[Leica] European taxes

["Doug Richardson" <doug@meditor.demon.co.uk>]

Dominique Pellissier wrote:

>Why not buy my gear in USA ? Because, if I mail an order, my parcel
will be
>tax by the customs (12 %) and, of course, I ought to pay the VAT
(20.6 %).
>Moreover, there is an insurance and the transport cost (100 USD with
UPS).

Here it the UK there would be a third "tax" - a charge levied by the
customs to recompense them for the time it took to inspect the item
and calculate the other two taxes!

I've even seen a similar charge levied by the postal authorities to
recompense them for the effort of having to pass the package to the
customs.

By the time these parasites have taken their individual cuts, the
total can be more than half the value of the goods.

I'm self-employed, and were I to add an item to every invoice charging
the client for having to take the time and effort to do the work for
which I was already demanding a fee, I don't think I'd have any
clients left.

Regards,

Doug Richardson