Closed petition Seek to exempt goods purchased online for personal use from import tariffs/taxes

Closed on 9 September 2021

Seek to agree with the EU and constituent governments bilateral exemption of goods purchased online, whether through platforms such as Amazon or direct from the retailer’s website, from all additional charges levied since we left the single market on 1st January 2021, such as VAT and import duties.

The government should recognise that there is a significant difference between UK companies importing large volumes of goods for selling on to private individuals here in the UK, and those same individuals themselves buying small quantities of goods for their own personal use.

If the charges continue, EU companies will be less inclined to sell direct to UK citizens, and those UK citizens will cease buying from them because of the extra costs. This will also happen in reverse, and is not in the economic interests of either the UK or the EU.