Thinking of buying something from Greece but not sure about this so thought i would ask you folks here as you seem to have good knowledge of most things

If i buy something in Greece but ship it to the UK should I pay Greek VAT or UK VAT?

IIRC there is 2 categories for Greek vat being something like 1 for food at 4% and 1 for other essentially things for 14% and everything else is 23%
The item in question is a gadget for want of a better description so would likely be the last grouping i think.

Now if i want to reduce the overall bill can I opt to pay UK VAT on it?

Failing that anyone who is self employed or VAT reg'd fancy buying it for me at all

Thanks for any sensible advice and thank your for the non sensible stuff I'm sure I will get too  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

You would pay UK VAT when it arrived on our shores

That's good news as saves a few pounds for me

Now I just have to wait for a ruddy cheque to clear  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/managing/intern...orting.htm

depending on what it is you may also have a "duty" % to pay.
Most stuff is only a couple of percent though if it is payable.

Also depends on how you're clearing it, most agents will charge some sort of fee.
Even royal mail add on a few quid when VAT is payable on a small import

Am I missing something, surely if you buy from within the EEC then you pay the local tax and that's it?
Isn't that the point of free trade in the EEC?

That's what I thought also, so I don't understand what HM have on their website.

I don't either but if i can opt to pay VAT @ 20% instead of GVAT @23% i'll take the UK side knowing my money is going to build duck houses and the like  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

from my understanding of importing and exporting as you are importing from another EU country you will pay their VAT rate not the UK rate, to my knowledge there is no way around this and opting to pay the UK rate. You can paypal direct using - www.paypal.me/duckworthparts
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+1 for what Dan said
In the EU Vat is paid in country of purchase ( Thats why we all go on Booze Cruise's) Mine was a blue one!

Correct hence the reason Dan always charges me vat on my purchases even though I'm in Ireland . Feckers. Present :2008 TDV8 HSE
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mwaahaha  You can paypal direct using - www.paypal.me/duckworthparts
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doh, I was thinking Greece was one of the ones not yet fully in the EU. Forgot they are the ones who may get booted out

Yep, you'll have to pay the VAT in their country then unless you are VAT registerd & get them to zero rate

Hmm zero rating you say, and all i need is a valid vat number ha ha if only it was that easy..

Well money to be paid on monday, £800 all so getting the VAT bit down would have been nice.... FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

What you should do is export it to a non-eu country with a low vat rate like say Switzerland at 8%, then claim the vat back from the Greek seller, like I normally do when I buy things in the uk. Then get someone to sneak it back into the UK for you. This will save you 15%.

...but I didn't tell you that.