The Wholesale Forums

[Dave Berriman]

Hi guys just thought I would pop up a post on import licences and regulators.

Customs does not issue import regulations and standards. However, Customs agents do have the authority to enforce the regulations of other agencies.
A license or permit from the responsible agency may be necessary to import:

• Alcoholic beverages
• Animal and animal products
• Certain drugs
• Firearms and ammunition
• Fruits and nuts
• Meat and meat products
• Milk, dairy, and cheese products
• Plants and plant products
• Poultry and poultry products
• Petroleum and petroleum products
• Vegetables

Other Regulated Products
The following items must comply with regulations of other agencies:

• Art materials
• Cultural property
• Hazardous/toxic/flammable materials
• Household appliances
• Some electronic products
• Toys and children’s articles

Regulating Agencies



Food Standards Agency
Room 411C, Aviation House
125 Kingsway
London WC2B 6NH
Tel:020 7276 8321
Fax:020 7276 8447
E-mail:rufina.acheampong@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Animal Health Corporate Centre
C11 Government Buildings
Whittington Road
Worcester
Worcestershire
WR5 2LQ
Tel:01905 767111
Fax: 01905 768851
E-mail: corporate.centre@animalhealth.gsi.gov.uk

Trace for trading in animals and animal products
Tel: 08459 33 55 77
Web: http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?topicId=1078152350

PEACH Certificate for importing fresh fruit, vegetables, salad crops and nut
Tel: 01483 403340
Web:http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?topicId=1077947271

Footware Labeling Requirements
Web: http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file8165.pdf

Clothing and Textile Labeling Requirements
Web: http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/cgi-bin/bglitem.cgi?file=badv084-0100.txt

Trading in Electronics
Web: http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?topicId=1077717214

Trading in other Industries
Web:http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel= pageImport_ShowContent&propertyType=document&reset CT=true&id=HMCE_PROD1_027431cId=1077717231



A wealth of general information and that which is specific to products and industries can be found at:
HM Revenue & Customs, International Trade
http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel= pageImport_ShowContent&propertyType=document&reset CT=true&id=HMCE_PROD1_027431

Customs, excise tax, VAT, and other tax related information can also be obtained from National Advice Service:
Tel: 0845 010 9000
Web: http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel= pageImport_ShowContent&id=HMCE_PROD_008215&propert yType=document

Standards requirements spill over into labeling requirements that indicate the regulations and standards have been met. If customs chooses to inspect your product they will likely begin with the labeling requirements. It is important that your supplier understand and provide the correct labeling.

If you choose having a product certified here are a few places to begin:
ISO:http://www.iso.org/iso/en/ISOOnline.frontpage
UK and Europe:http://www.conformance.co.uk/index.php
USA:http://www.ul.com/
Canada: http://www.scc.ca/en/index.shtml

Good luck and happy importing

Cheers Dave Berriman

[consultant]

good post, well done!

[Anthony]

Thread has been stickied.

Great work Dave!

[sp uk]

Hello i am interested in importing tobacco into the UK.

Cananyone please advice me on how much duty fee will i be paying for tobacoo into the UK????

I would like to know how do i get am import licence for tobacco? Do i need to fill in an application form???

Also the item that i am going to importing into the UK, it don’t have 100% tobacco, it only has 15% tobacco, dose this make a difference in the duty fee???

I hope someone can answer my questions

Thank you

[hardwareheroes]

Excellent info Dave - thanks

[ttyl123]

very useful, thanks!!

[cpc]

Wow! Good info. Can you please do the same for Germany.....

[diki]

Top post Dave

[BondyUK]

Good post/advice... thanks

Originally Posted by sp uk

Hello i am interested in importing tobacco into the UK.

Cananyone please advice me on how much duty fee will i be paying for tobacoo into the UK????

I would like to know how do i get am import licence for tobacco? Do i need to fill in an application form???

Also the item that i am going to importing into the UK, it don’t have 100% tobacco, it only has 15% tobacco, dose this make a difference in the duty fee???

I hope someone can answer my questions

Thank you

I realise this is old now, but the poster may still me interested, or more likely someone else thought " wow look how cheap I can get cigarettes/tobacco on Alibaba, I should import it into the UK to sell " ...

If you are asking these questions there is NO WAY you can import tobacco. I looked at it once, its a nightmare - VERY heavily regulated with random inspections, licenses & fee's.
For example, you must use an approved bonded warehouse for storage, you must comply with very strict security arrangements for said warehouse (to make sure none can 'go missing', must provide regular audits, etc, etc.

* For each 1000 Cigarettes:
£114.31 + 24% of RETAIL value (NOT purchase price)
+VAT @ 15%

* For Tobacco:
£124.45 per KG
+VAT @ 15%

* For other Smoking & Chewing Tobacco: (im assuming since you say it only has 15% tobacco, the other 85% would be this category)
£76.12 per KG
+VAT @ 15%


All the info you could want is here:
http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsP...HMCE_CL_000268