Hi Bashstreet, I thought that you're German, because this is the exact same argument that I'm hearing from my German colleagues, I'm not talking here about generally canceling the tariffs and opening the unlimited hi-tech industy trade without any protection whatsoever of the local industry.
I'm really talking about giving some advantages to the people that want to improve their training, eventually invent or innovate something and for this are willing to spend good money on equipment and materials, don't treat them like bloody for profit companies, by imposing VAT, oversized customs tax and so on but give exemptions for personal non-profit use. Impose some rules with stiff fines and this is it.
Treat them no like a missed opportunity for taxation, but like an investment in eduction and a increasing the country's cadre of specialists, the same way Bill Gates did with Windows and other Microsoft software, and let it be pirated to have people already familiar with it.
The people that spend this kind of money for some very niche equipment are really passionate of what they're doing and need to be helped and eventually even stimulated, not treated like they're get rich because they bought an old Aniritsu junker.
And if Germany for example could have a 100 pages law about the size, position and content of the ink stamps for beef meat, they sure can find a way to legislate this and curb the abuses.
Your perspective is purely self profiting and narrow.
This is common to us all as we only think of out potential benefits.
Countries and governments cannot act such way .
If everyone had possibility to buy items without any duty or tax from countries with substantially cheaper manufacturing costs it would be end of any last vestiges of manufacturing in Europe/U.S
These limitations exist to protect the financial interests of countries/trade areas.
Much as we like to think my one little piece of equipment wont make a change it does as everyone else would then have same rights.
Now should there be some exemptions sure and i believe there are.
Yes, the exceptions should be that brexit voters pay ALL duty, while 'sensible' people who did not vote brexit pay none..
- too many PC isolationist nutters about
- trump - cough ...
-
The ideal is to live in a country that lives far far beyond' it's means by running a totally unnecessarily HUGE military budget.. (Nuclear weapons and boomers v Stanley knives and the 'Stanley' wins
) .
That means the US really,, ex mil stuff is usually excellent. Israel also has a HUGE military (but get the yanks to pay for it) hence they have a HUGE surplus market.
Gone are the days where the UK Mil Surplus market is booming.
. When the forces used to swap out you could get great gear - same with GCHQ.. now ? - beggar all really.
There should be absolutely no issue with imports of used gear. It should be a really straight forward process. Unfortunately in certain so called democracies there are too many 'jobsworth' customs officials.
It is really strange that here in Portugal I can get a FedEx overnight package from AD Singapore with 'sample only' and no value stated and it BYPASSESS customs entirely - NEVER anything to pay even if the 'samples' enclosed are valued at over 200 USD ! .!!!. I am sure could get a brick of dope sent the same way and I am sure it would still be waved through - it is fedex -- Woowooowowooo ... All bow to fedex in the customs department (probably back handers)
. Actually - it goes to a 'private' customs unit - run by - yes, you guessed it - fedex......
However, get anything weighing over 1kg from China and customs will never believe the value. You have to send ALL details. They wanted a full copy of a bank statement for one item that was less than 25 Euro. I sent them a screen grab with ALL details redacted apart from the one line referring to the item. They wanted an original full copy of the whole sheet ! jokers ! I told them to go and whistle as they have absolutely no right to look at anything from my bank statements apart from what I chose to not redact. Send it back I told them - (they have to pay - not me)
.. it arrived next day......
Another time they wanted a web LINK to a commercial invoice. Try to explain to these jokers that they CANNOT have one as it is linked via YOUR account. Maybe some nutters here give them their logon details and password and also drop them a few quid for beer - it is a joke. They scratch their arses for a bit and then think - oh yeah - I can't use the link because I need to be logged on, so they ask for a screen shot - and you have to mail them 3 or 4 times pointing them BACK to the ORIGINAL screenshot you sent them. A total farce. HUGE amount of customs people employed though ......................
If you want anything sent to portugal just send it fedex. they will probably polish it and re-cap it as they whisk it through. Sounds like the German customs are taught in the same school of Jobsworths................