Consumer Advice
Members are uniquely well placed to give advice on your mailing requirements. They have many years of experience in the industry. They all have to adhere to the MCA Code of Conduct and are subject to the mediation service if things go wrong. And their businesses are built on long-term commercial relationships, which they will make every effort to acquire, retain and develop.
We do recommend that you obtain more than one quotation for any project you are contemplating. We have provided a simple quotation request form that will allow you to send a specification for your mailing to one or more MCA member.
We also recommend that you consider the following points when planning your mailing:
Allow sufficient preparation and delivery time if your mailing contains time-sensitive materials like competitions or financial reports.
Make sure your data is cleaned and de-duplicated to avoid waste.
Use recycled paper where possible.
Ask your supplier for written transit time guides for the destinations involved.
Allow for public holidays both domestic and internationally.
Consider the dimensions and item weights when designing your mail pieces. Many international destinations have different regulations for the best discounts.
Ask your supplier to quote for materials as they have access to the highest volume discounts.
Your MCA accredited supplier will be only too happy to provide expert guidance on all the above and more. Use our form to send a quote request to up to five MCA members.
IMPORTANT – Brexit Update
HMG
HM Government information is available on this link https://www.gov.uk/guidance/parcel-delivery-services-and-preparing-for-eu-exit
Five steps parcel delivery and logistics companies can take to Get Ready for Brexit
The UK will be leaving the EU on 31 October. This will bring important changes to doing business. Here are five things parcel delivery and logistics companies can do now to get ready.
1. Prepare for new customs procedures at the border when trading with the EU
To continue importing from and exporting to the EU after 31 October there are changes you need to make now. Make sure you have an Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) number that starts with GB, it’s quick, easy and free to do on gov.uk/brexit.
For businesses that import there’s also the option of applying to make this easier with transitional simplified procedures (TSP). This streamlines the process and is ideal for those new to customs procedures.
Find step-by-step guides to importing and exporting, as well as more information at gov.uk/brexit-traders.
2. Check if your customers can give you the right documents for trade with the EU
You may not be able to transport goods through the EU if your customers do not give you the right documents. For guidance and a checklist on what documents you may need visit gov.uk/brexit and search ‘international road haulage checklist’.
3. Signpost the EU Settlement Scheme
Employers can help their EU, European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss staff get the information they need to apply for status under the EU Settlement Scheme. This will enable them to secure their rights in the UK. Applicants have until at least 31 December 2020 to make an application.
Visit gov.uk/brexit and search ‘EU Settlement Scheme Employer Toolkit’ for more information.
4. Driving in the EU
You will still need to carry your UK driving licence with you when you drive in the EU. You will also need an international driving permit (IDP) to drive in some EU and EEA countries if we leave the EU without a deal.
You will still need a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) qualification to drive a lorry professionally in the UK and other EU and EEA countries. If you work for an EU operator, you should swap your UK CPC for an EU CPC. Additionally, you will need to carry a motor insurance green card when driving in the EU and EEA if we leave without a deal.
For more information visit gov.uk/brexit and search ‘lorry drivers after Brexit’.
5. Act now to continue legally receiving personal data from the EU/EEA after Brexit.
Check how you can legally continue to receive personal data such as names, addresses or payroll details from organisations in the EU or EEA after 31 October. You may need to update your contracts or take other steps. An example of a personal data transfer from an EU/EEA partner is a UK company that receives customer information from an EU/EEA company, such as names and addresses of customers, suppliers or partners to provide goods or services.
Find additional information at gov.uk/brexit-personal-data or visit the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) guidance at ico.org.uk and search for ‘data protection and Brexit’.
Further information
Speak with your lawyer and accountant or visit gov.uk/brexit for tailored business information and to sign up for email updates.
VAT and Duty Advice for BREXIT
Working in conjunction with MCA members and their respective VAT and Tax consultants the MCA has collated advice for UK customers shipping goods into the European Union.
UK - EU VAT
UK based clients processing online orders and shipping stock held in the UK to a consignee in the UK, Europe, and the rest of the world we draw your attention to the below status for the period to 2021 (Mch/Oct):-
If the event the UK exits the EU in a ‘Hard-Brexit’ scenario, local distance selling registrations & requirements may be altered whereby UK VAT will not be chargeable on sales for export to EU consignees. An existing EU VAT registration will not be applicable in other Member States unless the stock is held there.
Goods sent from UK clients to EU consignees will become subject to VAT and duty at the point the goods clear into the EU. However, if the shipment value is less than €22, this will benefit from low value consignment relief (LVCR) and be cleared into the EU VAT duty free. Any shipments above €22 will attract import VAT but not duty.
In the event the consignment value is more than €150, import VAT and duty will still need to be paid at the point of entry into the EU (MCA members will be able to advise and assist clients navigate the various EU requirements).
Changes are expected in 2021 and information will be updated in 2020.
UK - EU Duty
The UK as an EU member is part of the customs union, and as such there is no duty on cross border movements between the UK and the individual EU member states. This is likely to change if the UK leaves the EU without a ‘Deal’ – that is a ”Hard Brexit”.
As noted above, shipments below €150 will attract import VAT but not duty and if the total shipment is below €22 it will be import VAT and duty free until 2021.
Consignments with a value above €150 will attract both import VAT and import duty.
There are various options to manage the tax implications: one method would be to charge the consignee the duty when they purchase the goods if the shipment value is above €150 and for this to be remitted to your mailing/shipping agent to account to the relevant tax authority.
Other options for accounting and paying the import VAT and duty, include:
Import and create a stock of goods in an EU location and sell them to the consignee whilst the goods are in the EU (you would need to create an EU corporate entity (or nominee) and VAT register in the country where the EU facility is located) or;
Appoint a handling agent located in an EU country that purchases goods from you and sells them to the consignee (intermediary arrangement). The agent would then pay the import VAT and Duty and sell the goods to the consignee, and if required register to account for VAT (on EU distance sales terms).
Members are available to discuss and meet with clients and other interested or concerned parties on a no-obligation basis.
Returned Goods
If a consumer wishes to return the goods (e.g. incorrect goods, size, colour etc) it is possible to recover the duty charged but not the VAT (except in selected cases with fully auditable export and return information). This is on the basis that all requirements are met for claiming a refund in the member state where the goods were originally imported. This is known as ‘duty-drawback’ and MCA members can help to facilitate this process. It is important to note that only returns that have re-entered within 90 days will be eligible for duty drawback.
There is no standard refund mechanism for the VAT at present.
Below is a link to a paper setting out the conditions per member state:
https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/sites/taxation/files/excise_customs_buying_online.pdf