goldenage

That's what I would have expected certainly, but you read such bizarre stories of customs officers being overly officious. All I'd really want to do is take over (for personal use) certain items that are noticeably cheaper in the UK, and more readily available. Farrow and Ball paint, for instance, is often on 3 for 2 offers in the UK where you can get a tin for around £30. It costs nearly 100 euros for the same tin in France. I suppose if I take them in batches, never exceeding the 1200 euro limit, then there shouldn't be a problem (if I have receipts etc). I just don't want to be caught out and slapped with a bill for random items unexpectedly.

Thanks for your reply. It will be tricky to make the 90/180 periods work but it's doable, and I explicitly want to remain tax resident in the UK so want to be in the UK for just over six months of the year.

Thanks for that. It says: "If the value of the products contained in your personal baggage

exceeds € 1,200:

• you can justify the «United Kingdom» origin of your

products by presenting a certificate (see trade and

cooperation agreement): no tax is due

• you cannot justify the «United Kingdom» origin: your

products will be taxed at the applicable rate."

So as long as the items in my luggage are worth under 1200 euros it's fine (how they will determine the value of a bag full of shirts and trousers I have no idea). BUT, even if the value exceeds 1200 euros, as long as I can demonstrate that the items are of UK origin then there is also no duty to pay. Now need to work out what the mysterious "certificate" is...

Hi all, I'm considering buying a holiday home in France and using it for six months of the year (taking into account the annoying 90/180 days rolling rule) but I'm a little confused about customs declarations when moving between countries. What exactly am I allowed to take? I believe there's a customs threshold of 300 euros - but an average person's luggage could contain that much value in one item - a watch for instance. Can I take a few tins of paint and some cleaning wipes as long as they don't cost more than 300 euros? It's quite confusing. What is and isn't counted towards this limit? Many thanks!

Hi all, I'm considering buying a holiday home in France and using it for six months of the year (taking into account the annoying 90/180 days rolling rule) but I'm a little confused about customs declarations when moving between countries. What exactly am I allowed to take? I believe there's a customs threshold of 300 euros - but an average person's luggage could contain that much value in one item - a watch for instance. Can I take a few tins of paint and some cleaning wipes as long as they don't cost more than 300 euros? It's quite confusing. What is and isn't counted towards this limit? Many thanks!