Customs ask to justify the legal status of items?

Mobile Bot
Mobile Bot Forum Participant Posts: 4
edited February 2023 in Overseas Campsites & Touring #1

Looking at the French customs requirement

When you arrive in France, in particular from a country outside the European Union
Customs officers may ask you to justify the legal status of certain items. You must prove that you bought them in the European Union including taxes, or, if you bought them in a third country, that you have already paid any duties and taxes that may be due in the European Union.
You must present to customs any supporting document such as a purchase invoice or a customs receipt.

To avoid taking all your documents and invoices with you, you can request a single document to facilitate the passage through customs of your personal items, the free circulation card. The free movement card is free, valid for 10 years from the date of issue, and renewable. You can have it established at any customs office by presenting your items along with supporting documents (invoices, customs receipts, guarantee certificates, etc.).

Thereafter, you will have your card completed as you acquire them, always contacting the office that established it.

 

Has anyone had to deal with this

Comments

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,828 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2023 #2

    You are describing a solution to a problem which doesn’t exist.

    The ordinary tourist going on holiday into the  EU is not required to prove where they bought the personal possessions they are taking with them. 

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2023 #3

    The requirement is not new and it is not limited to France, but applies to entry into any EU country. However, one shouldn't get too concerned as it only applies to high value items. I don't know where the breakpoint is and it may be left to the discretion of the customs official concerned, but I doubt whether any questions will be asked regarding single items valued less than about £1000. However, if they spot you with, say a Rolex watch worth many thousands they would be entitled to ask for proof of purchase.

  • Hja
    Hja Club Member Posts: 849 ✭✭
    500 Likes 500 Comments Name Dropper
    edited February 2023 #4

    I think I have read about people occasionally encountering questions with very high value bikes or cameras.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2023 #5

    In all the years we have been going back and forth we gave never been asked to show proof of ownership or purchase. 

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2023 #6

    We have travelled to France for over forty-one years, in recent years three or more times a year, carrying all sorts of things with us,and have never been asked for proof of purchase of a single item.  If you have a caravan full of antique paintings, gold jewellery, Rolex watches, half a dozen laptops, cameras, four top of the range racing bikes, and a wallet full with 50,000 in euros, then they may ask questions

    We even travelled twice in both 'lockdown' years, when hardly anyone was travelling and therefore border staff had time on their hands.  They used this time to chat about our plans, rather than search the car for what we were carrying and request proof of purchase.

     

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