Tax on gifts received from overseas

I've only lived in Munich for a short time. When receiving a gift sent directly from a catalog company in USA, I was surprised by the additional customs tax I had to pay. Now we are approaching the time in my family for b-days and then x-mas, and I am searching for ways to get gifts w/o the extra tax.

Does anyone know if there are catalog companies in europe where products can be purchased from USA and sent to Munich. Or, are there any electronic gift cards that are transferrable from us dollars to euro that can be used at an e-store.

My family and my husband's family just order items from German sites to be delivered directly to us (i.e. Amazon.de). Unfortunately, even if an item is marked as a gift, the limit you're allowed before customs charges are incurred is quite low (somewhere around 20-40 EUR). They can mark the item as being much cheaper than it was, but if customs opens the package, they'll charge according to what they think it's worth.

It's fortunately a much better situation shipping items the other direction. The limit before customs charges are incurred when importing to the US is much higher - about $200 - but unfortunately the shipping costs from here are exorbitant.

What are your experinces with receiving gifts from USA like, especially toys or technical goods? Did you have to pay any custom taxes on a gift, and in which amount?

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It was either over 40 Euro or over 100 euros that I got taxed for. I really want to say it was over 40 Euros that I got taxed for and the cost was only 10 euros I believe. My best friend had an Ipod shipped over to me and had it insured but I think the guy told me I was taxed because it was over 40 Euro.

YES, and it depends on the mood of the person you are dealing with.

Even if it´s a gift, they need to know how much it´s worth (but they will make an un-educated guess if you just don´t know, which may or may not be to your advantage) -- it´s good if you can show a receipt, price list, something.

I got a GROUP gift from my family, didn´t make any difference.

Once was bringing back a pilot´s helm for a colleague because it was cheaper in the States, had no place for it in my bag and stupidly decided to mail it to myself. The thing cost a couple hundred dollars and I had to pay 60 euros Tax -- just barely made it cheaper than if it had been bought in Germany -- not worth the trouble...

Wasn't there any chance to do something about that mood?

kiddin'

so they open & tax every package, no matter if it's gift or not?

Yeah it is anything over €40 that gets taxed.

Except personal items. Those may not be taxed. I had all my (text)books shipped back to Germany and I had to pick them up at the Zoll, and they asked the content, so I told them it was my textbooks, and they let me go. Those books were probably worth $700 (when I bought them).

No it is random. I have only been taxed about twice out of about twenty parcels sent my way from the states.

Hm if it's random, with a 1/10 score than it's not bad at all. a little risk can't hurt..but if they are taxing every single piece than it doesn't make sense any more to receive gifts...

okay, never got gifts from the US, but Canada, and I have never had to pay taxes, when sent thru the post. My family usually just writes personal stuff on it, and its okay, one year my brother sent a bunch of DVD's and CD's, way over 40 euro, but he put personal stuff, and no problems.

If it looks like something you ordered or has a Packaging list or bill, then it will get taxed everytime, if the value is over 50 Eur. Including Shipping)
If it looks like a priv. package then it's opened at random and inspected. If anything taxable is found, then they tax it.

Oh I forgot, I also sent a bunch of clothes back and wasn't taxed on those either, but they were personal items as well. Maybe if it isn't in the original packing and you write "personal items" on it, it'll be okay. That's what I did (except mine were used clothes and shoes and stuff).

huh this is a hard one. I'm waiting for a Lego Mindstorms NXT, and it is a present, but it's new and not really under 40 euros.

How do they tax it? Is there some flatrate or percentage of the estimated value? e.g. how much euros tax would come on $100 initial value...

Most items are charged the full VAT price of 19%.

Are either clothes or books actually subject to MwSt or import duty?

My son has been travelling the world on his travels he bought some things for himself and for us which he posted back here, when they were delivered i had to pay tax on them one of them was 92 Euro's
is there anyway we or him can claim this back.

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Why do you think you could claim it back? The goods have been imported and therefore have to have Mwst and possibly import duty paid on them.

a german neighbour mentioned it but didnt no for sure, i have had things sent from the UK and not had to pay anything, can you tell me what the difference is please. thanks

Yes, the UK is in the EU same as Germany is, so there are no taxes to be paid.

Thanks for that, when we were in the UK he sent me a gift from Australia and i didnt pay anything does it depend on weight and size?

More probably on "chance". Seriously doubt whether weight/size is much of a factor.