The EU Commission has approved requests from Member States and the United Kingdom to temporarily lift (for six months) customs duties and VAT on the import of ventilators, masks, tests and other medical devices from third countries.
"It is essential that medical equipment and devices get to where they are needed quickly“, That is to health workers, who can“ protect themselves and continue to save lives ”, said the commissioner for economic affairs Paolo Gentiloni.
In Italy, the majority are working to introduce in the April decree a measure to reduce VAT on masks and other personal protective equipment against Coronavirus. This is confirmed by various sources, according to which the intervention is also supported by the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza. In the meetings of the last few days, it was thought about a measure worth about 400 million to introduce a reduced VAT at 5%.
Though it's probably late, finally a sensible measure. We tell you about the odyssey and the expenses incurred by one of our readers to find masks abroad and the joke of paying about 77 percent of taxes in Italy.
“I worried about my family of origin (father of 65, mother of 64, grandmother of 80) and I started looking for surgical masks to ensure that they could have minimal protection to carry out non-postponable activities.
It is also a fact that Amazon is no longer able to guarantee the standards to which it had accustomed us (I had ordered about 300 surgical masks that never arrived, of course I was reimbursed) and this prompted me to find alternatives that guaranteed the delivery and a secure payment method.
In this research I came across the site LightInTheBox which he made available as a form of payment PayPal and guaranteed delivery in an acceptable time. Therefore I ordered 100 surgical masks on March 26, 2020, indicating my father as recipient and paying a total of 75,62 € (€ 61,72 of goods and € 13.90 of shipping costs).
The material left on March 27, 2020 for its destination by DHL courier. From the documentation sent to the editorial office it is clear that the only customs passage of the goods took place on 01 April 2020 at the Rome office.
Of course, buying from abroad, I was aware that I would have to pay extra taxes upon arrival of the goods in Italy. However, when I saw a whopping € 47,12 in tax required to release the shipment, I felt a bit cheated. It seems almost obvious to me to point out that the health of my loved ones is definitely worth more than that amount, therefore, I promptly paid the amount you made up of two taxes: GST (goods and service tax) for an amount of € 30,65 and other general taxes for a total of € 16,47.
The material was delivered to my father on 03 April 2020.
I am not impoverished for € 50 of taxes, also because I am one of those lucky people who is receiving wages regularly during this period. However, not everyone has this luck and I believe that health should not be guaranteed only to those who are lucky, or to those who are well off. I therefore find it scandalous that on a purchase of € 61,72 of goods you have to pay € 47,12 in taxes / duties (77%), moreover on a purchase that, for amount and quantity, is clearly intended for use private.
Again for the sake of completeness of information, I asked DHL for details to find out the origin of the taxes / duties applied to me, aware that customs duties apply to this material, but it seems excessive to me that it reaches 77 percent of the value of the asset. I am waiting to receive an official reply and, as soon as in my possession, it will be my responsibility to forward it to the editorial staff ”.