duties or VAT on camera shipped from USA to France ?

[Ahmed Yahya]

i bought a digital camera, strobe and underwater housing from a dive shop in USA to be shipped to France.
does anyone knows how much VAT or taxes should I pay when receiving the goods in France ?

 

[Bottom Surveyor]

I know it's not exactly the answer you are looking for but it may give you an insight, since France and UK are both EU countries.

A couple of years ago I imported from the US some motorcycle go-faster bits into the UK. If my memory serves me well, after paying the customs and V.A.T. the price ended up being about 30%-ish higher than the original US price.
I cant imagine that the duties would deviate much between the 2 countries, since the customs rate would be the same, and only the V.A.T. rates would vary.

Hope this helps

 

[Ahmed Yahya]

thanks a lot
i read somewhere in the web that France doesn't impose duties on Cameras but it may charge around 20% VAT. the information is not confirmed so , that's why i need to know from the members themselves. i am sure someone ordered a camera or strobe from non-EU country.

 

[flareside]

Import duty & taxes when importing into France - DutyCalculator Help Center Second paragraph.

New Import Duty & Taxes Calculation | DutyCalculator to do calculations

 

[Ahmed Yahya]

Import duty & taxes when importing into France - DutyCalculator Help Center Second paragraph.

New Import Duty & Taxes Calculation | DutyCalculator to do calculations

very useful information, thanks a lot

 

[Divealpha]

I have ordered both cameras,housings,wings etc. from the U.S. to Norway(which is not EU). Our local 25% VAT is added on all orders/amounts above aprx.USD 33,- (not including shipping costs). If above USD 33,- an additional 35-40,- USD are charged for customs/papers....
If I order equipment from Germany, they deduct the local VAT. Have never experienced that when ordering from the U.S., but not all the states have taxes.....

I was even taxed from the old Compuserve a decade or more ago, for a coffe mug..

 

[flareside]

Divealpha, state (sales) taxes generally only apply when the seller is in the same state (or has a location in the same state) as the buyer. There is no reason you should ever be charged state taxes on US purchases ordered online.