| Motor vehicles |
| http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/ImportingAndExportingAVehicle/index.htm |
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| Dangerous goods |
| http://www.hse.gov.uk/cdg/index.htm |
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| Medicinal products |
| Contact the medicines and healthcare products regulatory agency central enquiry point on tel: 020 7084 2000. For advice on wholesalers dealers import licences, contact the license office of the MHRA on tel: 020 7084 2570. |
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| Additionally, a number of items will require a licence from the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Import Licensing Branch to be imported legally. |
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| Some products are more suitable to importing than others. You must consider whether: |
- Your product is suitable technically;
- You can market your product overseas and beat the competition;
- There is demand for your product;
- If your product will need servicing - by whom will this be done?
- The target country is stable (conflict affects countries overnight);
- You need to conduct specific market research (is your product unchallenged or will you have to gain a share of the market from an existing exporter or local manufacturer).
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| Additionally, you will need to consider: |
- Shipping and transport: cost and delivery preferences;
- Packaging and labelling: get it wrong = delays, even lost goods;
- New invoice and payment skills: totally unique skills;
- Good knowledge of import country: you are blindfolded otherwise;
- An import manager can help you with all these concerns. Of course, they too, will cost money!
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| Will Your Products Work? |
| A crucial element of importing knows that the product will sell. If you import an electrical item, will it need a new plug or adaptor to run? Is it compatible with other UK accessories and products? Are the instructions and product details in the right language? Some countries and products require readable instructions by law. |
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| Regulations and Taxes |
| Bearing in mind this part is very important, if you have any further questions, you should contact HM revenue and Customs (HMRC) National Advice Service. |
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| Duties and VAT – what to do |
| You must pay the correct duties and VAT on all products that you import. There are number of different excise duties that apply to goods. You need to be sure that you are paying the correct rates. Generally speaking, VAT is payable on all imports at the same rate that would apply to the product or service if supplied in the UK. |
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| As small businesses may not be VAT registered, the rules will vary depending on the product, you should be certain to clarify the duty or VAT you will need to pay, and how this will change if you register for VAT in the near future. |
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| Depending on the amount you import, some business will be entitled to claim back some of the duty or VAT payments that you make. A number of businesses are also entitled to delay payment of duties (mainly for goods imported from outside the EU). |
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| Goods are treated as imports if they have arrived directly from outside the EC or via another EC country without being released for free circulation. Find out which countries are inside and outside the EC for VAT purposes at the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) website. |
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| You'll normally have to declare any goods that you import to HMRC and also pay any VAT and duty that's due. Find a downloadable declaration of imports form (C88) on the HM Revenue & Customs website. |
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| Acquisitions and VAT |
| If you are supplied goods from inside the EC that are in free circulation, you must enter VAT details in box 9 and account for VAT in box 2 of your VAT return. This VAT is known as acquisition tax. You can reclaim the VAT as if the goods were supplied in the UK, subject to the normal VAT rules for reclaiming input tax. |
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| You may have to complete an Intrastate Supplementary Declaration if your arrivals (imports) from the EC exceed an annual amount - £225,000 per year from 1 January 2006. |
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| If you import goods from outside the EC you'll normally have to declare them. To do this contact the HM Revenue & Customs National Advice Service Enquiry Line on Tel 0845 010 9000. Import VAT and duty must be paid before goods are released by HMRC. |
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| Customs Entries |
| If you are importing from outside of the EU or from special EU territories (including the Canary Islands and the Channel Islands), the goods you bring in will almost always need to be entered and declared to Customs and Excise as they arrive. |
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| If you are importing from within the EU, a customs declaration is not usually necessary. If you are VAT registered and your EU imports exceed a set amount (currently £233,000 a year) you will need to fill in a supplementary declaration form each month. |
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| Training |
| The exact details of import regulations are long and complicated. One way to help improve your businesses ability is to undertake import training. This will help you to understand in more detail the rules and regulations regarding the products you move. |
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| This will help to ensure that you pay all necessary duty, and are able to claim back all the money you may be entitled to. The cost of training can be quite high, but if your business is looking at importing in the long term, then the cost will usually be more than worth it. |
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| The government offers some basic training and education in importing. More information can be found at the HMCE Customs and Excise website: |
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| Managing Transport |
| One obvious consideration when thinking about importation is how you are planning to get the goods into the country. |
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| You need to consider: |
- What volume of goods or materials you need to import. This could affect the method of transport you choose. For example, is the volume too great to be moved by air?
- When the importation will take place. For example, how long will the goods or materials take to be transported? If you're bringing raw materials into the country and they're to be used as part of a production process then you'll need to give serious thought to timing;
- Whether you're going to import directly or indirectly. Importing indirectly means that someone else handles the process, including the transportation, and you buy the goods from them. Importing directly means that you have personal contact with the overseas suppliers and may have to arrange your own transport. It's potentially more profitable but means that you are vulnerable to language problems, exchange-rate fluctuations and the possibility of additional costs;
- The cost of insuring the items.
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| Your legal responsibilities as an importer |
| If you import items into the UK, you will have a number of legal responsibilities. For example, you'll have to: |
- Check that the items you're planning to import are allowed in and whether they need an import licence. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) requires import licences for goods such as textiles, iron and steel;
- Consider whether you're liable, under the principles of product liability, for any harm caused by the imported items;
- Find out about any laws that may be applicable in the items' country of origin and make sure these are adhered to;
- Notify HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) by making an import entry if you're importing from outside the EC. If you're importing from within the EC you might need to complete an intrastate declaration if the value of the goods exceed a certain threshold;
- Seek professional advice about EU import quotas and the level of any duty you may have to pay;
- Pay any duty and VAT that apply under UK and EC law.
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| Finding the right supplier |
| Importing directly for the first time can be daunting. So it's important that you devote time to finding exactly the right overseas supplier for your requirements. |
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| One solution is to import indirectly, meaning that you use a third-party company to handle the importation process and you buy the goods from them. The disadvantage of this, however, is that it costs money and gives you less control of the process. |
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| If you're going to import directly, look for a supplier with a record of efficiently supplying goods to the UK and with whom there will be no language difficulties. Personal recommendation is always a good route to a reliable supplier but if that's not available you could try consulting any trade or professional organisations. |
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| National embassies can also be a useful source of help. The commercial section of a country’s national embassy may be able to help you find a supplier from their country. Find a list of embassies and high commissions on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website. |
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| http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal |
