Parcels being returned by German Customs 'Deficient CN22'

misterthrifty

The fact that so many people are having particular problems sending parcels to Germany suggests that it isn't down to small omissions or discrepancies completing the labels. I have been sending parcels to Europe for over 10 years and it's only recently that this problem has arisen, I have also spoken to my local PO and they don't have any more information than I do. If it's not possible to reliably send parcels there without inside knowledge then that's a problem with the system.
Until it is sorted out I think I will have to add Germany to my blocked list unfortunately.

in_my_wellies

I've sent a Christmas parcel and a birthday present to a friend in Germany, to the same address, every year since 1982.
I send the first from the PO where the assistant completed all the forms, etc. Because it was sent back I tried online postage but that was also sent back. 
I gave both parcels to my son and he posted them from Italy with no problem

Spoonie_Turtle

in_my_wellies said:

I've sent a Christmas parcel and a birthday present to a friend in Germany, to the same address, every year since 1982.
I send the first from the PO where the assistant completed all the forms, etc. Because it was sent back I tried online postage but that was also sent back. 
I gave both parcels to my son and he posted them from Italy with no problem

Italy is within the EU so presumably did not need customs information, or am I mistaken?

in_my_wellies

Spoonie_Turtle said:

in_my_wellies said:

I've sent a Christmas parcel and a birthday present to a friend in Germany, to the same address, every year since 1982.
I send the first from the PO where the assistant completed all the forms, etc. Because it was sent back I tried online postage but that was also sent back. 
I gave both parcels to my son and he posted them from Italy with no problem

Italy is within the EU so presumably did not need customs information, or am I mistaken?

Yes, Italy is in the EU, it seems to be a UK problem

tightauldgit

misterthrifty said:

The fact that so many people are having particular problems sending parcels to Germany suggests that it isn't down to small omissions or discrepancies completing the labels. I have been sending parcels to Europe for over 10 years and it's only recently that this problem has arisen, I have also spoken to my local PO and they don't have any more information than I do. If it's not possible to reliably send parcels there without inside knowledge then that's a problem with the system.
Until it is sorted out I think I will have to add Germany to my blocked list unfortunately.

It's only arisen recently because it's only been recently that you have had to put customs declarations on parcels to Germany. The fact people are having particular problems with Germany doesn't suggest that it's not down to labelling issues - it may well be that Germany are simply more particular than other countries in wanting the labels filled in correctly.

martindow

in_my_wellies said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

in_my_wellies said:

I've sent a Christmas parcel and a birthday present to a friend in Germany, to the same address, every year since 1982.
I send the first from the PO where the assistant completed all the forms, etc. Because it was sent back I tried online postage but that was also sent back. 
I gave both parcels to my son and he posted them from Italy with no problem

Italy is within the EU so presumably did not need customs information, or am I mistaken?

Yes, Italy is in the EU, it seems to be a UK problem

There are lots of fields on a CN22 and if it is not fully completed, signed and dated there is a possibility of parcels being rejected.  I suspect that it is a potential problem when sending from outside the EU generally rather than specifically UK.  When we were in the EU no customs declaration at all was needed, now we are outside ...

Spoonie_Turtle

martindow said:

in_my_wellies said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

in_my_wellies said:

I've sent a Christmas parcel and a birthday present to a friend in Germany, to the same address, every year since 1982.
I send the first from the PO where the assistant completed all the forms, etc. Because it was sent back I tried online postage but that was also sent back. 
I gave both parcels to my son and he posted them from Italy with no problem

Italy is within the EU so presumably did not need customs information, or am I mistaken?

Yes, Italy is in the EU, it seems to be a UK problem

… I suspect that it is a potential problem when sending from outside the EU generally rather than specifically UK.  When we were in the EU no customs declaration at all was needed, now we are outside ...

My point exactly, but you've worded it much better!

in_my_wellies

martindow said:

in_my_wellies said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

in_my_wellies said:

I've sent a Christmas parcel and a birthday present to a friend in Germany, to the same address, every year since 1982.
I send the first from the PO where the assistant completed all the forms, etc. Because it was sent back I tried online postage but that was also sent back. 
I gave both parcels to my son and he posted them from Italy with no problem

Italy is within the EU so presumably did not need customs information, or am I mistaken?

Yes, Italy is in the EU, it seems to be a UK problem

There are lots of fields on a CN22 and if it is not fully completed, signed and dated there is a possibility of parcels being rejected.  I suspect that it is a potential problem when sending from outside the EU generally rather than specifically UK.  When we were in the EU no customs declaration at all was needed, now we are outside ...

VA

Yes, that's the one I completed. Very simple or so I thought. I completed all the boxes, as did the PO assistant when I posted it there the first time
Name. Address. Book. (recipe book, I wrote the title too) One. 800g. £12.99. no VAT. Signed 
Accepted at the local PO where they checked it
Fortunately I shall be visiting in person this year so no need to post. 

Tommo2448

in_my_wellies said:

martindow said:

in_my_wellies said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

in_my_wellies said:

I've sent a Christmas parcel and a birthday present to a friend in Germany, to the same address, every year since 1982.
I send the first from the PO where the assistant completed all the forms, etc. Because it was sent back I tried online postage but that was also sent back. 
I gave both parcels to my son and he posted them from Italy with no problem

Italy is within the EU so presumably did not need customs information, or am I mistaken?

Yes, Italy is in the EU, it seems to be a UK problem

There are lots of fields on a CN22 and if it is not fully completed, signed and dated there is a possibility of parcels being rejected.  I suspect that it is a potential problem when sending from outside the EU generally rather than specifically UK.  When we were in the EU no customs declaration at all was needed, now we are outside ...

VA

Yes, that's the one I completed. Very simple or so I thought. I completed all the boxes, as did the PO assistant when I posted it there the first time
Name. Address. Book. (recipe book, I wrote the title too) One. 800g. £12.99. no VAT. Signed 
Accepted at the local PO where they checked it
Fortunately I shall be visiting in person this year so no need to post. 

Hmm.  Did you tick one of the 'Contents' boxes on the CN22, either your paper one or online ?  From your earlier comment, Xmas or birthday, it would have been 'Gift', which should have gone through OK. If none were ticked, the Germans may have suspected it was a 'sale of goods' and thus pinged it back for no VAT paid.   Did the PO assistant ask you what the contents category was ?   All very tiresome, I know !  

in_my_wellies

Tommo2448 said:

in_my_wellies said:

martindow said:

in_my_wellies said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

in_my_wellies said:

I've sent a Christmas parcel and a birthday present to a friend in Germany, to the same address, every year since 1982.
I send the first from the PO where the assistant completed all the forms, etc. Because it was sent back I tried online postage but that was also sent back. 
I gave both parcels to my son and he posted them from Italy with no problem

Italy is within the EU so presumably did not need customs information, or am I mistaken?

Yes, Italy is in the EU, it seems to be a UK problem

There are lots of fields on a CN22 and if it is not fully completed, signed and dated there is a possibility of parcels being rejected.  I suspect that it is a potential problem when sending from outside the EU generally rather than specifically UK.  When we were in the EU no customs declaration at all was needed, now we are outside ...

VA

Yes, that's the one I completed. Very simple or so I thought. I completed all the boxes, as did the PO assistant when I posted it there the first time
Name. Address. Book. (recipe book, I wrote the title too) One. 800g. £12.99. no VAT. Signed 
Accepted at the local PO where they checked it
Fortunately I shall be visiting in person this year so no need to post. 

Hmm.  Did you tick one of the 'Contents' boxes on the CN22, either your paper one or online ?  From your earlier comment, Xmas or birthday, it would have been 'Gift', which should have gone through OK. If none were ticked, the Germans may have suspected it was a 'sale of goods' and thus pinged it back for no VAT paid.   Did the PO assistant ask you what the contents category was ?   All very tiresome, I know !  

I definitely wrote 'Gift' at the PO as she asked me, and 'Book' but I maybe didn't on the online form so that could be it. Thanks