Anyone sent an item to the EU for repair since brexit?

[S54B32]

Afternoon chaps, feeling a bit red in the face/northern/tight so please be gentle if I'm just being a numpty...

tldr: I sent a radio to Romania for repair, and have to pay import duty on return. Is that normal?

After a couple of conversations with DHL this afternoon that have gone nowhere, I wondered if any of you lot had first had experience of receiving an item back from a company in the EU that had been repaired.

I sent my BMW iDrive unit off to a trusted (not cheap!) seller in Romania for repair. The item arrived over there in a couple of days no problem, no hidden fees. A week or so later, it was repaired and sent back after paying the repair fee/return postage.

Now I've had a notification from DHL saying if I don't give them £60 then it isn't getting delivered...

Excuse my ignorance, but I thought this sort of thing was only happening if a sale was made? DHL have informed me that if I send them documents proving it was repaired, proving that I sent it out myself a few weeks ago, and describing the item, then I would only have to pay import duties on the cost of the repair... which is the same price they've already quoted me to deliver it

but what's that got to do with our customs?

I'm feeling a little bit thick as I type this, but what am I missing. Basic understanding of customs? Probably.

This is my first exchange with an EU country since brexit. Had quite a few bits from the USA and China this year without any dramas, perhaps our customs are more concerned about EU activities now?

Obviously I'm just going to pay it, but not without making a thread on the internet

these days, if you say you're English, you'll be arrested and thrown in jail

[Vixpy1]

You will pay vat on the declared value of the goods, there should'nt be any import duties.

We have found the onlty way round it is to value goods under 150 euros, they seem to get through then with no charge

[ALBA MELV]

Possibility it would qualify for returned goods relief.

Can you prove it was exported? Do you have a copy of the export customs entry (courier that you sent it out with should be able to give you a copy) or the courier waybill from when it left?

If you have, send a copy to the courier company and tell them you want it re-imported as returned goods. CPC (customs procedure code) is 2300000

[colin79666]

Have been reports of this happening to people sending their drones to DJI’s repair centre in the Netherlands.

There should be a system for proving the same thing was exported temporarily and this is it coming back, like of you are passing through a country with loads of expensive kit/vehicles. You get it recorded on entry and exit and therefore no duty to pay. Edit: don’t be me, read the helpful post above!

[otolith]

Don’t know about that, but buying a used ECU from Germany was a pain in the arse.

[S54B32]

Little update on this - don't have the item yet but there is some movement.

I sent off proof that the item was mine, and that I sent it for temporary export at the beginning of the month last week. A couple of days later the package was cleared from customs and sent to my local depot in the UK...

The problem I'm dealing with now is, there seems to have been crossed wires between DHL and DHL Express, who are two different companies in case you didn't know. Of course they trade under the same umbrella, but they don't seem to want to talk to each other. You have to be the middle man.

Anyway it seems that I might be getting the package delivered tomorrow. It has now been in "customs clearance" for longer than it was in transit to Romania, and being repaired etc.