Importation of goods by private individuals
In spite of the principle of free and unrestricted goods traffic, there are regulations restricting the flow of goods between single countries for the purpose of protection.
Such regulations are
- embargoes imposed on definite goods but also on certain countries or persons,
- obligatory approvals concerning certain goods (e.g. clothes),
- other control measures with regard to the origin of goods (e.g. for carpets from Morocco or Tunisia).
As a rule, obligatory approvals and other control measures result in the requirement of special papers, e.g. import permits, certificates of origin or declarations of origin which are to be submitted on import clearance.
If, for example, goods for which the submission of a declaration of origin is required are sent by mail to
a resident of the Federal Republic of Germany, this person will not receive the parcel - as usual - delivered
by mail service unless the required declaration accompanies the consignment. The consignee will receive a notice about
the arrival of the postal consignment at the competent customs office and will himself/herself be obliged to apply
for clearance there submitting the declaration of origin.
In passenger traffic, possibly required documents must be produced at the frontier customs office for import clearance.
Embargoes
Embargoes are politically based restrictions aiming on the
termination of wars or other conflicts. Embargo restrictions
are mostly directed at a particular country but they may also concern
specifically named persons.
According to the extent of restrictions, there are the following embargoes:
- total embargoes as comprehensive prohibitions; there are only exceptions concerning humanitarian aid consignments
- partial embargoes valid only for certain economic areas, e.g. the import prohibit for uncut diamonds from Sierra Leone and
- arms embargoes exclusively relating to weapons, ammunition and armament materials.
The Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung BLE (Federal Agriculture and Food Office) as the competent approving authority in the field of food and agricultural products as well as the Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle BAFA (Federal Economy and Export Control Office) as competent authority in the field of other goods traffic may inform you about the extent of and relevant countries in connection with existing embargoes and their approvable exceptions.
Obligatory approvals
The importation of goods (e.g. textiles, shoes, household articles made of ceramics)
may be subject to the submission of an import permit. The obligation to submit an import permit - as
a special form of control measures - serves the protection of the domestic economy.
Whether or not goods are liable to an import permit, depends on the import list. For more information about the liability to submit such a permit, please contact the competent customs offices or the customs information centre.
For the importation of food and agricultural products valued at up to EUR 125 there is generally no permit requirement. Other goods with a value of up to EUR 1,000 per import consignment may be imported free of approval. However, this only applies if the imported goods are not intended for commerce or other business purposes.
There are further exempts from approval for the importation of (for example)
- goods not intended for commerce with a value of up to EUR 1,500, accompanied by travellers,
- stamps and entires with the albums belonging to them,
- removal goods which may be imported free of import duties,
- art works which were created by Community residents during a temporary stay in a third country (not an EC Member State),
- art works, collected items and antiques not intended for commerce,
- second hand clothes not intended for commerce,
- carrier pigeons not imported as commercial goods.
Import permits for goods in the field of food and agricultural products are granted by the BLE (Federal Agriculture and Food Office) on application, import permits for other goods are granted by the BAFA (Federal Economy and Export Control Office).
Other control measures
For a multitude of goods (e.g. clothes, carpets and other textile goods) the importation
may be subject to the submission of a certificate of origin or a declaration
of origin. Both documents will certify the origin of a product in a certain country. Thus, they enable the
control of trade in goods from these countries.
Whether a certificate of origin or a declaration of origin is required for certain goods depends on the import list. For more information, please contact any customs office or the customs information centre.
Among others, the following goods are excluded from the obligation to submit a certificate of origin or a declaration of origin on entry:
- goods originating in an EC Member State,
- goods valued at not more than EUR 1,000 as far as they are not food, agricultural products or
textile goods (e.g. clothes or carpets)
(For these goods an exemption may be taken into consideration only if they are not intended for commerce or another commercial usage. The value limits would then be EUR 125 for food and agricultural products and EUR 1,000 for other goods.), - goods not intended for commerce valued at not more than EUR 1,500 and accompanied by travellers,
- removable goods which may be imported free of import duties,
- second hand clothes not intended for commerce.
In non-EC countries, certificates of origin are issued by the competent authorities (as a rule, by the Chambers of Commerce). For details about competent offices, please contact the customs offices.
Declarations of origin are issued by the supplier or seller on the invoice.
