Since October, even small consignments from countries outside the European Union have been subject to value added tax and customs clearance. According to spokesman Matyáš Vitík, people ignore the Czech Post’s requests to fill in the form and power of attorney so that the shipments can be cleared through and delivered to the final recipient. After authorization, the post office will arrange everything necessary. However, without the cooperation of customers, it cannot process and remove these shipments.
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“We inform clients before the arrival of the shipment to the Czech Republic by SMS message that they can expect the shipment, and we also ask them to provide data via the web form, for which they can also receive a discount. They can also authorize the Czech Post for representation in customs proceedings. If the consignment is already stored in a temporary warehouse and we request representation, the client is no longer entitled to the discount, “added the manager of the international post office, Ondřej Kučera.
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EU legislation stipulates the obligation to clear consignments from third countries within 90 days.
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When ordering shipments from third countries, it is advisable to also provide an e-mail address. This will then be used to contact the recipient. At present, the Czech Post has an e-mail address available for 30 percent of shipments, so the rest of the recipients are contacted by letter.
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According to Vitík, it is necessary for people to respond to e-mails, SMS and letters sent to them by the post office within 20 days at the latest. “Due to capacity, space, consignments can no longer be stored, however, in justified cases, the deadline can be extended at the request of the consignee,” he added.
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New rules
From 1 October, VAT is newly assessed even for small packages from 0.1 to 150 euros (approximately 3840 crowns). The limit of 45 euros for the exemption of gift items from VAT remains, but there must also be a new customs clearance.
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The customs declaration may be made by the carrier on behalf of the consignee, and the post office will invite the addressee via e-mail, SMS or letter to fill in the customs form with pre-filled details of the consignee. The key is to state the value of the shipment, the amount of postage, a detailed description of the goods, and possibly the customs tariff facility, the so-called HS code. After authorization, the post office will arrange the customs procedure and pay VAT.
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