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Will Brexit make it harder to buy photo gear from the EU?
January 7, 2021
Now Brexit has finally happened, concern has been expressed that the new trading arrangements could make it more difficult and expensive for photographic dealers to sell equipment to UK-based buyers.
Paul O’Sullivan, for example, has a small business importing Minox specialist cameras and other optical equipment from Germany. “Some photographic shops in Germany and Holland have now stopped supplying to the UK, because of the new VAT rules for EU businesses supplying goods over £135,” Paul observes.
“In short, any EU business who sells anything to a UK-based customer has to pay the VAT proportion directly to HMRC (see the rules in full here). HMRC suggest that you use a customs facilitation agent or you do the paperwork and pay the duty yourself. In effect, EU businesses must register with a tax office using a language they may now speak, using forms they may not understand, to pay tax which they ma