Duty-free limit on goods sent through the forces' post by soldiers stationed abroad
11.2.2013
Question for written answer E-001373-13
to the Commission
Rule 117
Daniel Caspary (PPE) , Thomas Ulmer (PPE) , Andreas Schwab (PPE) , Burkhard Balz (PPE) , Axel Voss (PPE) , Ingeborg Gräßle (PPE) , Markus Pieper (PPE) , Renate Sommer (PPE)
Under Article 26(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1186/2009, there is a EUR 45 duty-free allowance on goods sent from a third country by a private individual to another private individual living in the customs territory of the EU, provided that such imports are not of a commercial nature. For soldiers from the Member States who are stationed outside the EU customs territory, this low duty-free allowance is, in practice, a significant impediment when they want to send home presents that they have purchased in army stores (especially for festivals, birthdays etc.). For members of the US armed forces, by contrast, there is a rule whereby goods purchased in army stores are not subject to import duty.
Can the Commission state:
- 1.whether it is aware of any grounds for not introducing a special rule whereby goods purchased in army stores by soldiers serving abroad are exempt from import duty and, if so, what those grounds are; and
- 2.whether it would be feasible for the EU to introduce such a rule, along the lines of that applicable to US soldiers, and, if not, why not and what alternative special arrangements for the EU might be feasible?
OJ C 355 E, 05/12/2013