11 replies to this topic

[sasman]

I know this must have been asked before but i cant find anything using "importing chemicals" or +importing +chemicals using the forum search...

Now myself and many other members of this forum have ordered chemicals from Skylighter with no problems with customs.. now the chemicals they ship over seas are the ones they are allowed to export...

Now i have found a Bulk chemical supplier who will send Chemicals from Europe such as Fine metal powders (Magnalium/Aluminium/Titianium),Oxidisers Potassium perchlorate ,Barium Nitrate ,Strontium Nitrate Etc..

All the chemicals skyligher do but they wil export them to the UK..Now what is the law regarding importing from the EU these types of chemicals..

I dont want to make large order only to have it stopped at customs...

i am considering my first order will have no oxidisers ..just some Al atomized for glitter.. Antimony Trisulfide for glitter Magnallium Strobes... + a few other not so dodgy chemicals...

Anyone got any ideas on the Law?

[Nova]

I've had some contact with American pyrosuppliers and the assured me that not a single supplier will be able to legally transport oxidisers and fine metalpowders across the Atlantic. This requires a very expensive permit not even large suppliers like Skylighter and Firefox can afford.

Also note that sending stuff inside the European Union is a piece of cake, but sending stuff in or out is is more difficult.

I don't know how high their shipping costs are, but you could try to send a 'testpackage' just to see how things go.

Edited by Nova, 07 June 2005 - 06:22 AM.

[Andrew]

If you try to import from outside the EU there are also taxes and all that ballocks to take into account. America is probably one of the worst culprits for taxes. The administration over there likes to think they have control of the world markets. For example if it is a newish technology you are not allowed to export it at all, I've have problems trying to get hold of an audio codec before, clothing is the latest trade action in the US. Chemicals though? only hazardous shipping complications there, I would have thought. You'll find that if you get it from China for example, you will not need special permits for it's export, your problems start when it gets to an EU port, Import tax, special couriers etc.

If it comes from within the EU, there is this wonderful thing called FREE TRADE. You will have no problems with HMRC, or the HSE if it's all labelled up properly (that means that the country of origin's rules on labelling are adhered to, not ours, every country is different), just expensive shipping perhaps.

Edited by Andrew, 07 June 2005 - 08:34 AM.

[sasman]

Delivery from Europe is 150 Euro's..Labeling i hope would be done correctly.. not sure if you have to pay VAT there was no mention of VAT on the Quote..

Now all i have to do is decide either to blow a few ??? or should i spend the money on a Holiday.... Ahhhh decision's decisions...

[Andrew]

usually, if you pay tax (VAT) in another country you do not pay it here, if you do not pay their VAT then you may have to pay it here.

If they do not mention tax, then it will have already been paid and you do not need to pay it here.

[Chaz]

Not necessarily. VAT should be charged on all luxury goods (merchandise) entering the country if it hasnt already. When I bought my camera from abroad I had to pay 17.5% VAT to the FedEx postman, he said customs would simply ship it back to where it came from if I didnt pay.

I'm not sure if chemicals count as luxury goods, I would have thought that they dont, but I wouldent bet on it. You could ask the supplier to mark the package as a gift on the customs form, that should get it through without the extra VAT charge. Of course, that's if it gets through at all.

[Andrew]

anything from Europe is non-taxable, there are no levies, and no VAT to pay if any VAT was paid in the country you bought it from. Chaz did you buy it from outside the EU? Chemicals are raw materials, but luxury or not, you still have to pay VAT, there aren't many things you don't have to pay VAT on.

The good thing about the EU is the free trade we enjoy. You don't need to pay import/export taxex and there are no customs declarations to fill in etc.

[Chaz]

Agh, forgot about that. Yeah, the camera came from America. However I've had three packets of fuse imported from the US, two were marked as gifts and the other was marked as merchendise, and I didnt have to pay VAT on any of them.

[BigG]

anything from Europe is non-taxable, there are no levies, and no VAT to pay if any VAT was paid in the country you bought it from. Chaz did you buy it from outside the EU? Chemicals are raw materials, but luxury or not, you still have to pay VAT, there aren't many things you don't have to pay VAT on.

The good thing about the EU is the free trade we enjoy. You don't need to pay import/export taxex and there are no customs declarations to fill in etc.

Andrew - as far as I'm aware that is NOT correct. Even inside the EU - import of material that falls under hazard regulations need to be declared at point of entry. The custom except that many people are not aware of it - but it is still the law. So, the import of any metal powder / Oxidizer needs to be declared. Of course, when you arrange for delivery of the material from the company you buy it from - they will usually do it for you when they cross the boarder. Don't ask me where this law is written - this is what I was told by customes.

[Chaz]

I thought that once something was inside the EU (or had been manufactured inside the EU) it would be clear to pass into any other country inside the EU, which is why you do not need to bother with those little green customs stickers, or forms if you're sending something larger. So as you say BigG, although strictly speaking something hazardous should be declared, how would customs know anyway? It probably is a good idea to be on the right side of the law, but I would have thought that doing that would just make things more complicated.

[Andrew]

As far as tax goes, I'm pretty sure HMRC have no interest if it came from Europe. Hazardous materials transport law is completely different from excise laws. Hazardous or not, they will not bung on extra tax when crossing the border, that was the point I was making.

We in this country have some of the most. if not the most strict labelling laws for hazardous materials. The only problems that could arise at HMRC is, if the laws in the country of origin allow for a lower standard of labelling, and thus the declaration of what it is, is not clear enough, in which case you would have to declare it yourself.

When importing from Europe there is far less red tape to cut through.

[Mortartube]

Any hazardous goods will need to be accompanied by an ADR certificate for road transport (multiples possibly in the language of each country that the goods will pass through) and an IMDG certificate for shipping. This will outline the type of hazard present and what class it falls into according to the UN classification of hazardous goods i.e Class 1 is explosives and that's what the first digit (number 1) denotes on the orange diamonds on explosive packaging. The customs should know immediately of the particular type of hazard present simply from the paperwork. To mislabel something hazardous could be a costly excercise in money and jail sentences for the company dispatching the goods.