An Post returning packages from outside the EU-See 1st post

cnocbui · 11-03-2025 06:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123254138#Comment_123254138

An post don't comment on Customs, whatsoever. I had a couple of shipments from Japan that arrived without incident also.

If Japan were the problem, why is it only Ireland they have a problem with?

Japan Post has very detailed information about international shipments, including dedicated information about each country, which about Ireland says:

In this regard, an increasing number of mail items containing goods are being returned to Japan based on a decision by Ireland Customs because of inaccurate or insufficient customs declaration information such as names of contents, number of contents, net weight and country of origin of contents.
Please be sure to provide accurate customs declaration information to avoid your mail items being returned.

I have looked at these pages for a couple other EU countries and none of them had anything similar, and I think I know why, because Ireland is the only EU country that requires TARIC codes, all the rest accept HS codes, according to this JP info page.

Trust the Irish civil service to be 'special'. They are 'special' when it comes to passports as well.

I was told the parcel was returned due to a TARIC code problem. Think about it - If the customs person doing the assessment thinks the TARIC code used is incorrect, then they would also know which was the correct code, meaning they could fix the problem instead of being utterly anal in returning it to teach the stupid foreigners a lesson until they get it right and learn to do things the Irish way, which is different to how the rest of the EU does things.

Not hard to guess that if Ireland weren't so special, and used HS codes like the rest of the EU, I wouldn't have had something returned to Japan twice. Same goes for if customs weren't so bloody unhelpful about returning items rather than just fixing a bloody 10 digit code there would have been a lot less inconvenience, time wasted and CO2 generated.

whiterebel · 11-03-2025 11:17PM

TARIC and HS codes are the same thing. They go from 6 digits to 10 digits. The extra 4 digs deeper into the classification, so instead of t-shirts, which would require further investigation by a staff member, the extra 4 would show;

1101 t-shirts, 50% cotton, or

1102 t-shirts, 75% cotton, for example.

As far as I remember, An Post jumped the gun 2 years early with the requirment for 10 digit TARIC, which caused the absolut sh!tshow that happened at the time. As far as I know, the 10 digits mean that there is no need for manual intervention in the customs clearance proicess, it is completely automated. ALL postal services are supposed to use this 10 digit system as far as I can remember, which would make sense.

Customs don't do Customs clearance, An Post do. They do not need to have staff to complete the customs entry any more, once the codes, weights, descriptions atc are correct. Japan seem to be identifying the problem themselves. The UK weren't doing it correctly either for a long time. Japan itself uses the 10 digit TARIC as well as per the TNT clearance page:

"HS codes are six digits long, although some countries add extra numbers to the end for further classification. (Like Japan, Germany and the US.)"

DHL, TNT, FedEx and UPS have human operators for clearance, so they just look up the remainder of the HS/TARIC for the entry before it is submitted.

whiterebel · 11-03-2025 11:19PM

BTW, An Post will normally tell you what is causing the problem if you ring them, and they are in a helpful mood.

ohnonotgmail · 12-03-2025 08:36AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123256105#Comment_123256105

DHL, FEDEX etc also charge considerably more for doing customs clearance. An Post dropped their charge to 3.95 when they automated the customs clearance

New Scottman · 13-03-2025 10:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123252602#Comment_123252602

I recommend you use a courier for Japan (Fedex or DHL) rather than regular airmail. Admin fee is higher than An Post but you'll get your package.

rock22 · 17-06-2025 01:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123256105#Comment_123256105

I have downloaded, from the EU website the list of TARIC codes . ( COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2024/2522of 23 September 2024)

However they are 8 digit codes. Can someone direct me to the 10 digit codes?

An Post are now insisting on either 6 digit or 10 digit codes and have returned an item with an 8 digit code. The code that comes up on their own website is a correct 6 digit code but the 10 digit code is incorrect.

The item , by the way, is motorcycle parts for an old, vintage, motorcycle, code 87141090 An post are insisting on either 871410 or 8714109010 (which is actually motorcycle inner fork tubes positively not what I have in transit)

Thanks

geotrig · 22-10-2025 08:54AM

so after all this time i'm hit with my 1st issue of item being sent back "electronic data not uploaded" etc etc , i contacted an post you don't really help, only to give me a reason the updated information. its mind boggling that 4 years down the road of this and it still happens and they are not proactive in contacting or giving the receiver the chance to get it fixed.

deezell · 22-10-2025 10:04AM

It's created a situation where small businesses are forced out of the export market due to complexity and the huge costs of non delivery, and possible full customer refund. Their only access is now via the likes of Amazon, Ali, Temu, all billion dollar entities who can setup the systems to guarantee delivery, and charge business draining commissions on the trapped suppliers. It's nearly impossible to post a personal gift to a child from outside the EU, most resort to buying from the receiving countries Amazon to ensure delivery. Northern Ireland has a steady flow from the south of buyers having their goods delivered to drop boxes on the border. Stuff probably has a far greater chance of reaching the UK.

ohnonotgmail · 22-10-2025 10:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123927062#Comment_123927062

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123927311#Comment_123927311

Sellers need to fill the customs entry in correctly. They've had 4 years to get it right.

deezell · 23-10-2025 07:26AM

It's just not acceptable customer care to have someone's goods in the depot a few km from their home, but send them back around the world without a smidgen of interaction, except to say they've been returned. All the details are in the system, an opportunity to clarify and correct, or point out AnPost's error, should be available.

Look at @whiterebel's post above. The first six digits of a code from an EU source are valid. The last two should have been ignored as they accept 6 or 10. These packages are clearing customs in an EU approved facility in Germany or Holland, and are successfully delivered to every other EU country. Only Ireland had this epidemic of returns, with no negotiation or redress, to the point where business abroad en masse blacklisted this country for delivery, yet that cnt in Anpost got an award?

Whatever happened to customer care? Even with an admin fee attached, at least you could retrieve your goods. It's like as if you could eventually only order a curry through those parasitic food delivery big names with their billion euro ad spends and monstrous commissions, but not directly from the small takeaway. This is where things are heading, to enable the Musks and Bezos of the world. No wonder people are driving to the post drops in Newry for their UK sourced goods from UK suppliers, who can't risk delivery to here. Even huge manufacturers over there with retail web outlets often only have UK delivery. Its brought back the good old cowboy days of the bus outings to Jonesboro. They were such fun.

ohnonotgmail · 23-10-2025 08:35AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123929883#Comment_123929883

I have no idea what ordering a curry has to do with An Post. a business being big or small has no bearing on its ability to complete a proper customs declaration. If a UK outlet has UK only delivery that nothing to do with An Post. They also dont ship to France. Is that a problem with the french postal service? They just cant be arsed with doing a return for the VAT with a foreign government. Just buy somewhere else. An Post introduced a fully automated system. People seem to forget that they also reduced the admin charge at the same. They can only do this if the system is automated. Things didnt go great at first but the system works if the sender does their bit. If you are not getting a parcel give out to the seller for not doing a simple job properly.

Peregrinus · 23-10-2025 09:15AM

SFAIK this isn't just an issue with Ireland. Internationally there are complaints from senders about EU-destined parcels being returned from many EU countries. The senders usually blame their own post offices for not correctly advising or steering them on how to complete the customs labelling in the first place. Platforms like E-Bay, Etsy, Amazon have had to gear up to advise/support people selling on their platforms about what they need to do when posting to the EU (and also the US, which has its own requirements) and some of the criticism is addressed to those platforms (though I think most of the platforms have got their acts together by now).

It helps to understand that the customer of a carriage service is the person who sends the package, not the person who receives it. It's the sender who buys and pays for the service (though they may of course charge it on to the receiver) and also the sender who's in control when it comes to labelling the package, completing customs declarations etc. So if there's a problem the carrier defaults to the sender to sort out the problem.

(If the package is correctly labelled but there's tax or duty due, then they contact the recipient, since the recipient is the person liable for the tax/duty.)

farfromsleep · 26-10-2025 12:19PM

Well it's finally happened to me now too.

Have there been some extra shenanigans added to the system recently? I just had my last 2 Japan packages in a row rejected, nothing contentious at all (just band posters), just turned around and sent right back. Both were ordered via FromJapan, who are typically rock-solid with customs obligations and have never previously given any issues over dozens of packages over the past few years. Absolutely maddening that there's so little that can be done other than just sit and twiddle my thumbs until they make it back to Japan, truly ridiculous.

deezell · 26-10-2025 09:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123939155#Comment_123939155

Probably fly shyte on the lens of the anpost barcode scanner, automatically tips erroneous reads into the returns bin. No recheck, no obligation to the customer who paid delivery charges.

.

Discodog · 09-11-2025 08:16PM

i was trying to buy a small item from ebay - value 10 euro. The seller said that they had to use the, recently introduced Simple Delivery System & can't make individual arrangements. So my item would cost over 35 euro

Phibsboro · 20-11-2025 11:37AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123939155#Comment_123939155

Oh nooooo!! I came here because my 2 FromJapan packages have been sitting in customs for a week now! What could be going on?

blade1 · 20-11-2025 12:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123939155#Comment_123939155

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124003088#Comment_124003088

I ordered a motorbike part costing €150 from Asia recently.

To be safe I contacted the seller and gave them a 10 digit taric code and explained it was needed for customs to process.

They replied that they weren't aware of that and said if I hadn't had warned them they would have used an 8 digit one.

Had the item in a week.

Phibsboro · 20-11-2025 12:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124003289#Comment_124003289

The core point of FromJapan's business is shipping abroad, you'd have thought they'd be on top of it, argggg! I sent them a message asking are they aware of any issues and what happens if stuff is returned but sure it is all in the lap of the (customs) Gods I guess!

blade1 · 20-11-2025 12:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124003299#Comment_124003299

Ask them for the taric code they used.

if it's not 10 digit then expect problems

Phibsboro · 20-11-2025 05:59PM

Both my FromJapan shipments updated today with IMPORT STOPPED and one is already on the way back. So annoying!

New Scottman · 20-11-2025 06:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124004319#Comment_124004319

are they sent by airmail?

DHL or Fedex safest for Japan

Phibsboro · 20-11-2025 06:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124004356#Comment_124004356

Airmail - I've got a load of packages from FromJapan since I found them over the summer, all airmail and all arrived OK. Something has obviously changed either in how they are labelling the shipments or in how customs are dealing with them. i accept DHL or Fedex are safer bets but they change the value proposition on importing cheaper items.

An Post returning packages from outside the EU-See 1st post

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