Duty Free Allowance - EU

Stinicker

Hi Guys,

I don't smoke but I am going to Poland in a few weeks time and my sister wants me to bring back cigarettes for her. Last time I did this Customs & Excise seized 600 cigarettes from me at Dublin as I was only allowed 200 from outside the EU as I was flying in from Dubai at the time.

Now obviously Poland is in the EU so the Duty would be payed on the cigarettes at the lower rate in Poland. I plan to bring back maybe 1,000 or whatever I am allowed. I don't want to get them seized again as it would be my second seizure and probably get fined or something!

I brought in 1,000 from Prague a few years ago but I was not stopped and checked.

OldGoat

From the Charter:
[quote]Excise Duty
Do not use this forum to ask for/give advice on how to avoid paying excise duties.EU Customs and excise site

How many can I bring in?*
From within the EU, as many as you want for personal use, but you may be asked to explain yourself if you have more than 800. The customs officers' decision on whether they believe your story or not is final.

You can only bring 200 into the EU from outside, regardless of whether you paid duty when you bought them or not.[/quote]

CJhaughey

The limit for personal consumption is 3200 cigarettes or 3kg of tobacco.
The 800 cigs and 1kg is only a guideline issued by customs.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=81959727#post81959727
post 10 explains it.

BeerNut

CJhaughey wrote: »

The limit for personal consumption is 3200 cigarettes or 3kg of tobacco.
The 800 cigs and 1kg is only a guideline issued by customs.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=81959727#post81959727
post 10 explains it.

It was going relatively well up until

you will be allowed to proceed

Will you really? When the customs officers point out what it says on Revenue.ie, and you point out what it says on Boards.ie, do you genuinely think they'll say "Damn! He knows about Boards! Foiled again! On your way, sir, and happy smoking"?

Yes you are perfectly entitled to import 3200 cigarettes, or more, if they're for personal consumption. And yes, you're entitled to have them back following wrongful confiscation if you can prove that the confiscation was indeed wrongful. But that's going to be a pain.

Legal rights aside, the point at which no questions are asked and no answers are required remains 800.

I see from the HMRC site that last year the UK dropped its no-questions point from 3200 to 800.

sugerbabev

within the eu the limit is 800 and half a kilo of tobaco. i was in spain this year and had to bring back cigs for friends so when i asked how much i was allowed they advised me 800 plus 1/2 kg of tobaco and they had signs showing this also.

P. Breathnach

sugerbabev wrote: »

within the eu the limit is 800 and half a kilo of tobaco...

A kilo.

Gran Hermano

sugerbabev wrote: »

within the eu the limit is 800 and half a kilo of tobaco. i was in spain this year and had to bring back cigs for friends so when i asked how much i was allowed they advised me 800 plus 1/2 kg of tobaco and they had signs showing this also.

Who is they?
I often bring back a couple of thousand. Have a read http://www.independent.ie/national-news/no-limit-for-cheap-holiday-cigarettes-and-drink-2096877.html

lord lucan

Gran Hermano wrote: »

Who is they?
I often bring back a couple of thousand. Have a read http://www.independent.ie/national-news/no-limit-for-cheap-holiday-cigarettes-and-drink-2096877.html

I do the same every 3 months. Just back from Brussels on wednesday gone with another 2000 that'll keep me going until the end of february. Never been stopped or asked about it and they are all for my own personal use.

Staff Infection

On a related note I'm heading to London for New Years and am wondering would it be cheaper to buy my fags here or in London? Or would it be the same price pretty much regardless? (Usually Paul Mall red or John Player Blue if that helps)

lord lucan

Staff Infection wrote: »

On a related note I'm heading to London for New Years and am wondering would it be cheaper to buy my fags here or in London? Or would it be the same price pretty much regardless? (Usually Paul Mall red or John Player Blue if that helps)

Taking into account the exchange rate,there's not much difference in price between Ireland and the UK. You won't get JPB in the UK though but Pall Mall Red are available in most newsagents.

Staff Infection

lord lucan wrote: »

Taking into account the exchange rate,there's not much difference in price between Ireland and the UK. You won't get JPB in the UK though but Pall Mall Red are available in most newsagents.

Ah ok, cheers for clearing that up so quickly. Grand, I'll get them in Dublin so. Just didn't want to bring them over only to find them much cheaper over there and feel like a big eejit for not checking before I went.