Date:         Sun, 30 Jun 1996 16:38:15 +0200
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         GlenSwanson@dk-online.dk (Glen Swanson)
Subject:      Import duty in Denmark


>Thanks To Everybody Who Enlighted Us On How Hard It is to import
>a vehicle to USA. I would like to do the reverse and bring my
>Westy from the U.S. to Europe.
>... and most likely I will move somewhere one the (European) continent
>(France, Germany, Denmark Italy or Holland) rather than back to Sweden, my
>home country.

>So if anybody knows what the rules for bringing in vehicles to
>any of the above countries please tell us. I wouldn't be surprised
>if all these countries have pretty unified rules, since they are
>all long time EU members.

>...
>Again, I would be very interested in knowing what the rules are especially
>for France, but also Denmark, Germany, Holland and Italy.


Martin

        I'm just finishing the process of having our 1961 221 registered in
Denmark. The vehicle was purchased in Sweden last summer. There are a
number of different rules through which one brings a car into Denmark and
they seem to depend on the age of the vehicle.
        We've kept our van underground since last summer while it matured
to its 35th year. By doing so, the duty and tariffs were calculated through
a very simple formula. This being roughly 40 per cent of the original 1961
price. Under 35 years, yet older then 6 years, a formula of 105 per cent of
the first 3,440 crowns, and 180 per cent of the remainder, is paid on the
amount the state evaluates the value of this vehicle. You can try to discus
this value with the state appraiser, though while having my van checked I
had the impression they were rather rigid. Fortunately this did not affect
me as I pay a pre-calculated price based on the original dealers price. A
vehicle less then six years has another formula, which I don't have on
hand. As you can see this is not a cheap process, and it highly discourages
importing private vehicles.
        As far as I understand these rules are unique to Denamrk. England
for example has a very straight forward system which excludes duties on
veteran vehicles if it was already paid in a E.U. Country, I hope I got
that right. Best of luck, in your big move to Europe.

P.S. the exchange rate is about 6.5 crowns to the USA dollar.
------------------------------

Glen Swanson
1956 de luxe sedan  daily driver
1961 221 transporter