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Customs

Have rules on bringing tobacco products into France changed?

The personal importation of tobacco products has seen set limits

Mediator to review French post office's non-EU 'customs' charges

Douanes say the charge is not added by them and should be called La Poste’s admin fee

Is €12,000 malus for importing my SUV to France correct?

Penalties on imported vehicles – even if not new – are possible for worst ‘polluters’

news

€600,000 in gold found in UK car stopped at France-Swiss border

Haul of gold bars and royal coins was not declared to customs officials

What are Christmas deadlines for packages to UK and US from France?

Dates vary between services and type of package being sent

How incorrect French customs checks led to €40bn loss for UK

Mafia gangs have managed to dodge billions in excise duty due to allegedly less-than-thorough checks at French customs

French customs officer stamps Briton’s passport, then saves his life

The officer performed CPR when the man collapsed with breathing problems on his way to a family wedding

Road signs, petrol costs, customs advice: French practical wrap

Our overview of practical stories you may have missed this week

New website in France helps you work out tax for non-EU imports

DéclareDouane service can help you budget and will speed up the process at the border when bringing in items such as alcohol, tobacco, fashion or furniture

When can the French post charge you to receive items from abroad?

Certain taxes and fees may be payable for receiving items sent from outside the EU

Major delays on France-UK border in 2024, warns new Brexit report

France’s public sector spending watchdog also raised concerns about new residents and school trips

Camembert, Roquefort, Brie: Can I bring French cheeses into the US?

We look at the rules around taking such gifts on stateside trips

Paris Orly airport trials scanners that remove need for liquids bag

The scanners are similar to those used in hospitals and aim to improve safety and cut down waiting times at security

Why does the French post office care about value of items sent abroad?

A reader asks why they are quizzed about the value of parcels when they go to post something from France to the UK

€30 customs/VAT fee for US gift sent to me in France: What can I do?

If the package is clearly marked as a present and is worth less than €45 no import VAT and customs duties should be applied to it

Drugs, counterfeit goods and fraud: French customs report rises

The new annual report shows significant increases in 2021, partly due to the ‘explosion of e-commerce’ during the health crisis

France recorded its largest ever trade deficit in 2021, say Douanes

It now has the lowest net exports in Europe, following years of deindustrialisation and an aviation and tourism industry severely affected by Covid

Trade body resilient as post-Brexit customs controls start EU to UK

‘One can’t deny that the administrative side of things now adds a cost to importing and exporting and businesses will take whatever measures are necessary to compensate for that’

What are alcohol limits for France-UK travel? Per person or per car?

The amount of alcohol which you can bring into the UK depends on its type

France to UK family visit: What gifts can we bring under Brexit rules?

As in the other direction, post-Brexit there are new rules as to what travellers can take with them. You should bear them in mind when taking gifts for UK family

La Poste claims improvement to custom charge issue for foreign parcels

Some readers though still report erroneous charges. Here is what you can do if it happens to you. We also explain the cases in which taxes and fees do apply

How I recovered tax wrongly charged on gift sent to France from UK

Like thousands of others in France our reporter's postman demanded tax be paid on Christmas presents before he would hand them over

How to avoid taxes and fees being levied on gifts sent UK to France

Many problems are reported this year with incorrect fees and taxes on gifts coming from outside the EU – we look at ways to minimise errors

What are rules for bringing British teabags to France post-Brexit?

Since January there are new rules on what foods you may bring with you in luggage when entering France from the UK

Brexit: Bringing furniture to France from UK for second home

Due to full Brexit there are now potential additional customs formalities and charges related to moving items over the Channel

‘Customs’ charges on gifts due to postal errors, say French Douanes

The problems are arising linked to a huge increase in border formalities due to Brexit and changes in EU VAT rules, and computer errors, according to officials

High tax and customs fees on gifts sent to France from outside EU

Several readers report being surprised by the charges requested to receive parcels from the UK - and New Zealand - despite the items being low-value gifts

How UK Customs dealt with our move back from France

Readers tell of ‘an awful lot of paperwork’ for transporting items across Channel post Brexit

What are post-Brexit rules for moving items from a French house to UK?

As with French customs rules on moving items from the UK to France, the UK’s HMRC now has requirements when people move from France to the UK

Recap of post-Brexit rules for bringing items into France from the UK

There are various new issues to consider depending on whether you are coming for a holiday or bringing several items to a second home or moving home

Brexit: What are the rules for deliveries from UK to France?

Formalities and taxes for UK deliveries will vary depending on what the item is and who is sending or transporting it

Brexit: Taking French cheese and wine to the UK

There are new import and export rules following full Brexit, fortunately these are fairly flexible regarding taking food and drink to the UK

UK-EU customs checks and taxes: Readers’ experiences so far

From bringing belongings to France during a house move to driving a van with DIY materials to second homes, readers so far have reported mixed experiences

Update: Potential new tax for newcomers to France

Additional costs could be involved in moving to France in second half of this year, linked to full Brexit

Second wave of Brexit issues on way, says French think-tank expert

Dr Elvire Fabry of the Institut Jacques Delors, a specialist researcher on Brexit, trade and globalisation, gives details of the emerging picture as Brexit takes full effect

Customs declarations needed to bring many items into France

Customs declarations, French VAT and sometimes import duty must now be considered when you are moving items between the UK and France since Brexit

Removals firms facing new rules post-Brexit

New rules mean removals to a second home in France will be more complicated than as part of making France your permanent residence

Brexit: New rules for importing a UK car to France

Extra formalities and costs are now involved in importing a UK car though they vary widely depending on personal circumstances and type of car

Brexit: Receiving a gift sent from UK to France

There are changes with regard to paperwork and liability to taxes when sending items between the UK and EU following full Brexit

Brexit preparations have cost France €200million

Customs officers, border police, plant and veterinary inspectors, offices, carparks and IT systems are among the 'unheard of' expenses of reestablishing full border controls

Brexit: Can I bring plants from UK to France?

There are strict rules on moving plants, plant cuttings and fresh flowers over the Channel because the UK is now seen as a 'third country' to the EU following full Brexit on January 1, 2021

Stock up on your Bovril

It is expected to be harder to import food from the UK – both for businesses and individuals – when the transition finishes at the end of this year.

Brexit: Stockpiling in UK causes delays at Calais border

Fears of no-deal Brexit cause stockpiling in the UK at unprecedented levels, and severe delays at the French border

Brexit: French customs offers free webinar for businesses

An online session about preparing your firm for Brexit is being organised in English by the Douanes

Eurostar to provide contactless travel from UK to France

It will soon be possible to board the Eurostar without showing a ticket or a passport, thanks to new facial recognition technology.

Longest customs dispute in France since 2002 over

Two-and-a-half-month strike, that caused long delays at popular French travel hubs, ends after government and unions agree deal

No end in sight for French customs protest

Protest action by French customs officers continues to cause lengthy delays for Eurostar passengers heading to the UK and jams on the roads approaching Channel ports – and so far there is no end in sight.

French customs staff impose Brexit work to rule

Long queues at travel hubs including Gare du Nord, Calais, and popular ski resort airports in southeast France

French border ‘Brexit strike’ causes huge lorry queues

French Eurotunnel and ferry customs officers who mounted an “unlimited strike” by enforcing strict border controls - to mimic what may happen after Brexit - have caused tens of kilometres of traffic jams.

Channel Tunnel shows need for real-world thinking

Arguably the greatest Anglo-French achievement in history is the Channel Tunnel. The incredible link was opened by the Queen and President François Mitterrand in 1994 as a symbol of growing ties between two of Europe’s most powerful countries, and has largely fulfilled all expectations.

1.7 tonnes illegal tobacco stopped at Spanish border

Over one and a half tonnes of contraband tobacco worth almost €423,000 in resale value has been stopped at the French-Spanish border.