Sending parcels to Ireland - What to do?

Nebbit

On two occasions recently I have attempted to send books, via normal Royal mail,  to the Republic of Ireland. I correctly completed the customs declaration and stuck it onto the parcel, and paid the correct postage (over £10 in each case). The same thing happened each time: After six weeks the parcel was returned to me, having been eventually rejected by An Post, the Irish equivalent of Royal Mail. The parcels were marked as as a gift. What am I doing wrong?

soolin

Nebbit said:

On two occasions recently I have attempted to send books, via normal Royal mail,  to the Republic of Ireland. I correctly completed the customs declaration and stuck it onto the parcel, and paid the correct postage (over £10 in each case). The same thing happened each time: After six weeks the parcel was returned to me, having been eventually rejected by An Post, the Irish equivalent of Royal Mail. The parcels were marked as as a gift. What am I doing wrong?

Did the value of the books plus the postage exceed €45 as then duty would be payable. Even if you declared the value of the books as a negligible amount, customs can consider the value under declared and expect the recipient to pay the charges. 

35har1old

Nebbit said:

On two occasions recently I have attempted to send books, via normal Royal mail,  to the Republic of Ireland. I correctly completed the customs declaration and stuck it onto the parcel, and paid the correct postage (over £10 in each case). The same thing happened each time: After six weeks the parcel was returned to me, having been eventually rejected by An Post, the Irish equivalent of Royal Mail. The parcels were marked as as a gift. What am I doing wrong?

Did you include a commercial invoice and codes for the items which are available online
Do you no anybody who lives in Northern Ireland who could forward the parcel on to the address in the Irish Republic
Have you asked other carriers for a quote for delivery who may no what information is required for a successful delivery

Nebbit

I followed the procedure requested by the post office which works successfully with other countries eg France & Italy. 

Nebbit

soolin said:

Nebbit said:

On two occasions recently I have attempted to send books, via normal Royal mail,  to the Republic of Ireland. I correctly completed the customs declaration and stuck it onto the parcel, and paid the correct postage (over £10 in each case). The same thing happened each time: After six weeks the parcel was returned to me, having been eventually rejected by An Post, the Irish equivalent of Royal Mail. The parcels were marked as as a gift. What am I doing wrong?

Did the value of the books plus the postage exceed €45 as then duty would be payable. Even if you declared the value of the books as a negligible amount, customs can consider the value under declared and expect the recipient to pay the charges. 

The value of a parcel containing one book was definitely below that level

BethRobinson

soolin said:

Nebbit said:

On two occasions recently I have attempted to send books, via normal Royal mail,  to the Republic of Ireland. I correctly completed the customs declaration and stuck it onto the parcel, and paid the correct postage (over £10 in each case). The same thing happened each time: After six weeks the parcel was returned to me, having been eventually rejected by An Post, the Irish equivalent of Royal Mail. The parcels were marked as as a gift. What am I doing wrong?

Did the value of the books plus the postage exceed €45 as then duty would be payable. Even if you declared the value of the books as a negligible amount, customs can consider the value under declared and expect the recipient to pay the charges. 

The returned parcel would say whether a charge was applied to it if it was returned.

martindow

Were they really a gift?  If this was a sale, Gift is not the correct declaration as you should tick the Goods you are selling box and put the HS Tariff number in the box lower down.  For Royal Mail you use the CN22 form which you should also sign and date at the bottom.

I imagine it coould be returned if they consider there is an error on the form or that the declaration does not match the contents in some way.

Nebbit

martindow said:

Were they really a gift?  If this was a sale, Gift is not the correct declaration as you should tick the Goods you are selling box and put the HS Tariff number in the box lower down.  For Royal Mail you use the CN22 form which you should also sign and date at the bottom.

I imagine it coould be returned if they consider there is an error on the form or that the declaration does not match the contents in some way.

It was definitely not a sale. I did use the CN22 form. The purpose of sending the books was for the people in Ireland to write reviews for a publication I edit, on a voluntary basis. And they are  paid for writing the reviews either. I could have put 'commercial sample' but as  no one was making any money, I think 'Gift' is the most honest description. It may be that someone in Ireland opened the parcels, saw the publisher's press release accompanying the book, and thought it was something fishy?

Nebbit

I mean to say 'They are *not* paid for writing the reviews'