this happened
only to me, or if this is something of a trend.

MfG
Mario Lorenz

-- 
Mario Lorenz                            Internet:    <ml at vdazone.org>
                                        Ham Radio:   DL5MLO at DB0ERF.#THR.DEU.EU
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