UK low value consignment relief updated

This limit has been increased from £34 to £39 per shipment with effect from 1 January 2017.When small value goods are imported into the EU, they can benefit from VAT and customs relief with the following thresholds:

• Customs duty relief if shipment value is below approximately €150 (this amount varies slightly in certain countries).
• VAT relief if shipment value is below €22 (also approximately).

The UK has now updated the VAT relief threshold. These changes come as the European Commission publishes plans to remove the current exemption threshold from VAT for this consignments (Switzerland already removed this threshold) . Commission plans to remove this relief were announced in the VAT Action plan and are aimed at reducing unfair competition and distortion for EU companies.