Published: 17 Mar, 2021 CET.Updated: Thu 18 Mar 2021 17:52 CET
Parcel carrier Turan Oeztekin of the Deutsche Post DHL Group logistics and postal services company sorts parcels in his van as he delivers parcels in a residential area in Dortmund, western Germany, on December 10, 2020. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / AFP)
Brexit has impacted the lives of British nationals in Italy in a multitude of ways – including making it more difficult to send and receive packages to and from loved ones in the UK. Here's an overview of the new rules and charges you need to know about.
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Leaving the European Union has affected Brits in Italy considerably, including instances of not being able to access jobs and healthcare or having to resit their driving test. Another change to life in Italy are the high taxes applied to sending and receiving parcels between the UK and Italy.
No matter how good the reputation of Italian food and wine is, there are some British home comforts that can't be beat. If you previously received packages of Marmite and Yorkshire Tea from your mum, Brexit has made it more difficult to get that taste of home.
Postal taxes
All parcels, whether commercial or private, were affected by postal rule changes when the UK left the EU on January 1st 2021. For individuals, one main difference British nationals in Italy are noticing are the high taxes. These are the extra costs involved when sending packages between the UK and Italy.
Most goods arriving in the UK are liable to any or all of the following taxes, according to the latest UK government guidelines:
Customs duty
Excise duty
Import or supply VAT
You need to pay these fees whether:
you purchase the goods or receive them as a gift
the goods are new or used (including antiques)
the goods are for your private use or for re-sale
(Photo by Lewis Joly / POOL / AFP)
If you are sending a gift from Italy to the UK, import VAT typically only applies to goods whose value is over £39, or the equivalent in euros (around €45). Customs duty is due only if the value of the goods exceeds £135 (around €158).
To make sure your parcel is a gift - and to avoid paying import VAT - you must complete a customs declaration - this states that it must be for personal use rather then commercial, and it is only occasional, such as for a birthday or an anniversary.
Twitter user Alessandra Libutti tweeted about the costs and bureaucracy involved in sending a parcel from Italy to the UK post-Brexit. Even a low-cost item incurred high delivery fees, which amounted to three times the value of the contents.
My sister tried to send me a parcel from Italy. Until 2 months ago it would have gone through ordinary post for under 5 Euros. Now She had to fill several forms, text me to ask me my NI, list all the contents and eventually spent 30 Euros. All for 10 Euros item 🙈
The paperwork is as much a source of umbrage as the costs.
Amanda Mouse from the UK runs a dance clothing company. Before Brexit, she worked with clients across Europe, including Italy. Due to the new rules, she complained that parcels didn't reach her clients, and as a result, she is losing customers.
Lost another EU biz customer today cos @DPDgroup_news decided with 0 explanation 2 send a parcel I sent 2 Italy >10days ago back to me. (still don’t know y as paperwork was fine) She couldn’t wait so cancelled order and demanded refund.#BrexitCarnage#BrexitShambles
If you use online marketplaces, such as eBay, there are extra traps to watch out for. Under the UK’s new VAT rules, either EU sellers or UK buyers will now have to pay UK VAT on items shipped to Britain, depending on how much a product costs. For sales under £135, the tax burden will fall on sellers, while items exceeding that cost will see UK residents liable to pay the tax.
Customs declarations
Aside from the extra delivery costs, parcels now being sent between Italy and the UK need an extra customs declaration form attached. For packages being sent from the UK to Italy, the CN22 or CN23 form is required.
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This is fixed to the package and contains information such as the sender and recipient's details, and whether it's a gift. The other options, such as item for sale, may affect the level of duty.
You also need to include a description of the contents, which takes away the element of surprise for birthday and Christmas presents - so don't read the label if you want to be kept in suspense.
The same also applies to sending parcels from the EU to the UK. A customs declaration must be completed before sending, either at the post office or in advance by downloading it from the postal service.
To send a parcel from Italy to the UK, you need to complete a CN23 form, which is required for delivering parcels to all third countries. Post-Brexit, the UK now belongs to that category, so you need to attach one to your package to ensure it reaches its destination. The form can be downloaded here, or you can ask for one for free at your local post office.
Animal products
Now that the UK is a third country, the process of sending products derived from an animal has become a bit more complicated and it applies to both businesses and individuals.
For British online food delivery service, The British Corner Shop, Brexit halted delivery of food goods including meat and cheese to most of Europe - or items were being returned due to the new restrictions. Their latest updates show that services are resuming in some countries, including Italy, but that the range of products has been reduced "to comply with customs".
Anyone bringing animal products such as meat and dairy into the EU will now need a veterinary certificate to prove that the food conforms to EU regulations.
The EU's strict sanitary and phytosanitary rules - measures that aim to protect humans, animals, and plants from diseases, pests, or contaminants - mean that all imports of animal derived products come under these regulations.
These products are known as personal imports, which also include items that you bring back in your luggage after a trip to the UK. Some exemptions extend to limited amounts of baby milk, food required for medical reasons or a quantity of honey and certain fish products - find more information here.
If you flout these rules and send banned animal products, your parcel could be seized and destroyed.
Stick to them, on the other hand, and you can still keep in touch with people back in Britain through care packages and gifts.
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(Photo by Lewis Joly / POOL / AFP)
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
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