When shipping cargo to England, especially in the post-Brexit period, customs procedures and tax applications require meticulous attention. Every Shipment from Turkey now enters England with a full customs declaration, and having the correct documents and compliance with rules is of great importance during this process. Below, you can find the main customs and tax steps to pay attention to when shipping cargo to England:

• EORI Number and Declaration: Those sending commercial goods to England must have an EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) number. This identification number is mandatory for both export declarations from Turkey and import declarations in England. Before your Shipment sets off, an export declaration to the Turkish customs, as well as an import declaration to HMRC in England, must be provided. The descriptions of the goods, quantities, origin, and values, among other information, must be entered completely and accurately in the declarations. Incorrect declaration or missing information can lead to delays and penalties at customs.

• Origin and Customs Duty: Thanks to the 2021 Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Turkey and the United Kingdom, the customs duty rate is 0% (exempt) on many product categories. This means that if the products you are sending are Turkish origin and fall under the FTA, customs duty might not be payable upon importation into England. To benefit from this advantage, remember to include the product's certificate of origin or origin declaration on the invoice. For items not covered by the FTA or that do not comply with origin rules, standard customs duties will be applied according to England's UK Global Tariff table. Additionally, if the value of the product is above £135, a customs duty assessment will be made; for shipments below 135 £ (if not a gift), customs duty is generally not collected. Keep in mind that special product categories (alcohol, tobacco, etc.) may have separate Excise Duty.

• VAT and Tax Calculations: Value Added Tax (VAT) is applied to products reaching England, and the standard rate is 20%. Import VAT is calculated based on the product's value, insurance/freight costs, and any customs duty, if present. For commercial sales below £135, VAT is collected at the point of sale by the seller or e-commerce platform under new regulations. For example, platforms like Amazon and eBay collect the VAT from the customer at the time of purchase for orders below £135 and remit it to the relevant authorities. Therefore, shipments below this value can be delivered to the recipient without extra payment at customs. For shipments exceeding £135, VAT is payable upon import; the courier company collects this tax from the recipient for delivery. (If the recipient is a VAT-registered company in England, they can offset the import VAT paid in their own declaration; however, for individual recipients, this is a cost factor.) Remember, for gift shipments, there is a VAT exemption limit of £39 in England; VAT will be charged on gifts exceeding this value.

• Planning for Commercial and E-commerce Shipments: If your Shipment is an e-commerce sale, determine your taxation strategy in advance. For sales to individual customers, avoiding surprise charges after delivery is important for customer satisfaction. In this context, it may be necessary to use the DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) method, prepaying all taxes and fees to ensure delivery. Especially when sending products to Amazon FBA warehouses, Amazon's policies require that all customs duties and VAT be paid in advance (no de minimis threshold, full declaration) and that the packages reach the warehouse with import duties handled by the sender. If you are sending continuous small parcels, you can facilitate the quick dispatch of your shipments under 150 kg / 15,000 € using micro export (ETGB) in Turkey. Micro export is a method of electronic declaration through cargo companies that simplifies traditional export procedures and eliminates the need for a customs broker. This way, your e-commerce orders can be shipped abroad with less paperwork and costs.

Experience Tip: One of the most common issues in practical application is experiencing hold-ups at English customs due to inadequate or incorrect information on the invoice. For example, an ambiguous product description or undervaluing the actual price can lead to the package being detained. To minimize such risks, working with experienced logistics partners like Pratikargo is wise. Pratikargo is familiar with both the departure procedures from Turkey and the entry procedures in England, assisting at every step: from EORI application to document checks, correct customs declaration submission to timely payment of taxes. With expert support, you can achieve a swift and hassle-free delivery experience when sending cargo to England without unexpected costs and delays.