The German customs

This autumn I recieved 5 bulbs of Spanish Fiesta from Mitsch Daffodils for 50 USD and payed allover 209 USD waiting six weeks before the packedge arrived. The German customs needed about 100 USD for a phytosanitary inspection and I spent many hours at two different days to get the bulbs from them. It was the first time that I had such complications and I ordered often bulbs from non European countries since many years. I got the information from the customs that there are no new regulations for the European Community and for Germany but that the regulations were not strictly executed in the previous years. My question is: Which rules for a phytosanitary inspection of the customs are applied in Great Britain and the Netherlands?

My opinion is that all such regulations for daffodil bulbs are pure nonsens. All daffodil pests are already here in Germany and must not be imported from abroad.  Moreover I never got an infected bulb from Mitsch Daffodils but often such bulbs from countries of the European community.

Theo

2 comments for “The German customs

  1. Theo,
    I have imported bulbs into the U.K. for a couple of years both from the U. S. of A and New Zealand, generally I have to pay Value Added Tax and most recently a small handling charge but have not had to pay for an additional phytosanitary inspection.
    However my understanding is that the authorities do have powers to charge for an inspection. From my research the package goes to an inspection centre in Coventry where for small amounts they make no charge but would do so for large commercial quantities. In my experience the Port Office collect the monies and hold the package until the amount due has been paid.
    I was a seaman in my youth and latterly worked in the Port Industry which made me aware of the nasties that can arrive via ballast water so have no problem with biosecurity.
    Bob Moore

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