Duty Free changes when returning from EU to the UK

 From 1st October 2011, Customs Officers can stop you in Customs and check the quantity of cigarettes & tobacco that you are bringing into the UK. The recommended guidlines have NOT changed, BUT, if you have more than 800 cigarettes, or more than 1Kilo of tobacco, questions will be asked and if Customs are not satisfied with your answers, they will be confiscated, or you will have to pay the duty.

They will also take into account how often you travel and when your next trip is planned. Here is the article from the website:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/arriving/arrivingeu.htm

MORE PLEASE

 More what?!

Also, yes, the customs have always been able to stop you, but now, they are not jsu "allowing" the larger quantities into the UK without thorough questioning.

Sorry, but in that case why did you bother to make a post which just says in effect everything is as it has always been.

As I said, whenever they were  suspicious that the law was being broken, they could and did stop and search, question , confiscate and prosecute where necessary.

Or have I missed some important point ?

 I bothered to make the post as this is now a new guideline

Before, travellers were allowed a greater quantity without question, on each trip

Now, that quantity has been halved and your previous and next date of travel will be taken into account, relevant to your personal consuption.

So it alters the goalposts dramatically and as it was not in the national newspapers, nor on the TV news, I thought it would be nice to draw travellers attention to it.

Slightly off topic but ....

Duty free has interested me as it's usually but not exclusively associated with the import to a few extra tobacco or acoholic products but there must be far more expensive 'green channeled' goods imported by people returning from shopping trips and purchasing goods such as watches, clothes, laptops and the like.

I live for a lot of the year in Dubai and am always amazed at the monies spent by UK citizens in the malls. I always wonder if any is 'red channeled'. The savings on a Rolex, Apple PC, designer clothesand many other goods is considerable and could pay for the trip.

The couple, last week who purchase a his and hers Rolex and had the boxes and certificates shipped to the UK whilst wearing the watches didn't seem the type to pay the duty -- but I shouldn't judge a book by the cover.

David

DBS

There are of course restrictions on goods taken into UK from oustside EU.  So Rolex watches etc are taxable. (almost certainly on their TOTAL value, if that exceeds £390, see below )

This is from HM Customs info.

• 1 litre of spirits or strong liqueurs over 22 per cent volume
• 2 litres of fortified wine (such as port or sherry), sparkling wine or any other alcoholic drink that's less than 22 per cent volume

• 16 litres of beer
• 4 litres of still wine

• 200 cigarettes
• 100 cigarillos
• 50 cigars
• 250g of tobacco

Johnzx,

My point is restrictions only apply if you go through the red channel or get caught in the Blue or Green. Luxury goods dont take up a lot of space and cost UKPLC lots  in non payment of taxes.

But how much of the goods purchased when people are on their 'shopping' holiday - one of the selling points of Dubai -- gets declared. The amount people spend on luxury goods is very noticable a few weeks before Xmas when presents are being purchased. Thats when you really notice the plastic flexing in the malls.

The focus always seems to be on tobacco and booze, easy to spot a car down on its suspension not so easy to spot the luxury item that cost as much as the car!

David

Yes you are right, there are a lot of dishonest people about, but if they get caught it can become expensive

If they are in say a car or a privae boat, that, just like the expensive suit cases can be confiscated. (Anthing used to transport the item)

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/arriving/arrivingeu.htm has a table.

BTW, "Now, that quantity has been halved"  .... when I was at school 3200 was 4 x 800 not 2 x 800  

It does state on their website

'Although there are no limits on the amount of alcohol and tobacco you can bring in from EU countries, customs officials are more likely to ask you questions if you have more than the following:'

Another question if anyone can answer it: If you buy goods in Spain but fly back to the uk from Gibralter, what are the limits?

From HM Customs info on line:-  

Although Gibraltar is part of the EU, it is outside the Community Customs territory. The customs allowances for outside the EU therefore apply.

I find this quite interesting (my understanding only) as Duty Free within the EU was abolished many yeas ago. If you are at the airport, you cannot buy spirits and tobacco at duty free prices if you ae travelling within the EU. Whenever I buy cigarettes in Spain, they are always duty paid, therefore, tax paid and all legal. Just because the UK chooses to have a higher tax threshold than other EU countries "shouldn't" matter, so long as it is for "personal consumption".

That said, too many people hire a transit for the weekend and pop across to Calais/ Ostend/ etc and come back piled to the top, then sell their goods in local works canteens and the like (saw it all the time on the buses).

Mark

Marksfish.

Apologies for being slightly off topic but if a piece of jewellery is bought in England, for personal use, by someone living in Spain, does it attract customs duty, when returning to Spain or, is it, because it is within the EEC, free of duty, provided VAT is paid in the UK?

Pilgrim.

If  'sales tax' (VAT / IVA) has been paid on it (which it would have been if the purchaser resides in the UK, unlike say an American tourist who had bought tax free) there is no further tax to pay.   

Johnzx

its says 'Although Gibraltar is part of the EU, it is outside the Community Customs territory. The customs allowances for outside the EU therefore apply.'

surley this only applies to tobacco/spirits bought in Gibraltar,  if you buy the goods in Spain you have already paid tax on them

Think I will ask Customs on the way out first.