Overseas Conference Exhibition Stand

[The Soup Dragon]

I am attending a conference in Germany in the summer. I am being contacted by loads of companies offering to export my exhibition materials to Germany and return them afterwards. They will take care of the export import paperwork etc. They are so expensive!! All I travel with is a pop up exhibition stand that fits in a plastic carrier on wheels, size of a large suitcase. I also take a few pens and leaflets etc. I am thinking I will be fine just putting these in the boot of the car and driving over.......... unless anyone has any alternative advice?

SD

 

[Mark James]

You just need a declaration of goods and a packing list.

 

[The Soup Dragon]

You just need a declaration of goods and a packing list.

Like a commercial invoice with values and HS codes on it or just a list of what I am taking?

 

[fisicx]

You just need a declaration of goods and a packing list.

Why? If you go on holiday to Germany you don’t need to declare anything. Why is a box on wheels any different to a tent or cooking kit or a tv or whatever?

I travel regularly to Germany for business and never had to declare my laptop.

 

[BusterBloodvessel]

Yeah they will have bought/scoured an exhibition list and you will be getting generic emails, whether its you with a booth space and a pop-up in a case, or a huge two-storey custom built 500sqm stand!

These kind of agents can be useful when shipping lots of stuff over, not least because any of the "approved" agencies won't just get your stuff to the door/warehouse on site, they will work with the on-site logistics company to actually make sure it navigates the maze of exhibition halls & other exhibitors and is sat waiting for you on your booth when you arrive. There is also paperwork involved if shipping lots of stuff by courier, packing lists etc as mentioned above especially if some of the stuff is subsequently being shipped back out but samples/giveaways might not be.

In your case I see no issue with throwing a display stand in the boot of your car and driving over. I have taken these kind of pop-up displays as luggage on a plane multiple times as have many colleagues and friends (usually when we've missed a deadline to ship them in advance!!) not to mention boxes of leaflets, pens, keyrings etc. and have never had a problem.

 

[DontAsk]

they will work with the on-site logistics company to actually make sure it navigates the maze of exhibition halls & other exhibitors and is sat waiting for you on your booth when you arrive.

But woe betide if it's not packed and ready to go at the end of the exhibition. BTDTGTTS

 

[Mark James]

Why? If you go on holiday to Germany you don’t need to declare anything. Why is a box on wheels any different to a tent or cooking kit or a tv or whatever?

I travel regularly to Germany for business and never had to declare my laptop.

Just so your 100% covered, just a safety net. My business is trade stands so just passing on my advice/opinion. You may be stopped, pulled up once in 30 trips at customs, pre armed and all that.

 

[fisicx]

Just so your 100% covered, just a safety net. My business is trade stands so just passing on my advice/opinion. You may be stopped, pulled up once in 30 trips at customs, pre armed and all that.

It’s a box on wheels with some presentation gear! Customs don’t care.

 

[Deleted member 351022]

Just so you’re 100% covered, just a safety net. My business is trade stands so just passing on my advice/opinion. You may be stopped, pulled up once in 30 trips at customs, pre armed and all that.

To be clear I don’t work for HMRC but do work in the customs industry .If you want to understand the official position HMRC if you are stopped, which doesn’t happen very often You may find the below guidance useful.
As previously mentioned the duplicate list is the easy option certainly for the UK.

I can’t say if other countries would accept the list or not. All EU countries have the option to use simplified or oral customs declarations but how they interpret that does differ.

www.gov.uk/taking-goods-out-gb-temporarily/declare-your-goods

or if you are taking something in or out permanently.

www.gov.uk/guidance/bringing-commercial-goods-into-great-britainin-your-baggage

Obviously it’s up to you how you proceed but at least you can make an informed decision.

 

[fisicx]

It’s not goods! It’s a stand they are using to give a presentation.

 

[Deleted member 351022]

It’s not goods! It’s a stand they are using to give a presentation.

It is a physical thing so it is goods as far as customs are concerned. It doesn’t have to be something to sell.

Even your personal possessions are goods - so when you are walking or driving through the green channel on your holiday you are actually making a customs declaration for temporary admission.

As I said it’s up to The Soup Dragon to make that decision themselves.

 

[fisicx]

Even your personal possessions are goods - so when you are walking or driving through the green channel on your holiday you are actually making a customs declaration for temporary admission.

Interesting. If I buy a memory stick and copy software are both classed as goods?

What if I build a software product and email it to an overseas client. Should I declare this to customs and excise?

 

[Deleted member 351022]

Interesting. If I buy a memory stick and copy software are both classed as goods?

Yes if you import or export a memory stick with software on it.

What if I build a software product and email it to an overseas client. Should I declare this to customs and excise?

No if only sent electronically.

 

[The Soup Dragon]

To be clear I don’t work for HMRC but do work in the customs industry .If you want to understand the official position HMRC if you are stopped, which doesn’t happen very often You may find the below guidance useful.
As previously mentioned the duplicate list is the easy option certainly for the UK.

I can’t say if other countries would accept the list or not. All EU countries have the option to use simplified or oral customs declarations but how they interpret that does differ.

www.gov.uk/taking-goods-out-gb-temporarily/declare-your-goods

or if you are taking something in or out permanently.

www.gov.uk/guidance/bringing-commercial-goods-into-great-britainin-your-baggage

Obviously it’s up to you how you proceed but at least you can make an informed decision.

Thanks Customs Geek looks like this line in the oral declaration covers it

professional equipment and goods temporarily imported for sole use at an international event not organised for the commercial sale of the goods, such as an official sports event, an international conference or a major film production