Importing from the UK after Brexit
Since Brexit, the United Kingdom is a country outside the EU. Every delivery must be cleared through customs, even from the supplier you have traded with for twenty years. The good news: the free trade agreement between the EU and the UK gives duty-free treatment for British goods, if the paperwork is right.
EasyTull handles the clearance for you. The declaration is normally ready within two hours.
What applies when you import from the UK
The rules changed fundamentally when the United Kingdom left the EU. Four things are worth being clear about.
The UK is a third country
All imports are cleared through Swedish Customs, just like goods from the USA or China.
A declaration is always required
Business or private individual, regardless of value and mode of transport.
Free trade with conditions
Duty-free only for goods of UK origin with the right statement on the invoice.
Import VAT is added
25 per cent for most goods. VAT-registered companies report and deduct it with the Swedish Tax Agency.
Duty-free from the UK? Only if the goods really are British
The free trade agreement between the EU and the UK gives zero duty on goods of UK origin. What is required is a statement on origin on the invoice from the seller.
This is where many go wrong: bought in the UK does not mean UK origin. Goods manufactured in Asia that have only passed through a British warehouse get the full EU duty rate when they are shipped on to Sweden.
Always ask for the statement on origin before the goods are shipped. And if you have already paid duty unnecessarily, you can request a reassessment afterwards and get the money back.
Two years with the wrong broker cost the customer six figures
For two years, an importer had paid duty on goods entitled to duty-free treatment. The previous broker applied the full duty rate because a valid proof of origin was missing, without alerting the customer to the possibility of preferential treatment. We contacted the seller, secured correct proof of origin and requested a reassessment of the declarations.
The customer got back around SEK 131,000.
Northern Ireland counts as the EU
For trade in goods, Northern Ireland is still treated under EU rules. Goods from Northern Irish suppliers can in many cases be delivered without customs formalities, unlike England, Scotland and Wales.
If you trade with Northern Ireland, get in touch and we check what applies to your particular flow.
England, Scotland, Wales
Full customs handling
Cleared
Northern Ireland
EU goods rules apply
Often a duty-free flow
Duty and VAT on goods from the UK
With a correct statement on origin, most British goods are duty-free. Without it, the EU’s ordinary duty rates apply.
Want the amount for your particular shipment? Calculate duty and VAT in our duty calculator, which fetches the duty rate from the customs tariff and shows what a proof of origin is worth. Missing the commodity code? Search the HS code for free.
Product category
Without documents
With UK origin
Machinery and tools
0–8,5 %
0 %
Vehicles and car parts
0–12 %
0 %
Clothing and design
12 %
0 %
Furniture and interiors
0–5 %
0 %
Electronics
0 %
0 %
Food and drink
Varies
Often 0%, excise duty on alcohol is always added
Plastic goods
6,5 %
Applies to many household and storage products
Bicycles
14 %
Anti-dumping duty may be added
Same consignment, two outcomes
Without a statement on origin
Clothing worth SEK 80,000, freight SEK 5,000. Customs value SEK 85,000, duty rate 12%.
10 200 kr
in duty, every shipment
With a statement on origin
Exactly the same consignment. The only difference is one line of text on the seller’s invoice.
0 kr
in duty
The VAT is deductible for VAT-registered companies, but the duty is a pure cost. If you bring in one consignment a month, that is over SEK 120,000 a year decided purely by paperwork.
What about VAT? Import VAT is calculated on the customs value plus any duty: 25 per cent for most goods, 6 for food (temporarily reduced until the end of 2027) and 6 for printed matter. VAT-registered companies pay nothing at the border; they report and deduct the VAT in their VAT return.
Unsure what applies to your particular product?
Call +46 31 755 77 76 or email info@easytull.com. You get a reply within 10 minutes.
The documents that decide your import
We review everything before the declaration is lodged.
Invoice with a statement on origin
The statement on origin directly on the commercial invoice. That is what gives you the zero duty.
Packing list
Number of packages, weight, volume and dimensions
Transport document
CMR for road, B/L for sea freight, AWB for air
CE marking, not just UKCA
The UK’s own UKCA marking is not enough in the EU. The products must carry CE with documentation behind it.
EORI number
Required for every company that imports. We handle the EORI application if you don’t have one.
Permits for certain goods
Food, supplements, pharmaceuticals and animal products require special certificates
Fast lead times across the North Sea
The UK is close. What decides the delivery time after Brexit is usually the customs handling, not the freight. With the paperwork ready in advance, the goods roll without stopping.
2–5
days
Road transport
The most common. By ferry or the Eurotunnel, for both full and part loads.
1–3
days
Express and air
For urgent shipments and smaller volumes, door to door.
4–8
days
Sea freight
Cost-effective for heavy and bulky goods.
Incoterms from the UK: we recommend DAP for most buyers, as you then control duty and VAT yourself. Avoid DDP, as British sellers often handle the Swedish VAT incorrectly and you bear the risk. Need the freight as well? We arrange transport through our forwarding partners, so freight and clearance are booked in one. Shipping goods the other way too? See our guide on exporting to the UK.
Five mistakes that cost money after Brexit
We see the same mistakes again and again. All of them can be avoided with the right preparation.
Bought in the UK assumed to be British
Transit goods from Asia via British warehouses get the full duty rate.
The statement on origin is missing
Without the statement on origin on the invoice, the duty-free treatment is lost.
UKCA instead of CE
British marking is not valid in the EU. The product is stopped at the border.
DDP promises from the seller
The VAT is handled incorrectly and you bear the risk at an audit.
Without re-importation documents, duty and VAT are paid all over again.
We catch the mistakes before they cost you
Every document is reviewed before the declaration is sent to Swedish Customs.
Three checks before you order
No more than this is needed for your imports from the UK to run smoothly. Then we handle the rest: send the invoice when the goods are on their way and the declaration is normally ready within two hours.
Send the invoice, and a customs specialist replies within 10 minutes
Attach the commercial invoice and the transport details and we come back with what is required, what it costs and when the declaration will be ready. Calling works just as well.
The same customs specialist every time
Ready within 2 hours
Fixed price, no lock-in
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Questions and answers about importing from the UK
Can’t find the answer? We reply within 10 minutes.
Is there duty on goods from the UK after Brexit?
All goods must be cleared, but goods of UK origin are duty-free under the free trade agreement if the invoice carries a statement on origin. Goods that have only passed through the UK, for example Asian goods from British warehouses, get the full EU duty rate.
What is required for duty-free treatment from the UK?
A statement on origin from the seller directly on the commercial invoice, and that the goods meet the origin rules of the free trade agreement. We review both parts before the declaration is lodged.
Does Northern Ireland count as the EU?
For trade in goods, yes. Goods from Northern Ireland are handled under EU rules and can in many cases be delivered without customs formalities. Contact us and we check what applies to your flow.
Does CE or UKCA apply when importing to Sweden?
CE. The UK’s own UKCA marking is not enough within the EU. Products that require marking must carry CE with the associated documentation, or they can be stopped at the border.
Do I have to pay VAT when importing from the UK?
Yes, import VAT is always charged, even on duty-free goods. VAT-registered companies report it to the Swedish Tax Agency and normally deduct it in the same return. Private individuals pay the VAT at the time of import.
What happens with returns to the UK?
Returns require the right documentation so you avoid paying duty and VAT all over again when the goods come back. We help you set up the returns flow correctly from the start.
Do the same rules apply to second-hand goods from England?
Yes, duty and VAT apply to second-hand goods too, and the origin rules are about where the goods were manufactured, not how old they are. Cars also have their own rules on registration and taxes. If you plan to import a vehicle, contact us before the purchase.
Ready to import from the UK?
We review the origin, classify the goods and lodge the declaration with Swedish Customs.
Ready within 2 hours
Your own customs expert
Reply within 10 min, or the declaration is on us
Call +46 31 755 77 76 or email info@easytull.com
More customs guides: Exporting to the UK · Importing from Norway · Importing from the USA · Duty calculator · HS code search · EORI number · Import declarations · Export declarations · Customs broker
