The United States of Europe... maybe in 200 years...
Diplomökotrophologe mit FOM Diplom Orthomolekulartherapie.
The EU was once intended to unite Europe. There should be freedom for all people and also for companies to be able to trade without any problems or restrictions.
This is possible without any problems. If you are a mega-company or are called Amazon and can employ a staff of bureaucrats and have a few thousand euros in annual fees for all sorts of things, most of which are superfluous according to common sense.
For us, as for thousands of other small companies throughout the EU, the following unfortunately applies: Neither!
That's why we have to remove a large number of EU countries from our list of shipping destinations.
Here is a list. This is not only for interested customers, but also for ourselves and our employees to keep up to date with the complicated EU-wide shipping rules.
And it may help disappointed Spaniards, Slovaks, Luxembourgers etc. to understand why they can no longer order our products home after 15 years.
In these countries there are either high fees for packaging material or for registrations or for both.
A bureaucratically complex licensing process would be required, which we could not afford either in terms of personnel or costs.
In addition to licensing costs, there is a one-off registration fee for the manufacturer register DPA, which amounts to DKK 1,000 (approx. €134). As a foreign dealer without a CVR number, there are costs for an authorised representative in addition to the licensing costs and registration fees. (approx. 1,500DKK /200 €)
We had exactly 7 parcels to Denmark in 2023, not worth it!
Bureaucratically complex licensing is required - we have only had 1-2 parcels per year to Estonia in recent years
Complex licensing is required, plus costs of approx. 450 euros/year for appointing an authorised representative.
Dear Greeks: Please don't be surprised if you can't order anything from small shops in the EU, that's the reason!
As a foreign retailer, there are costs for an authorised representative in addition to the licence costs. These costs depend on the packaging quantities and amount to at least 400 EUR/year. The required notarisation of signatures costs approx. 80 EUR once.
We had some customers in Spain - what a pity. Dear Spaniards... see note on the Greeks...
Complex licensing would be required In addition, we would pay an annual flat rate of €80 for small-scale distributors. Not much, but unfortunately our offer has hardly found favour with French buyers in the last 10 years, on average 0-1 package per year, this will not change, as we have already taken France out.
Licensing required, additional costs for an authorised representative... Goodbye Croatia...
In addition to the necessary licence, there is a one-off registration fee of €50 plus VAT. We had 3 parcels to Cyprus in 10 years, sorry, out.
Licensing is required, and distributors of packaging must also pay the so-called Natural Resource Tax. In addition, we would have to pay the minimum annual amount of 84 euros. We had some good Latvian customers before these rules were introduced, but unfortunately it's no longer worth it for us.
A licence is required. Unfortunately, this is associated with bureaucracy and time expenditure, for 0-9 Luxembourg parcels, depending on the year, it is no longer worth it.
Sorry, but the Hungarians are going completely crazy. And unfortunately I have to say this as the owner of a Hungarian business partner who is part of our company! Lizenzero states: "For all foreign companies without a registered office in Hungary, the appointment of an authorised representative is mandatory. In addition to the licence costs, there are therefore costs for an authorised representative, which are between €930 and €1,333 in the first year. Important: In Hungary, there is also a quarterly registration fee of €450. In addition to the costs for the authorised representative, you should therefore also expect costs of €1,800 per year for your quantity declarations." Unfortunately, I have to say to the permanent EU critic Mr Orban that this is the pinnacle of EU bureaucratic madness!
It goes without saying that our Hungarian customers, some of whom were even good friends and family members, will have to do without our parcels in future.
Licensing would not be necessary, but registration in the state register BDO would cost a maximum registration fee of PLN 500 / EUR 120. Unfortunately, we have had hardly any orders from our neighbouring country in the last 15 years, which we very much regret, so they are now being dropped.
Information from Lizensero.eu: "Costs for the appointment of an authorised representative depend on the quantity and can be between € 350.00 - € 1,500.00 per year. The minimum fee for licensing is € 120 per year." Sorry Portuguese customers, this is no longer possible.
Licensing is required, the annual basic fee of EUR 100 includes the costs for the authorised representative.
Too bad, we also had employees in Slovakia, but unfortunately not enough customers. So we're out of the shipping destinations.
Linzenzero.eu: "In addition to the listed licensing costs, there is a one-off registration fee and an annual customer fee: €1.60 per registered tonne of packaging material The minimum contract volume is €265/year."
Too bad, we have had some satisfied customers in Finland in recent years, but unfortunately not enough to justify such costs and bureaucracy.
Linenzero.eu: "In order to fulfil your product responsibility and thus the legal obligation, you are obliged to license your packaging to a recycling system in Sweden."
Too bad, then Pipi Longstocking will have to do without our children's vitamins in the future.
Belgium, Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia.
We do supply Austria, but it is a great pity that our neighbours are particularly addicted to EU bureaucracy.
Here is an excerpt of the rules that only affect us, larger shops are hit even harder! Estimated costs for authorisation per year: €300 Estimated licensing costs per year: €150 Minimum quantity flat rate One-off costs for certification (in Austria, certification of contract documents is necessary in order to comply with packaging licensing obligations): approx. 90 EUR
This means that the pleasure of continuing to supply our long-standing Austrian customers costs us EUR 450 per year, plus an "entry fee" of EUR 90.
As our neighbours are a very important customer group, we are of course sticking with Austria.
*The following website was/is very helpful for compiling this list and for keeping up to date with the constantly growing EU bureaucratic madness: https://www.lizenzero.eu/dashboard/