I believe that you have been completely misled, Garth.
You *can* temporarily import personal effects and professional equipment to
the UK (and by extension to the rest of EU) as well as to several other
countries without paying any duty or tax provided that you re-export the
same goods. And the same should apply on the way back into Canada on the
basis that the equipment is "returned goods" assuming you bought the
equipment in Canada. Whoever has told you to pay tax and duty into UK and
back into Canada does not have the *slightest* clue about import
regulations, and were probably talking through a bodily orifice not
conventionally used for speech.
You need an ATA Carnet. Carnets are usually issued by Chambers of
Trade/Commerce, and your own gives the five offices to contact for carnet
services: http://www.chamber.ca/article.asp?id=271 and gives general
information here: http://www.chamber.ca/article.asp?id=259
You will have to deposit a bond (I guess that covers the amount of duty that
would be payable) and you do have to pay a fee of CDN100+ (depends on value
of goods) to get the carnet issued.
The information they give assumes you will be accompanying the goods - not
in your case. FedEx reportdely don't want to know about Carnet shipments,
UPS the same. Try DHL.
For a useful, though US-origin, explanation, try here:
http://www.uscib.org/index.asp?documentID=1556
And for an informative "user" perspective, try this:
http://www.cinematography.net/Pages%20GB/CARNET.HTM
Above all, don't accept nonsense from people pretending to be informed (of
course, that could apply to me too, as far as you - or I - know).
And I guess the UK chapter looks forward to a ZA meet with a Canuck keynote
speaker?
--
Piers
-----Original Message-----
From: olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Garth
Sent: 15 August 2006 17:18
To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [OM] [OT] Trans-shipping personal goods including cameras
Well, after about 45 minutes on the phone with various and sundry parties at
FedEx Canada, I've come to the conclusion that, if I want to ship my
camera(s) ahead of me when I go on vacation to Great Britain in September,
I'd better be prepared to pay duty and VAT on the outbound shipment and duty
and GST on the way back to Canada. Based on the declared value of the
equipment, this could end up costing several thousands of dollars (could
well be over a grand CDN just to get the camera equipment to Britain!).
This is an absurd situation. Apparently, I and anyone else trying to take
pictures while on vacation now have zero options except to trust our
valuable equipment to the tender mercies and honesty of the various
airports' baggage handling facilities.
What *amazing* stupidity. I hardly see much point in going most places
anymore -- I guess I'll save a lot of money on traveling in the future.
Camera quests will now be completely restricted to wherever I can travel
to via automobile. Ciao, Europe. Been nice seeing you.
Garth
==============================================
List usage info: http://www.zuikoholic.com
List nannies: olympusadmin@xxxxxxxxxx
==============================================
==============================================
List usage info: http://www.zuikoholic.com
List nannies: olympusadmin@xxxxxxxxxx
==============================================
|