November 23, 2006

COURT BLOCKS TAX FREE IMPORTS FROM HOME

The European Court has overturned its advocate general's decision that wine lovers should be able to buy wine from any EU member country and have it delivered to their homes, paying just the tax in the country of origin. So a personal visit across the Channel remains the only way to buy wine at low French tax rates.

The existing EU directive maintains that duty will be charged in the member state in which the wine is purchased, provided products acquired by private individuals for their own use are transported by them. In other words, you must bring the wine back to the UK yourself to avoid paying UK taxes.

On-line wine club, winedrive.com, is the only web site to enable wine lovers to buy wine from more than 100 top French vineyards. For buyers who can't visit the vineyard, their wine is shipped to Calais for collection.

Said Winedrive's managing director, David Spokes: "The directive appear to block groups of wine lovers from getting one person to collect and transport the wine for the entire group. We offer group memberships in the UK, so friends, neighbours or fellow club members can make big savings on price and shipping by buying in bulk.

"Group members place personal orders to make up a bulk shipment and spread the load by taking more than one vehicle. They make big savings while still satisfying the rule that wine can only be brought into the UK tax-paid in France if it is accompanied by the buyer."

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