Transporting bikes to Europe in a Van

[Snaf MKII]

This would appear to be an example of what can happen. It doesn't explain how the bikes were transported, other than by ferry but I'd assume it was in vans. I assume that it's a returnable deposit unless it's a penalty for not declaring, there's no further details that I can find and I cant find a charity page for the group. Hopefully it will get sorted out for the group.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-62799594

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

I wonder if they got this right...I'd have thought you'd have to buy a carnet, which wouldn't cost that much, or what they were asked for was a returnable deposit which they should have got back when re-exporting the bikes?
Or perhaps they should have just offered the Customs office a 'coffee'...anyone who drove a truck abroad pre-1992 will understand.
Post-Brexit, I guess the only way to be sure is to use a reputable shipping agent or freight-forwarder.

[Snaf MKII]

That's how I think it works Richard, hopefully they'll get their money back and not had to pay for a carnet.

[garyboy]

Heads up, you guys ..

These fees are tarrifs .. a kind of tax .. how often do you get taxes back?

You are applying logic and common sense as it is a well deserved cause.

You don't seem to realise that this is the eu being vindictive and punishing the UK for leaving them.

It is politically motivated .. and linked to punishment, the northen Ireland protocol, keeping to legal agreements, etc .. and showing us who is boss.

We've seen it mostly from France, as we deal with them most. But all members of eu are involved in teaching us a lesson, and frightening other members into subservience.

[Snaf MKII]

It's most likely a guarantee or deposit that is returnable upon export back to UK, this works both ways and the UK customs do the same. The same process happens in many other countries and customs unions. It could however be a tariff as you say if the correct declarations were not made and the customs believed the goods were permanently imported. Let's hope that is not the case or they will potentially be paying the same amount to bring them back in to the UK.

[scutty]

You don't seem to realise that this is the eu being vindictive and punishing the UK for leaving them.

No, this is the UK being treated as the 3rd country status we voted for. We wanted out and this is out, carnets, 90 day limits, duty free, ETIAS visa (from Nov 2023).
It would be the same if you brought a van full of bicycles in from Africa or shipped in a container load from the US. British Cycling website lists the requirements for carnets for temporary imports of bikes into the EU.

And yes, they probably were charged an import tax because they didn't declare the temporary import of £60,000+ worth of bikes in the back of a van. If you don't fill in the correct paperwork for importing anything you either pay the tax or don't bring it it - UK has the same laws and we're not "punishing" the whole world.

[bikenav]

during last years Ferry trip across the Bay from Spain got talking to a guy who had taken over a couple of them old square shaped kitchen sinks for his second home he got done for a couple of quid, he also told me of another guy who was taking over a little racing car on a trailer behind his camper, the trailer had a few spare tyres on it also, Mr customs guy clocked the tyres and requested a fee for the import of, racing man said they would be bald and scrap before the week was out, to no avail. Racing man tried to argue his case, customs man said should I take another look see what else I can find "what about the racing car for example?" racing car man paid the duty or whatever fee it was for the tyres. As a former Rally car Co-driver things like this would once have been a concern to me on the occasional foray to a Continental Event, thanks to brexit I have no need to worry any longer. As a little guy looking forward to all the good things about brexit that must be ready to burst in to my life, though I would probably just settle for my old reasonably paid job back the one that went with brexit. Dont know the details of the cyclists but did see it on the news hope they can get if sorted, to my mind we have just got our cocks out and pissed in our own chips, and now us ordinary guys at least are having to eat em.

[Snaf MKII]

I thought rally co-drivers just flew in and acted like they were on a works contract

[bikenav]

closest I got to that was a train to Edinburgh once, I enjoyed the craic but hated the drag in vans etc. some good times though. Big event local to me last weekend in an area familiar to many here possibly, the second only closed tarmac rally in Wales so far, around the Devils Bridge area known for its scenery and Nant yr Moch perhaps better known for its trails, unfortunately for myself my job now involves working all days of the week so was working and unable even to go to watch, looked good too. £1200 for 80miles and as anybody who has ever been involved thats just the start.

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

during last years Ferry trip across the Bay from Spain got talking to a guy who had taken over a couple of them old square shaped kitchen sinks for his second home he got done for a couple of quid, he also told me of another guy who was taking over a little racing car on a trailer behind his camper, the trailer had a few spare tyres on it also, Mr customs guy clocked the tyres and requested a fee for the import of, racing man said they would be bald and scrap before the week was out, to no avail. Racing man tried to argue his case, customs man said should I take another look see what else I can find "what about the racing car for example?" racing car man paid the duty or whatever fee it was for the tyres. As a former Rally car Co-driver things like this would once have been a concern to me on the occasional foray to a Continental Event, thanks to brexit I have no need to worry any longer. As a little guy looking forward to all the good things about brexit that must be ready to burst in to my life, though I would probably just settle for my old reasonably paid job back the one that went with brexit. Dont know the details of the cyclists but did see it on the news hope they can get if sorted, to my mind we have just got our cocks out and pissed in our own chips, and now us ordinary guys at least are having to eat em.

I recall many years ago reading an interview with the man who handled Dunlop tyres for the 500cc MX world championship (those were the days). Dunlop's competition business was still in the UK, back then. They would provide free Dunlop tyres pretty much on demand to any of the World Championship competitors who were prepared to put Dunlop stickers on their bike, but insisted on getting an old tyre in exchange. If they didn't have the same number of tyres on the truck when they left the country that they had on when they arrived, they paid import duty. The whole inventory had to be listed on a carnet. The condition of the tyres wasn't important to customs, the number was.

Brexit has been a great benefit to international freight forwarders, customs agents etc as there is so much more paperwork to process.
'Bonfire of EU regulations' ...hilarious! My mates who run international trucking companies are coining it in, because they have engaged professional freight forwarders to do the paperwork. The wing and a prayer merchants who were taking British loads to the Continent for the price of a tank of diesel can't do it any more...too thick and under-resourced. So if you are a British exporter, you use a professional haulier and you pay the price.