If you live in Germany then you are part of the EU so you can buy razors from anywhere in Europe and there is no import duty, it's only countries outside of the EU, so that leaves you pretty much a fairly huge market in it's own right to buy razors from.Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelP
Jamie,
I would tend to agree, however the original post was about importing from the US to Germany... if I buy from within the EU, I get stuff delivered directly to me (or to a colleague in the same country as the item). If it's from outside the EU (US and Japan, mostly), I get stuff delivered to a friend or to the office (both in Luxembourg). I avoid getting razors/blades delivered to the office as all parcels have to go through security ;) Going to the German customs administration to clear a blocked parcel pretty much means taking half a day off work... 45 minutes drive both ways, unspecified wait and red tape once there.
Also, Germany does put import taxes on certain categories of goods (smokes, booze and coffee for example) even from within the EU once you have gone over a certain threshold. In a similar fashion, several categories of items (weapons, ammunition, medication, fireworks, some antiques) can't legally be imported in Germany even from other EU countries (as a private person). Blades longer than 8.5cm may get confiscated/destroyed by customs.
There's lots of silly and illogical legislation in Europe for bladed items... a knife I can buy and carry in Luxembourg/Germany, I can buy but not carry in France. A knife I can legally buy/carry in Germany, I can't import it as a private person. It's a mess when you cross several borders every day for work :)