The Excise Man

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Just received two bottles in the post, got hit with the VAT & Duty (ouch) goes with the territory I suppose. Anyway chatting with the postman and he says they are really clamping down at the moment. So for those law abiding citizens among you just be aware that this will most likely happen more frequently. Note to self.... must be more patriotic!

[DavidH]

Just received two bottles in the post

From where?

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Outside of the EU .. in this case I know it was the US.

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Also had a bottle seized by customs for the first time (from within the EU), I was told it was illegal to send alcohol through the post after I called to the mail centre, I have 30 days to appeal! (will quote the relevant section from the act in my next post)

[DavidH]

Let's make this an EU election issue. Really, are we living in a customs union, or are we not?

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Let's make this an EU election issue. Really, are we living in a customs union, or are we not?

Unfortunately An Post have had sanctions against sending liquids (not just alcohol) through the postal system for a good few years now and it is definitely in place in the states too. I think it is was highlighted after 9/11 and they obviously are starting to take it more seriously.

[jcskinner]

Feck it. I'm buying up north and in duty free then.

[Willie JJ]

I had a couple of bottles coming in from the US stopped at customs recently, so it seems they are tightening up all over.

[cathach]

Let's make this an EU election issue. Really, are we living in a customs union, or are we not?

Unfortunately An Post have had sanctions against sending liquids (not just alcohol) through the postal system for a good few years now and it is definitely in place in the states too. I think it is was highlighted after 9/11 and they obviously are starting to take it more seriously.

We are living in a customs union alright however under European law there are reserved national competencies i.e. tobacco & alcohol. Now, technically you can move as much of either of these as you like in person, provided it's for personal use, but in a European Court of Justice ruling (in 2007 I think) sending them by post (i.e. via an agency) was banned, i.e. you would be liable for VAT & duty in the destination country. Most of the considerations in that ruling were in relation to companies in Latvia posting ciggarettes at E1 per pack into the rest of the E.U.

The stuff can still be sent but you have to take a chance, and you do have the right to accept the delivery and pay the outstanding amount. I've never had any problems, because I think the internal E.U. stuff is gone over by dogs for illegal drugs as opposed to other stuff. Example: Olive oils from the continent are half the price they are here and a bottle in a parcel could be anything and there are tens of thousands every day.

The sending of liquids outside the E.U. is prohibited by An Post and I've had to fib my way around them sending samples to Norway and the U.S.


P.S. Can I ask which E.U. country the confiscated bottle was from???

[TheWhiskeyBro]

The confiscated bottle was sent by standard post from Italy, I guess I was just unlucky. Have received bottles from there before without any problems.

[Michael Foggarty]

We recieve sample bottles on a daily basis, but now i would say over 80% of them arent getting to us. When they arrive by DHL we have to pay the delivery guy, when its an post we recieve an empty box.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

....... when its an post we recieve an empty box.

Does the post man have a big stupid smile and one crossed eye when delivering