Online shoppers face post-Brexit charges when buying items from UK

Maltese consumers buying goods from the UK are facing a set of complicated new charges because of the country’s exit from the EU’s single market. Like any other non-EU country, goods costing more than €22 may now be subject to VAT while customs duties might be added to some purchases over €150. There could also be a customs clearance fee, ranging from €5 to €18 depending on the price of the product and whether it is delivered through MaltaPost or another courier such as UPS or DHL. In an update on its website detailing the new changes, MaltaPost said anyone buying from the UK should now consider themselves an “importer”.  Jan Micallef, a lawyer specialising in EU and international trade law, said trading with the UK has now become “more complex”, despite the Brexit trade agreement. “Consumers in Malta shopping from UK e-commerce sites may be faced with situations such as unexpected customs formalities or having to pay customs duties if the goods they purchase do not originate in the UK and/or the EU,” he explained. For example, if a person buys a set of sheets from a UK retailer that originated in China there could be fees but if they are mostly made from UK or EU materials,...