The Christmas season is well underway in France, with the majority of festive markets and ski stations now open.
Many of those who have moved from elsewhere will be expecting cards and parcels, which can in some cases also come with unexpected customs fees.
Connexion readers have, for several years, been highlighting issues they have faced when receiving parcels, including charges being incorrectly levied and payable to La Poste before a parcel can be delivered.
Below, we look at what you and those sending items to you must do to avoid such fees and in cases where they have been mistakenly levied how to get your money back.
Correctly fill out customs forms
The most important thing is to ensure customs forms are correctly completed before sending a parcel.
For parcels entering the EU the standard form is called a CN22 form. For higher value packages it is the CN23 form that is used (the UK’s Royal Mail service says the CN23 form should be used for parcels valued at £270 or more).
However, where the sender has the option, the longer CN23 form may be useful in avoiding issues, as it has space for a sender to add contact details such as an email address in the event of a problem with customs.
There should in theory not be any issues using a CN23 form for any parcel regardless of its value. A guide on how to complete it is available on the Royal Mail website.
Generally there is a 20% VAT charge on parcels sent from outside the EU, including from the UK, US, Canada, Australia, etc.
However, if the parcel is clearly marked as a gift on the customs form, and is sent from one individual to another (ie. not from a commercial enterprise), VAT should not be charged if the value (which should also be marked on the paperwork) is €45 or less.
So, if you know a parcel will be sent to you, bear in mind that you could be asked to pay VAT, and in some cases additional customs taxes, if the value is higher than this.
Where VAT and customs taxes are charged, delivery firms, including La Poste, often also add on an admin fee.
Our previous article provides advice for those sending a parcel to France from the UK.
Avoid certain cards
Cards are usually classed as ‘documents’ when being sent internationally and should not incur additional charges, provided the sender uses the correct stamp.
However, there have been reports that some cards have had customs fees attached to them.
This is usually the case with bulkier, embossed cards or those with something inside that raises the envelope and may make French customs think that it contains merchandise inside and thus should have a customs form attached (which is unlikely to be the case).
To avoid such issues you could ask friends and family to ensure there is nothing else inside the card.
You should also avoid sending money in cards. In the event the card is lost as the money will not have been declared it cannot be claimed back.
Issues may still arise
Despite best efforts and correctly completed customs forms, issues may still arise, with parcel recipients in France asked to pay unexpected fees upon delivery. We have heard from readers where this has been the case for items including scarves, jumpers, calendars, and Remembrance poppies.
These charges are often levied by La Poste.
La Poste faced a flurry of issues from 2021 onwards as Brexit (for UK parcels) and EU rule changes on VAT for international goods (for other non-EU countries) increased the number of customs declarations required.
This led to a series of mistakes with La Poste incorrectly demanding ‘customs’ fees which were charged to the recipient.
The postal service says things have improved since 2021, however there may still cases where mistakes are made due to human error.
Earlier in 2024, a Connexion reader complained to a national mediator about customs charges.
Read more: Mediator to review French post office's non-EU 'customs' charges
What to do if faced with incorrect charges?
If you receive a parcel and are faced with unexpected charges you can make a request to receive a refund on these if they were incorrectly levied.
Requests should be made to La Poste, either online or via its French-speaking helpline at 3631.
You can contact the French Customs via their helpline at 0800 94 40 40 but they have generally referred people to La Poste (unless your parcel arrived via another delivery service).
If you refuse to pay the fees, the item is then returned to a local La Poste office or directly back to the sender (ask the postal worker what will happen if you refuse the payments).
If the parcel is to be returned to a post office you can wait for it to arrive and then speak to a staff member about the issue.
However, it may be simpler to pay the fees then submit a compensation claim and complaint. It is important to ensure you receive a receipt of your payment when making it.
This can either be provided by the postal worker when you pay it or can be obtained via the La Poste website here.
Our article below explains how one Connexion writer made a complaint online over incorrectly levied charges.
Read more: How I got back tax wrongly charged on gift sent to France from UK
A complaint to the official mediator is only possible if La Poste fails to respond to your request.
If you have incorrectly been charged customs fees for a parcel and successfully contested the charges we would like to hear from you. Please let us know your experience via feedback@connexionfrance.com
