Certificate of Origin

A certificate of origin is not required for the import clearance of textiles.

The country or territory of origin must be stated on the invoice for each invoice line. If the customs authorities doubt the correctness of the declared country or territory of origin they may request an additional proof which might be a certificate of origin.

Some commodities may require only an origin statement worded as follows; "The exporter/supplier of the products covered by this invoice/document hereby declares that, except where otherwise indicated, these products are of __________ origin within the meaning of the rules in force in the European Community. Done at __________, on __________". This must be followed by the name and address of the exporter or supplier and handwritten signature of the person authorized. Please contact your Chamber of Commerce to confirm whether a full Certificate of Origin is required. Photocopies of the Certificate of Origin are not accepted.

Declaration of Conformity

Declaration of Conformity (CE marking)
The European Community require certain standards on product safety for certain types of goods. The range of products covered by the directives must comply with the applicable directives when it is placed on the community market for the first time or put into use. Placing on the market in the meaning of the directives is the action of making a product available for the first time, either for payment or free of charge. 'Putting into service' takes place at the moment of first use within the Community by the end user (for example, produced for own use of the importer).

Range of products
The most important products are toys, in-vitro diagnostic medical devices, medical devices, machinery, low voltage equipment, safety devices (for example, helmets), exhaust systems and electromagnetic compatibility.For a full overview please see the EU website:

http://www.newapproach.org/Directives/DirectiveList.asp

Responsibilities
Manufacturers are defined as the persons responsible for designing and manufacturing products supposed to be placed on the EU market. The manufacturer has an obligation to ensure that a product intended to be placed on the Community market is designed and manufactured, and it's conformity assessed, to the essential requirements in accordance with the provisions of the directives. The manufacturer may appoint any natural or legal person, established in the European Union, to act on his behalf as an authorized representative.

The authorized representative may be addressed by the authorities of the member states in regard to the manufacturer's obligations.

The importer is defined as any legal or natural person responsible for placing products on the EU market. He is responsible to provide the market surveillance authority with the necessary information about the safety of the product and a copy of the Declaration of Conformity (DoC). If the manufacturer is established in the EU or has a so called authorized representative it is his obligation to provide the necessary information.

Conformity Assessment Procedure
Goods subject to the regulations on product safety need to be tested according to the rules applying for each group of products. Manufacturers have to draw up an EC declaration of conformity which is the first step of the conformity assessment procedure. The declaration of conformity has to include technical information containing the way of testing and the steps to be taken to obtain the attestation of conformity. The way of testing and steps to be taken depends on the type of product. If the testing was successful the producer is allowed to apply the so called 'CE sign' on the product or where this is not applicable (for example, surgical instruments) at the retail package or on a "Declaration of Conformity" certificate.

The "Declaration of Conformity" has to be issued by a notified body certified by a member state of the European Union.

Notified Body
A notified body is an organization certified by the national government to carry out the tasks of the conformity assessment procedures. They can offer their service to any economic operator inside and outside the European Community. They can carry out the tests or monitor the tests carried out by the manufacturer. They can carry out these activities inside the EU or on the territory of third countries or territories.

Information about notified bodies and notified bodies itself can be found on the EU website:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newapproach/nando

For additional information, please also refer to "Product Safety".

Free Trade Agreements

Bilateral free trade agreements or unilateral autonomous preferential agreements allow the import clearance of certain products with a reduced duty rate or with a full duty exemption. The products benefiting from the preferential treatment must fulfil the necessary rules of originating in a country or territory covered by the preferential trade agreement.

An exporter who wants his products to benefit from the preferential treatment must be able to prove that his products fulfill the rules to be originating in a country or territory covered by the preferential trade agreement and they must provide a preferential document validated by the customs authorities or document with a valid preferential statement issued by themselves.

The preferential trade agreement foresees the following preferential proofs under CETA-see Miscellaneous.

Import License

Customs may require an import license for certain products from certain countries or territories, depending on the harmonized tariff code.

The importer must obtain the import license from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills.

An original export license from the exporter of the country or territory of origin might be necessary to obtain the import license. The requirement of an import license is dependent on the country or territory of origin of the goods, not the country or territory of export.

For further detailed information it is highly recommended to contact your chamber of commerce.

Miscellaneous

The EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is a trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Canada. Under this agreement duty rates on traded goods can be reduced or eliminated.

All exporters of consignments of goods with a value greater than 6000 EUR to Canada must be registered in the Registered Exporters System (REX). If you register and are exporting consignments of goods with a value greater than 6000 EUR to Canada you can avail of preferences under CETA. To register you should register complete the EU exporters to Canada application form and send it to the Origin and Valuation Unit.

Exporters must use their REX number on the origin declaration to claim preference under CETA. If you are importing from Canada, you can qualify under CETA for preferences, but you do not have to register in REX.

The origin declaration, the text of which is given below, must be completed in accordance with the footnotes. However, the footnotes do not have to be reproduced.

(Period: from___________ to __________(1)) The exporter of the products covered by this document (customs authorization No ...(2)) declares that, except where otherwise clearly indicated, these products are of ...(3) preferential origin. ..(4) (Place and date) .(5) Signature and printed name of the exporter)__________________

(1) When the origin declaration is completed for multiple shipments of identical originating products within the meaning of Article 19.5, indicate the period of time for which the origin declaration will apply. The period of time must not exceed 12 months. All importations of the product must occur within the period indicated. Where a period of time is not applicable, the field can be left blank.

(2) For EU exporters: When the origin declaration is completed by an approved or registered exporter the exporter's customs authorization or registration number must be included. A customs authorization number is required only if the exporter is an approved exporter. When the origin declaration is not completed by an approved or registered exporter, the words in brackets must be omitted or the space left blank. For Canadian exporters: The exporter's Business Number assigned by the Government of Canada must be included. Where the exporter has not been assigned a business number, the field may be left blank.

(3) "Canada/EU" means products qualifying as originating under the rules of origin of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. When the origin declaration relates, in whole or in part, to products originating in Ceuta and Melilla, the exporter must clearly indicate the symbol "CM".

(4) These indications may be omitted if the information is contained on the document itself.

(5) Article 19.3 provides an exception to the requirement of the exporter's signature. Where the exporter is not required to sign, the exemption of signature also implies the exemption of the name of the signatory.

The European Commission provides detailed guidance on the rules of origin in the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)

MSDS-NON DG

Goods under IATA Special Provisions A67 require a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet).

It is not required for all, however shipments can be held by local authority in United Arab Emirates after screening due to lack of MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) or NON DG (Dangerous Goods) declaration letter from the shipper resulting to misconnections and impacting end-to-end service.

It would be advisable for all shipments originating, transiting and terminating for UAE to have MSDS or NON DG declaration from shipper enclosed in the shipment and copies to be uploaded in IDIS.

Product Safety

Market Surveillance
Market Surveillance is organized and performed at national level. Each EU (European Union) member state is responsible for surveillance activities on its territory. Customs authorities are usually part of the market surveillance activities.

On customs request the "Declaration of Conformity" has to be provided by the shipper, the manufacturer or his assigned representative in the EU or the importer.

Declaration of Conformity
The Declaration of Conformity (DoC) is a document in which the manufacturer, or his authorized representative within the EU indicates that the product meets all the necessary requirements of the directives applicable for the specific product. The DoC shall contain the name and the address of the manufacturer along with information about the product (for example, brand and serial number). The DoC must be signed by an individual working for the manufacturer or his authorized representative.

On request, the manufacturer or his authorized representative within the EU must provide the DoC. In case the manufacturer is not an EU entity and has no authorized representative, the importer must be able to provide a copy of the DoC and additional proofs if requested.

No Information found on this topic for the selected country or territory.

Clearance Comments

For shipments exceeding 15.00 GBP, a formal entry at import is required, including an imaged invoice prior to flight arrival. To assist in clearance, please forward all inquiries on brokerage related matters to: ukbrokerage@ups.com

TURN Number

TURN numbers no longer exist. The VAT/TURN system has been replaced by EORI (Economic Operator Registration & Identification) numbers. These numbers are identical in format to the VAT numbers, although for the majority of importers the 3 digit suffix (formerly TURN's) have been replaced by '000'. A new system of Branch ID codes declared with the entry to Customs identifies different cost centres/sub-divisions of a company. However, some importers have retained the full 12 digit numbers including the TURN if they are separate legal entities within a group of companies. Pseudo numbers no longer exist - the importer needs to complete an EORI application to apply for a number. The form is available to download from the HMRC website.

Please note that for shipments with a value less than 600 GBP,a temporary VAT number can be used. All shipments of 600 GBP or more require an EORI number.

Duty and Taxes

Please note that not only the value(s) of the commodity/commodities have to be considered when calculating duty and tax, but also the freight charge and other fees.

Payment by Credit Card

Credit card payments are accepted upon delivery for freight and import charges by this destination. Contact UPS or the UPS service partner in the destination country or territory to determine which credit cards are accepted.

Restrictions may apply for freight collect shipments from the origin country or territory. Contact UPS or the UPS service partner in the origin country or territory prior to shipping.

Post Office Boxes

UPS cannot deliver to a P.O. Box address. All packages require a consignee's contact name and complete street address including apartment, suite or unit number if applicable. The consignee's telephone number should be provided if known.

Service is provided to and from every address in the country or territory including the Isle of Man.

UPS cannot deliver to a P.O. Box address. All packages require a consignee's contact name and complete street address including apartment, suite or unit number if applicable. The consignee's telephone number should be provided if known.

Rest Days:

Saturday, Sunday, and official holidays.

GMT:

Spring +0100/ Fall +0000

Language:

English

Currency:

British Pound(GBP)

Shipping Charges

• Shipping charges can be billed to the shipper, receiver or a third party.
• When billing the receiver, either the shipper or receiver's account number is required.
• When billing to a third party, the third party's name, country or territory and account number are required.

Duties and Taxes

• Duties and taxes can be billed to the shipper, receiver or a third party.
• When billing a third party, the third party's name, country or territory and account number are required.
• If the duties and taxes are billed to an account outside of the destination country or territory, a "Duty and Tax Forwarding" surcharge will be applied.

Third-Party Billing

• Please note the following third party billing exceptions:
  • Shipments to and from the same country or territory (domestic shipments) cannot be billed to third party payors in other countries or territories. For example, shipments from Mexico to Mexico or Canada to Canada cannot be billed to a third party payor in the U.S. This rule does not apply to UPS domestic services in European Union countries or territories. For example, shipments from Germany to Germany can be billed to a third party payor in the U.S. (as long as the payor is a business and has a VAT or Tax/EIN ID on file with UPS).

Payment Methods

• When paying by credit card, check, or cash, only the shipper can be billed the shipping charges

Split Duty And VAT (SDV)

• The freight and duties can be billed to the shipper or a third party
• The taxes can be billed to the receiver or a third party
• A surcharge will be applied for the SDV billing option

There are special stipulations on the following commodities when shipping to United Kingdom. If you plan to ship one of the commodities listed below, be sure to adhere to the following stipulations in order to avoid delays and holds at customs.

Animal Products

Products Of Animal Origin are goods which contain at least partly material derived from the body of an animal. These products can be divided in food or non-food.

Food means any substance, whether processed, semi-processed or raw, which is intended for human consumption, but does not include cosmetics or substances used only as pharmaceuticals.

Non-Food (not intended for human consumption) includes animal by-products, animal feed, samples for testing or research purposes (food-grade or non-food grade), and in vitro diagnostics (IVD).

Animal products and animal by-products are often subject to a veterinary inspection. These products can only be accepted under a special contract for International Special Commodities (ISC). In addition those products must undergo veterinary checks at an approved Veterinary Border Inspection Post (BIP) when entering the EU & EFTA countries or territories (EU regulations are aligned for EU countries or territories and NO; IS; CH; LI).

For UPS shipments arriving in the EU by air, Cologne is the first point of arrival /BIP. Inspections will be processed at Cologne but final customs clearance process will be issued in the destination country or territory.

Additional charges for Vet-inspection will be applicable see Brokerage Services and Charges.

Import requirements:

Generally, each type of Product of Animal Origin has specific import requirements that must be met. Food which is subject to veterinary inspections must:

Come from an EU listed Third Country or Territory (no safeguard measures in place)

Come from an EU approved establishment . Registered producers are listed under the following link: http://ec.europa.eu/food/international/trade/third_en.htm

Be accompanied by appropriate Health Certificate(s), signed by a veterinarian of the competent authority of country or territory of export. Photocopies of the Health Certificate will not be accepted.

Be appropriately packaged and labelled, indicating the nature, ingredients, quantity/ weight, the country or territory of origin and manufacturer.

Any foodstuff coming from non-approved establishments, sent as samples for testing purposes, can only be imported with a permit/license from a respective national veterinary authority. The permit/license must be send to the border inspection point responsible for the veterinary inspection. Delays may occur as the license needs to be provided already at the time of inspection.

Any non-compliant shipment must be returned at shippers expense immediately. The following exemptions apply to non-commercial shipments / gift shipments or purchased by private individuals for private consumption):

Meat, meat products, animal fat - max. 10 kg from Faroe Island and Greenland.

Fish and fish products (with intestines and organs removed) - max. 20 kg from all third countries or territories; no limitation from Faroe Islands.

Other animal products (for example, honey, egg, frog, live mussels - max. 10 kg from Faroe Islands and Greenland, and max. 2 kg from all other third countries or territories).

Shipments cannot be sent to Private Individuals.

Antiques

Antiques can be cleared with a duty rate of 0% and with the general VAT rate if they are older than 100 years.

Art and Artwork

Original artwork (for example, paintings, drawings, sculptures) can be imported with a duty rate of 0% and with the general VAT rate.

CD Roms

An invoice is required on all shipments containing a CD-Rom/Disk and should indicate the value of the Recording Media (eg. CDR/DVD) & the Intellectual/statistical value of the software/data separately. The intellectual value is not subject to duty or VAT. This applies only for business software. Computer games are excluded.

Dairy

Cheese, milk, and milk products are considered animal products. Confectionary is exempt from any restrictions. Any non compliant shipment must be returned at the shipper's expense immediately.

Event Tickets

Tickets for events like stage performances, football matches or concerts must be sent as non-doc shipments. The invoice must show a realistic value for the price of the event.

Fish and Fish Products

Fish and fish products are considered Animal Products.

Food

All food products must be adequately packaged to be accepted for import. Frozen food cannot be accepted. The UK brokerage should be contacted prior to shipping for general advising.

Based on the EU regulation 2009/669/EC certain foodstuffs (for example tea with origin China) imported from certain third countries or territories are subject to increased level of official controls due to contamination risks of these products by aflatoxinson and pathogens. These controls are carried out at Designated Point of Entries (DPE) defined by each member state.

The import of feed and food originating in or consigned from Japan following the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power station and not subject to vet inspection can only be imported into the EU through Designated Point of Entries (DPE). They have to be accompanied by a declaration attesting that the goods are either harvested or processed before March 11, 2011, originated from a prefecture other than the ones affected by higher levels of radiation or if originated from an affected prefecture have been subjected to laboratory analysis determining the level of certain radionuclides (regulation 2011/297/EC).

The customs office responsible for our import sites are not defined as DPE. Commodities subject to import controls at a DPE can t be imported with UPS.

Food Supplements

Depending on their substances of content food supplements might be classified as medicine. Vitamin and mineral supplements are usually not classified as medicine, whether they are supplied in pill, capsule, powder or liquid form.

Fruit

Fruit must be accompanied by an original Phytosanitary Certificate provided by the shipper. In case of a possible phytosanitary inspection by DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs), an import delay may occur.

Honey

The European Union (EU) has placed an import ban on Honey from certain countries or territories.

Before shipping Honey to a European Union country or territory, it is highly recommended to contact your local chamber of commerce or your importer for detailed information.

If the importation is allowed by the European Union, the shipment must be accompanied by an original health certificate provided by the shipper/producer, otherwise, importation will not be possible. Furthermore, a vet inspection at the first point of arrival into the EU is required, even for sample shipments.

Brokerage accessorial charges will apply and an import delay may occur.

If the shipper fails to verify the import regulation of the destination country or territory and sends honey which is prohibited by the European Union, then all charges that may apply for the respective shipment will be billed back to the shipper.

Meat

Meats are considered Animal Products.

Medicine

Some Medicaments are restricted for import to the United Kingdom by the MHRA (Medicament and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority) or by the Home Office (UK Government State Department). In order for companies or private individuals to import medicaments which are subject to these controls to the UK, the importer must hold an import license from the Home Office or MHRA and have this available to provide details or the license itself to UPS, when required.

The commercial invoice must give full information about the true chemical/scientific name.

Shipments containing these goods may be held while license information is verified. Delays are also possible where the description of the goods does not clearly indicate the name of the medicament.

Parts

The invoice must include a description of the part, the machine for which the part will be used, and a list of the part's components. If parts are sent for ships or aircraft in transit, the invoice should indicate "goods in transit".

Petfood

Pet food containing animal products may be imported into the United Kingdom if an original Health Certificate from the country or territory of origin is provided, or if the importer provides an import license from the Department of the Environment, Fisheries and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). However, pet foods from certain countries or territories may not be accepted to the United Kingdom, dependant on DEFRA regulations at the time of import. Please contact your chamber of commerce for details. Any non compliant shipment must be returned at shipper's expense immediately.

Protein Powder

If Protein powder is an animal product (for example, made of milk protein) it needs an original Health Certificate from the shipper to import and needs an inspection by the Agriculture Ministry. Brokerage charges may apply. If the above criteria are not met at the time of import, the goods cannot enter the United Kingdom and must be returned at the shipper's expense immediately.

Samples

Please see Shipment Types for requirements to be classified as a sample.

Shoes

In order to avoid wrong customs declarations at import, it is mandatory that the exporter provide very detailed information about the shoes (for example, what kind of leather, what material used for soles and uppers, what kind of shoes (sport shoes, sandals, boots), who is to wear the shoes (children, women, men).

Software

The invoice must list the value of the blank media separately from the value of the data or software.

Test Reagent

Most of modern test reagents for diagnostic research are built on antibodies which are generated from animal tissue. There are two types of antibodies, the monoclonal antibodies and polyclonal antibodies.

Monoclonal antibodies are generated in vitro. Tissue from animals are taken (e.g. blood) and infected with certain substances or pathogens. The blood cells react with the production of antibodies which are than harvested and used for the production of the test kits. Due to the in vitro production and the controlled way of production those types of test kits are not subject to veterinarian control if it is a commercial production.

Polyclonal antibodies are gained from living animals like rabbits. They are infected with the substances / pathogens and the animals are producing antibodies. The antibodies are harvested from the blood stream of the animals. Test reagents with polyclonal antibodies are subject to vet inspections.

Shipment documents (commercial invoice or declaration on letterhead) should include:

the place of origin of the material

the quantity of the material, in weight or volume

a description of the material/ animal source

catalogue number and price (if available)

additives (e.g., sodium azide, glycerol), their source (e.g., whole serum, supernatant, ascites), and purification, if any.

protocols the recommended protocol or datasheet indicating any unique fixation, detergent, blocking, or incubation conditions.

the intended use (commercial/ manufacturing; research/ testing)

the name and address of the shipper

the name and address of the receiver

Commercially packaged, ready-to-use In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) containing products of animal of origin, do not require a Vet-inspection, if compliant with Directive 98/79/EC on In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices. A declaration of conformity (CE-marking) must be provided for each individual commodity (e.g. reagents, test kits, immunosorbent assays such as ELISA kits.

Textiles

A certificate of origin is not required for the import clearance of textiles. The need of a certificate of origin for the import clearance was reversed on October 24, 2011.

The country or territory of origin must be stated on the invoice for each invoice line. If the customs authorities doubt the correctness of the declared country or territory of origin they may request an additional proof which might be a certificate of origin.

USB Sticks

Data shipments require an invoice with the character of the USB stick (storing intercompany data) and the value of the USB Stick.

Shipment value amount:

39.00 British Pound GBP

Shipment type:

individual-to-individual

Exemption rule:

per person

Invoice

Non-document shipments to the United Kingdom must include 1 original and 2 copies of an invoice.

Where Incoterms applied, this should include the city shipped to, for example DDP London where shipped Free Domicile. This will help to avoid clearance delays.

All non-document shipments to the Isle of Man require invoices, including those originating in European Union countries or territories, because the Isle of Man is not part of the European Union.

Shipments of documents do not require an invoice.

The consignee's telephone number is required on the invoice for shipments to private individuals with a value above 15 GBP. The consignee's mobile number and e-mail address should also appear on the invoice if available.

Unacceptable Data Entries

Europe customs authorities have started to inspect shipments on Import Control System (I.C.S.).

Many of the inspected shipments were obviously selected because of the inadequate description of the goods.

This is a reminder that shipments to all European Union member states, Norway and Switzerland, must have a correctly keyed description of the goods on the invoice (for example):

Unacceptable	Acceptable
Apparel	Men's Shirts, Lingerie, Girls' Vests, Boys', Jackets
Auto Parts	Automobile Brakes, Windshield Glass for Automobiles
Electronics	Computers, televisions, CD Players, Walkmans, Tape Recorders, Mobile phones, Monitors, Printers
Gifts	Dolls, Remote Control Cars Household goods Plates, Dishes, Tableware

A list has been published in the 'Guidelines on acceptable and unacceptable terms for the description of goods for exit and entry summary declarations':

http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/resources/documents/customs/policy_issues/customs_security/
acceptable_goods_description_guidelines_en.pdf

Paperless Invoice - Exports

UPS Paperless Invoice is available for small package exports from this country or territory.

Paperless Invoice - Imports

UPS Paperless Invoice is accepted by Customs for small package imports into this country or territory.

The destination country or territory classifies the following items as document shipments. The items must have no commercial value. If criteria are listed, the shipment must meet the criteria to classify as a document shipment.

Airline Tickets

Validated airline tickets only

Annual Reports

Must be for shareholders or for intercompany use only.

Bids

Blueprints

Must be for intercompany use or a bid invitation (such as architectural plans to obtain a contract inside the European Union) and have no commercial value.

Brochures

Must be non-commercial brochures or for intercompany use only.

Business Cards

Document limit: up to 15 business cards

Checks

Must be personalized checks

Credit Cards

Personalized credit cards

Diplomas

Drivers License

Examination Papers

Document Limit-20 Kgs

Greeting Cards, Invitations

Must be personalized to be considered documents.
Non-personalized greeting cards and invitations are considered non-documents and require an invoice.

Intercompany Data on CD-Rom/Disk

Manuals (Technical)

The number of manuals must be appropriate for the purpose

Negatives

Must be negatives, slides, or printing films being sent to press or publishing agencies.
If the value includes press or editorial charges, the items are considered non-documents and require an invoice.

Newsletters (Company)

Document: intercompany shipments for intercompany use with no commercial value
Non-document: shipments from a publisher or printing company

Newspapers

Must be for non-commercial purposes

Passports

Valid passports can be shipped as documents. The description must clearly state 'passport'. The passports are subject to scrunity by customs. A customs inspection and delays are likely.

Stationery

Must be personalized stationery and have no commercial value. The amount (number of pieces) must be appropriate for non-commercial use.

Traveler's Checks

Must be personalized to be considered documents.

Visa Applications

Completed personalized visa applications only.

UPS can recommend which forms you need based on a few simple criteria. Forms can be completed online or printed. See which forms you need.

In addition to the prohibited commodities listed here, it is prohibited to ship the following commodities to United Kingdom.

Alcoholic Beverages

Shipping of alcoholic beverages is only permitted ISC contract service.

The contractual service covers the customs clearance of alcohol at the port of entry where duty, VAT and excise duty must be paid. A customs clearance of alcohol for free circulation with a subsequent transport of alcohol under the excise duty suspension regime is not possible. The customs clearance in UK and the subsequent transport to another EU member state is not part of the service.

Alcoholic beverages are subject to excise duty. Excise duty applies usually on the amount of beverage and the percentage of alcohol. The information must be shown on the invoice. Spirits with an alcoholic strength exceeding 35% ABV sold in retail containers of 35 cl. and above need a fiscal mark/excise stamp. The consignor is responsible to get registered for tax stamps, buy them and adjust them to the bottles.

Alcoholic beverages cant be sold and delivered to under aged persons (18 years). The consignor is responsible to verify the age of the consignee prior to shipping.

Additional rules apply on the import of wine and wine products. Please check under wine.

Beef Jerky

Beef jerky and salami are prohibited for import, no matter what the country or territory of origin is. Any shipment received must be returned at the shipper's expense immediately.

CITES Shipments

Endangered plants and animals protected by the multilateral treaty of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), must be accompanied by a valid CITES Certificate.

All import, export, re-export and introduction from the sea of species covered by the Convention has to be authorized through a licensing system.

Shipper needs to provide the following documentation:

Invoice with the scientific name and CITES certificate.

Additional charges will be applicable. Products of animals or plants subject to CITES can only be accepted under a special contract for International Special Commodities (ISC).

Electronic Cigarette

Tobacco Products Directive 2014/14/EU (TPD)

Recently HMRC have enforced the regulations put in place in May 2016 for all operators.

Below you can see the regulations we should be abiding to:

Restrict e-cigarette tanks to a capacity of no more than 2 ml

Restrict the maximum volume of e-liquid for sale in one refill container to 10 ml.

Restrict e-liquids to a nicotine strength of no more than 20 mg/ml

Require nicotine-containing products or their packaging to be child-resistant and tamper evident.

Ban certain ingredients including colorings, caffeine and taurine.

Include new labelling requirements and warnings.

Require all e-cigarettes and e-liquids to be notified to MHRA before they can be sold.

Further information on this can be obtained from:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/e-cigarettes-regulations-for-consumer-products

Further information regarding the TPD regulations can be obtained from:

https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/tobacco/docs/dir_201440_en.pdf

Furs

Import restrictions may apply. Please contact your chamber of commerce for details.

Knives

Flick, gravity, spring. or butterfly knives are prohibited.

Miscellaneous

The following are prohibited:

• Chilli
• Chilli products
• Curcuma
• Curry Powder
• Palm oil
• Turmeric

Dried whole Chillies can be imported.

Personal Effects

Customers must use an authorized UPS / MBE (Mail Boxes Etc) Store, UPS Customer Center or an ISC approved shipper to ship personal effects.

The UPS Store, Mail Boxes Etc., UPS Customer Center and ISC approved shipper will be required to identify personal effect shipments on the shipping label by placing "ISC-Personal Effects" in the Reference Field of a UPS "smart" label or in the Special Instructions Field of a UPS waybill. They must also clearly indicate 'Personal Effects' shipment on the Commercial Invoice.

Personal Effects are classified as used items (owned for a minimum of 6 months) intended for the consignee's personal use. Any items intended for any other use, such as wholesale or retail sales, business purposes, or for distribution are not considered personal effects and cannot be shipped on this basis. "Personal Effects" must be clearly stated on the invoice and goods description.

All of the following documents must be scanned into DIS/SIR and originals on the package:

An inventory list with estimated values with the reason for importation relocation clearly indicated.

A confirmation that the goods are older than 6 months and that they are intended for personal use only.

A photocopy of passport or ID card.

Any items intended for any other use, such as wholesale or retail sales, business purposes, or for distribution are not considered personal effects and cannot be shipped on this basis.

Shippers transferring residence to the UK will need to complete form ToR01 online and post to HMRC in advance of the goods arriving in the UK.

When received HMRC will assess the application for relief and if successful will provide the shipper with a unique code that must be quoted on the customs entry declaration.

In addition to personal effects following a transfer of residence, relief is also available for goods that:

belong to overseas students and are used for their studies in the UK.

are part of a spouses trousseaux when they come to live in the UK.

are wedding gifts up to a certain value.

Travellers importing goods into the UK temporarily (maximum 24 months) will be required to provide an inventory list and their date of departure from the UK.

Importers returning left luggage will be required to provide either proof of ownership or a statement that the goods are returning to the UK.

Excisable goods (for example, perfume, alcoholic drinks, tobacco), medicine and perishable food cannot be cleared as personal effects.

Personal effects shipments are not allowed in combination with Return Services.

Plants

Plants must be accompanied by an original Phytosanitary Certificate provided by the shipper. In case of a possible phytosanitary inspection by DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs), an import delay may occur.

Plastic Kitchenware

The European Union (EU) has implemented specific conditions and detailed procedures for the import of plastic kitchenware (HS-Code 3924 1000 11) made of polyamide and melamine and originated in or consigned from China or Hong Kong (regulation 284/2011). Tableware (for example, plates, flatware, cups) are excluded from the restrictions. The reason for the new regulation were notifications and alerts by the European 'Rapid Alert System'- kitchen tableware was recognized which exceed the thresholds of aromatic amines and formaldehyde released into food.

Based on the regulation, controls must be performed at the point of introduction into the EU by the competent authorities. They include documentary checks on all consignments and identity or physical checks (including laboratory checks) on 10% of the consignments. All consignments of kitchen tableware (HS code 3924 1000) originated or consigned from China or Hong Kong must be accompanied by a declaration confirming that it meets the requirements concerning the release of primary aromatic amines and formaldehyde. The declaration shall be accompanied by a laboratory report that the consignments fulfill the requirements.

The goods and declaration must be examined at the first point of introduction into the EU.

The consignments shall be notified at the first point of introduction at least two working days in advance.

Our main points of entry (Cologne, Germany and East Midlands, United Kingdom) are not competent to perform the checks and forwarding under bond is prohibited without the checks. Products covered by the new regulation and destined to the EU can't be accepted by UPS. Exporters should clearly state on the invoice the material and the country or territory of origin of plastic kitchenware to avoid holds on commodities not subject to the regulation.

Samurai Swords

A samurai sword must not be longer than 50 cm and have a curved blade. Any samurai swords larger than this will be seized. Further information can be obtained at the following website - http:ww.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/news/samurai-swords-banned

Seeds

Seeds must be accompanied by an original Phytosanitary Certificate provided by the shipper. In case of a possible phytosanitary inspection by DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs), an import delay may occur.

Vegetable Matter

Vegetable Matter is prohibited.

Wine

Shipping of alcoholic beverages is only permitted ISC contract service. For general service restrictions please see info under alcoholic beverages.

Wine and wine products are subject to excise duty. The excise duty is calculated based on the alcoholic strength by volume. The information must be shown on the invoice.

The import of wine and wine products is also regulated by a market organization of the European Union with rules on labelling and presentation of wine and additional documentation. The Importation of wine and wine products are subject to the presentation of an:

Certificate showing drawn up by a competent body, included on a list to be made public by the Commission, in the products country or territory of origin.

An analysis report drawn up by a body or department designated by the products country or territory of origin, in so far as the product is intended for direct human consumption.

No certificate or analysis report needs be presented for products originating in and exported from third countries or territories in labelled containers of not more than five liters fitted with a non-reusable closing device where the total quantity transported, whether or not made up of separate consignments, does not exceed 100 litres.

The labels of wine and wine products have to show some of the following compulsory particulars like the category of the product (e.g. wine, sparkling wine, liquor wine), the protected designation or protected geographical indication if the wine has such a protection, the actual alcohol strength by volume, an indication of provenance, an indication of the bottler or an indication of the producer or vendor in case of sparkling wine and other product categories of sparkling wine.

The rules are laid down in EU regulation 2009/491. The regulation can be checked on the EU website http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html.

Saturday Delivery Available: Yes

Not available in all areas. Always check the international time in transit system for details of service availability within a country or territory.

Always check Calculate Time and Cost for details of service availability and guarantee information within a country or territory. All Service Levels may not be available to or from every address within a country or territory.

Canada to United Kingdom

• UPS Early Express/ELD

• UPS Express

• UPS Worldwide Expedited

• UPS Worldwide Express Plus

• UPS Worldwide Express Saver

• UPS WorldWide Express Freight

Inward Processing (Repair & Return)

The customs procedure of inward processing is used for goods who are supposed to be repaired inside the European Union and re-exported after repair. The import procedure requires customs control until the correct re-export of the goods.

The importer is obliged to re-export the items during the period granted for repair within the import declaration for inward processing. If the re-export fails within this given period duty and VAT become due. Customs inspections with the import and re-export clearance is possible.

The invoice must clearly state that goods are being imported for the purpose of repair or processing. Additional costs may apply if the importer is not authorized.

For re-exportation the import entry details are needed if the importer is not authorized. If the exporter is authorized please provide the IPR authorization number. A full export declaration is needed prior to goods being exported from the UK.

Military Shipments

UPS is not a registered carrier for deliveries to Overseas Military Bases in the United Kingdom. This may result in shipments not being able to be delivered and eventually being returned.

Deliveries cannot be made to BFPO (British Forces) addresses in the United Kingdom.

The shipper should use their normal mail service which then flows into Royal Mail, who can deal with these shipments because they are a registered carrier and there are no duty or taxes to pay. UPS is not a registered carrier.

Other Shipment Types

Solid Wood Packing Material

A temporary emergency measure has been adopted by the European Commission. Certain coniferous solid wood packing materials are subjected to any of three specified treatments before it may import to the European Union, to prevent the introduction of pine wood nematode.

Packing cases, boxes, crates, drums & similar items, pallets, pallet collars, box pallets & other load boards whether or not used in the transport of objects are affected by this measure.

Wood packaging must be subject to one of the following treatments:

• Heat treated or kiln dried to a minimum core temperature of 56 degrees Celsius for at least 30 minutes in a closed chamber or kiln that has been tested, evaluated & officially approved for this purpose.
• Chemical pressure impregnation with an approved chemical in accordance with an official recognized technical specification.
• Fumigated with an approved chemical in accordance with an official recognized technical specification.

Packaging must display markings indicating where & by whom it was treated.

Certificates or forms of any kind are not required. Marking of the solid wood packing material is the only recognized compliance method for emergency measures.

Additional information & inspection companies contact numbers:

• CA: www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/for/woode.shtml or Canadian Food Inspection Agency 1-800-442-2342 or 613-225-2342
• CN: www.aqsiq.gov.cn or contact the State General Administration of the People's Republic of China for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine
• JP: www.pps.go.jp/english/eindex03.htm or Plant Protection Div. of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries 03-3502-8111 ext. 3832
• US: www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/swp/eunmwp.html or USDA APHIS Export Services 301-734-4382

Outward Processing (after repair)

In order to qualify for any exemption from duties and taxes, certain documentation relating to the initial export of the goods must be submitted with the import entry. The initial export entry must have been correctly processed to indicate that the goods were exported for repair. If the export documentation is either incorrect or not available, duties and / or VAT will be payable on the value of the goods and any repair costs.

To ensure that shipments of repaired goods can be readily identified, the invoice must clearly state "repaired goods" (please also list it in the "Special Instructions Box" of the UPS Waybill) and include the commodity's value before the repair as well as the cost of the repair and the spare parts.

Personal Shipments

For shipments of personal used/household effects items where the shipper is transferring residence/relocating to the United Kingdom, a form (TOR01) needs to be completed on line. Such an application must be made prior to shipping any consignments of household effects and personal property to UK. If successful in obtaining ToR relief, the applicant will then be awarded a unique declaration information code that they or their third party agent must then quote on the Customs entry declaration form.

An example of the form is in "Forms" section of Worldcom.

Returned Goods

The import of goods exported within the last two years can be done without duty and VAT. The items must be in the same state like they were at the time of export.

The invoice and the "Special Instructions Box" of the UPS Waybill must include the following information:

The words "return goods"

Country or Territory of origin

Reason for the return (for example, "not in accordance to contract", or "credit")

Export entry number, date & export port (for example, EMA)

Samples

Shipments can be classified as commercial samples only if the consignee is a business and holds a valid EORI and the purpose of the shipment is to secure future orders. It must be clear that the product can only be used as a commercial sample. The goods must meet either criteria A or B below and Customs may insist that one or more of the additional criteria C, D or E be applied also to allow duty and tax relief:

• A. The goods can be either defaced in some way (torn, perforated or slashed) and / or:
• B. Using permanent indelible marking or permanent labelling to clearly mark the item as a Commercial Sample

In addition to the above, HMRC may also insist that one or all of the following methods be applied as well:

• C. Limit the quantities of items (for example, single shoes, single sizes)
• D. Limit the frequency or occasions the items are imported within a twelve month period
• E. Use an acceptable method of presentation that restricts the handling of the goods so that they can only be used to demonstrate them as proper commercial samples

A complete description of the sample, including whether it is marked or mutilated must be included on the invoice. Shipments of goods for personal use or goods intended for sale cannot be classified as samples. For further details please visit www.gov.uk and refer to public notice 372.

Solid Wood Packing Material

New requirements have been implemented for both small package and WWEF shipments and are based on the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) 15, which is entitled "Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade". ISPM 15 was adopted internationally in 2002, and is gradually being introduced by countries or territories worldwide. Wood or wood products covered by ISPM 15 include items such as packing cases, boxes, crates, drums or similar packing, pallets, box pallets and other load boards, pallet collars and skids, but exclude such processed woods as orientated strand board, particle board, plywood or veneer, created using glue, heat and pressure or a combinations thereof, and, raw wood which is 6mm or less thick. It is recommended that if a question arises on this issue, please check with the authority that issues the Phytosanitary certificates in your country or territory.

Temporary Import

Within the customs procedure of temporary importation, goods designated to be imported for a limited stretch of time and remaining in the same state can be cleared without duty and VAT. The imported goods are often intended for exhibition purposes, testing purposes or presenting to potential customers. The goods remain under customs control untill the re-export.

Goods imported with the customs procedure of temporary importation are subject to the provision of security with limited exemptions. The security covers duty and taxes and will be calculated on the base of the customs value used for a declaration for free circulation.The security has to be paid on deposit by the importer prior to release. The security will be paid back by customs when re-exporting the goods under customs control.

The invoice must clearly state that the goods are being temporarily imported but not for processing or repair. It will be also useful to put the reason of import on the invoice. Customs inspections might be possible.

In order for the importer to reclaim the security goods, the shipment must be re-exported under the temporarily import / export procedure.

Warranty Shipments

Please see 'Outward Processing' if the goods were repaired in the country or territory of dispatch or 'Inward Processing' if the repair should be done in Great Britain.

WEEE and RoHS

The European Union implemented a directive restricting the use of certain hazardous substances in all Electronic & Electrical Equipment effective July 1, 2006. This directive is called the RoHS Directive (2005/618/EC), which stands for the Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment.

The RoHS directive is closely linked with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) 2002/96/EC which sets collection, recycling and recovery targets for electrical goods.

These directives will ban the placing on the EU market of new electrical and electronic equipment containing more than agreed levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) (PBB and PBDE are flame retardants used in some plastics).

Manufacturers (and distributors and individual sellers) will need to understand the requirements of the RoHS/WEEE Directives to ensure that their products, and their components, comply. Goods falling under these categories do not require any accompanying documentation for importation.

For more information on the EU directives, please check the following European Union web link or contact your local chamber of commerce: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/pdf/faq_weee.pdf

Import value limits to United Kingdom

Deminimis Value

Private Shipments

VAT - The limit whereby VAT will not be charged remains at 15.00 GBP. Shipments with a value above 15.00 GBP need to be customs cleared as a formal entry.

Duty - In most cases, when the value of the shipment is equal to or less than the Deminimis Value, the shipment may enter the country or territory duty free but tax is raised.

This regulation does not apply to alcoholic beverages, tobacco and perfume.

VAT - The limit whereby VAT will not be charged remains at 15.00 GBP. Shipments with a value above 15.00 GBP need to be customs cleared as a formal entry.

Duty - In most cases, when the value of the shipment is equal to or less than the Deminimis Value, the shipment may enter the country or territory duty free but tax is raised.

This regulation does not apply to alcoholic beverages, tobacco and perfume.

Maximum weight:

70 kg (150 lbs.) per package

Maximum length:

274.00 cm (107.9 in.)  per package

Maximum dimensions:

419 cm (165 in. ) per package

Length and girth combined

Convert metric quantity for weight, length, and area.