Re: B&H in NYC to England - OK???

In article <opSdncT_FaDpCIHVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>, Tony B 
tony@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 says...
> Rob Morley wrote:
> 
> > No.  Import duty is separate, and is calculated according to "The 
> > Tariff" published by HMRC.  There are many categories of goods, and 
> > different rates of duty, that can be checked here:
> > http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds/cgi-bin/tarchap?Lang=EN
> 
> thanks for the link rob, it would seem HMRC is a bit behind the 
> technology (fancy that) to have an 18-200 lens in the tables.. 

The TARIC categories are EU-wide, based on the Harmonized System 
Nomenclature.

> anyway I 
> decided it was not that worthwhile in th eend and got it sourced in UK.
> 
> On a more philosophical note, WHY is HMRC allowed to set import tax?

They don't set it, they administer it.

> Is 
> it supposed to protect our vulnerable domestic camera/TV/car industry?

It's a source of revenue rather than a protective tariff.
 
> Don't the EU have something to say about it now?
> 
The EU has everything to say about duty rates - we're 'harmonized' with 
the rest of Europe.  VAT varies by country, and the UK has the fourth 
lowest standard rate (Luxembourg, Cyprus and Spain are lower).  We also 
have more xero-rated items (food, medicine, books ...) than most.