[Elecraft] Import duties on amateur radio items

[Ian White GM3SEK]

David Lankshear wrote:
>
>I just hope there's never a need to return a K3 module to Elecraft for 
>repair as that could well prove interesting.  In theory, VAT would be 
>chargeable on the repair cost, return shipping and insurance as that's 
>the service provided,

That's correct. On the other hand, a repair or replacement made free 
under warranty would have no VAT chargeable, except for any return 
shipping and insurance. It all depends on what the bottom line of the 
bill says.

If VAT was paid when the item was originally imported, no more VAT will 
be charged if the item is taken out of the EU and re-imported (eg if a 
K* is taken  on a DXpedition). However, you may be challenged to prove 
that VAT has been paid - so do make sure to keep the shipper's waybill, 
and carry a copy as evidence.

> but if they decided to assign their own value to the item, it would 
>probably prove impossible to change their assessment.
>
Only if you couldn't prove what the true value is.

All the above is based on experience - and in similar experience, US 
Customs are even worse. When Tom's Tubes was my distributor for 
amplifier control boards, our name for US Customs at Tampa, FL was 
"Pirates of Caribbean"!

Taking up Kristinn's final comment, I don't think this is off-topic. It 
represents hundreds of dollars to Elecraft customers in Europe, and I 
hope that Elecraft will explore every legal means to minimize this tax 
burden.


-- 

73 from Ian GM3SEK
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek