tax + duty implications of importing goods from UK + US ?

rok

Hi,
I am going to buy Contact Lenses + solution online,
either from a US website or one from the UK, there's not much difference in price. I have used the US one in the past + didn't have to pay anything to Customs although the parcels were small enough.

Are there any tax and duty implications of importing goods through the post from UK
or is it just liable from countries outside of the European Union ?


Sorry if this has been answered before I have searched previous posts and revenue.ie but it's too early in the morning from my brain to figure it out.
Some info I found....
http://www.revenue.ie/leaflets/postalguide.doc
http://www.revenue.ie/index.htm?/leaflets/pn1179.htm

itsmine

You'll only need to pay duty and VAT if you import goods from outside the EU.

redshoedancer

I have a question about tax on parcels.
Two months ago my father (aged 95) received a parcel from a relative in USA into Ireland.
When the parcel was received there was no mention of any tax.
Two days ago..two months later he received a bill it doesn't really state what it is for but when I phoned the courier company they said it was the Irish government, the bill is for 71 euros and to pay ASAP.
Today ...only two days later he receives another bill for a extra 8 euros late fees for not paying.!
The point is can you receive a package and not know that this further tax is coming and still be charged?
Surely you must be told that this charge is on this package ,if he knew it was going to be charged he would have never accepted it.
It was a gift sent to him for Christmas.
Why does he have to pay a charge for a parcel he never ordered or really wanted?
Is there any law that protects people from getting a package and months later getting a bill like this?

sandin

redshoedancer wrote: »

I have a question about tax on parcels.
Two months ago my father (aged 95) received a parcel from a relative in USA into Ireland.
When the parcel was received there was no mention of any tax.
Two days ago..two months later he received a bill it doesn't really state what it is for but when I phoned the courier company they said it was the Irish government, the bill is for 71 euros and to pay ASAP.
Today ...only two days later he receives another bill for a extra 8 euros late fees for not paying.!
The point is can you receive a package and not know that this further tax is coming and still be charged?
Surely you must be told that this charge is on this package ,if he knew it was going to be charged he would have never accepted it.
It was a gift sent to him for Christmas.
Why does he have to pay a charge for a parcel he never ordered or really wanted?
Is there any law that protects people from getting a package and months later getting a bill like this?

Goods from outside the EU and delivered to an EU address (any country whatsoever in the EU) has vat and in many cases duty added to the value of the product.

Same if you are in the USA and get a parcel from outside the USA, duty and local tax are added on delivery.

Delivery companies can charge up to €16 for the paperwork involved.

You do have the option of refusing the package when they deliver it to you.

redshoedancer

thanks for your reply
what if you didn't know that there was a tax charge on the package?
If we knew there was a tax charge to come we would have not accepted it .
Can you be charged as an after thought?
I have had things come before and a cash on delivery policy applied and we paid and there was no problem.
But if someone send you a gift and you accept it and its worth big money what is there to stop them putting a charge on you and you dont know its coming.