Spanish Customs

[mdiddy]

Has anyone shipped a sword to Spain and dealt with Spanish customs? Did they, or do they, routinely flag Nihonto as 'weapons'?

 

I recently shipped a Shinto katana to Spain. I labeled according to Darcy's recommdnations on usage of a harmonized tariff. The customs form was very detailed with the tariff # and an estimate of age. It has been stopped for being a 'weapon' and must be checked by police. I'm wondering if the additional details may have attracted some attention or if this is routine for interaction with Spanish customs. Any thoughts or feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

Matt

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Matt, should be full responsibility of the receiver to let you know all details about laws in Spain.

If they are half complicate as Italian ones, you've got and headache...

[Javi E]

hi,

 

I´m the buyer of the sword, the sword arrived to my city, yesterday i went to take it, but when i was ready to pay the fees the guy asked me about what was in the packet, i said, " an old sword" and he said me that this is considerate a "weapon" so it needs to be checked by the police.

 

he said too, it will be shipped to my home in about one week, maybe its a simple bureaucracy, but who knows.....

maybe the police do a listing of how much weapons are in the country but no idea, hope all works well.

 

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

I'm optimist about your situation, but this is a good occasion to highlight that

people that purchase a sword *must* know perfectly the laws and procedures

referred to both owning and importing/exporting the sword to/from the country and prepare everything needed *before* the purchase/spedition.

 

In some cases these procedures changes from province to province and police might not

take lightly the matter with possible heavy consequences to both owner and item.

 

In some extreme cases (as Italy and Milano province specifically) this apply even to small inoffensive objetcs as a Fuchi or Kashira if labeled as "part of sword mounting".

 

Anyway following the procedures, that are strict but affordable, everything has an

happy end (usually...).

[Lorenzo]

  Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini said:

In some extreme cases (as Italy and Milano province specifically) this apply even to small inoffensive objetcs as a Fuchi or Kashira if labeled as "part of sword mounting".

 

It happened to me too, with a katanakake from Japan.

Sword rack = part of weapon

Solved with a couple (probably around 20 to be honest) of phone calls.

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

katanakake too ?

[Jean]

Next time Lorenzo, have it labelled "Stick rack"

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Jean, France is far more advanced than Italy in managing these things...

[Bruno]

Me I always wrote on the box "Japanese nihonto", Japanese sculpture" or "Japanese art piece" when I sold swords or when I purchased them I always asked the seller to write these words, just in case.

It is not a very accurate description but it is voluntary vague. Furthermore, it is no a lie just a bit unaccurate.

 

I have never had any kind of problem with customs in France, it works very well!

[Kevin]

No problems at all with France. Haven't shipped a sword to Spain yet, but I've got them into Italy easily enough, as long as you follow the procedures. I don't suppose Spain would be any different. I've even got a sword into Singapore without having the edge ground off, though that took an interminable amount of emails with the relevant department of the Singapore Police Force before we reached common ground.

 

Bits and pieces such as sword stands and fuchi-kashira would be declared as 'wooden stand' or 'fuchi-kashira'. Accurate, and no point in alarming Customs unnecessarily. :-) If they want to know what a fuchi-kashira is, they can look it up.

 

Kevin

[Bruno]

  Kevin said:

No problems at all with France

 

Yes it allowed in France, BUT postmen have the right to refuse to handle the package if they consider that what is the box can injured them.I have been told that by my post office.In that particular case you might have to pick your sword up by yourself quite far from your home which is bothering.

[Kevin]

  Bruno said:

  Kevin said:

No problems at all with France

 

Yes it allowed in France, BUT postmen have the right to refuse to handle the package if they consider that what is the box can injured them.I have been told that by my post office.In that particular case you might have to pick your sword up by yourself quite far from your home which is bothering.

 

Don't use the post for sword deliveries to France or indeed for anything other than domestic sword deliveries and relatively low value items. I use a shipping agency. This means the sword gets delivered to you, into your hands, in a matter of days, fully insured and trackable. :-)

 

Kevin

[mdiddy]

Thanks for all the replies. As a follow-up, the sword was released to the recipient but they were required to pay a 16% import tax and a 1.7% "weapons tariff". From my research the 16% sounds high as if they ignored the harmonized tariff and did not net out the VAT. The sword was not papered but for proof of age I included pictures, prints from Fujishiro and other references, and translations. The 1.7% "weapons tariff" was out of the blue. Just a heads up for those shipping to Spain.

[Javi E]

thank you all for all your help,

 

Finally the sword arrived safely this morning , i paid 180 euro of fees,.....as Matt said 16% of import tax and 1,70% "weapon tariff".total of 17,70% of 1050 euro.

my idea was to pay only about 7% of "more than 100 year old item" but the spanish customs cataloged the sword as a "weapon" and not as a "antique", anyway, the sword is with me and this is the most important.

 

this is the problem to import/export items from US to EU, the 16%......

 

this happened to me some years ago with WW2 german binoculars, i paid the 16% plus "optics tariff".......

 

I´m very happy with the comunication with Matt, he is very good seller and there has been no problem with him.

[Brian]

Javi,

Now that you have the sword, I expect there is a form you can fill in to attempt to claim back some fees incorrectly charged. Worth a try, as you have nothing to lose. Put down that the listed tarriff code was ignored...prove that it is antique with all the docs you have, and wait a few months, and maybe you get some cash back.

I did it once here, and was successful.

 

Brian

[Javi E]

Thanks Brian,

 

this could help, but i don´t know to where go or where ask about these forms.

maybe in the customs or in Post office, but i think as you say could be about some months, and a lot of phone calls...

but thanks for your help, i could try somewhere about this.

[Marius]

  mdiddy said:

 

I recently shipped a Shinto katana to Spain. I labeled according to Darcy's recommdnations on usage of a harmonized tariff. The customs form was very detailed with the tariff # and an estimate of age. It has been stopped for being a 'weapon' and must be checked by police. I'm wondering if the additional details may have attracted some attention or if this is routine for interaction with Spanish customs. Any thoughts or feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

And I have thought Polish customs regulations are awkward...