UK to Eliminate Tariff Exemption for Low-Value Imports
The U.K. on Nov. 26 opened a public comment period for its planned elimination of duty exemptions for low-value imports. The country for several months had been reviewing whether to remove the tariff exemption for imports costing under 135 pounds, and the finance ministry said it expects to eliminate the exemption by March 2029 "at the latest."
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The U.K. is seeking feedback on "what data to collect, how the tariff should be applied, whether to apply an additional fee on [low-value imports] to fund administration, and potential changes to [value-added tax] collection to reflect the new arrangements." The consultation closes March 6.
The U.K. also will hold a webinar Dec. 4, where officials will speak "on the purpose and scope of the consultation, as well as some of the proposals under consideration."
The announcement follows similar moves by the Trump administration, which ended the U.S. de minimis tariff exemption for low-value goods in August (see 2507300047), and the EU, which is seeking to end de minimis by 2026 (see 2511130008).