Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Brexit, delays, folio society, gosh comics, london

Gosh Comics Suspends European Sales Over Brexit Customs Issues

In the UK, there are no sales taxes or customs duties payable on printed materials, such as comics sold or imported into here. Other countries have different rules. And it seems that, after Brexit, there are repeated border, customs, and sales issues between Britain and the rest of the European Union, often down to paperwork, customs checks, and delays. Many companies have reported such issues, some relocating to mainland Europe as a result. And even stuff that was meant to have been agreed, fouls up in practice. Today, Gosh Comics of London  announced that they were going to have to "temporarily suspend shipping to EU countries while we sort out the confusing mess of new VAT on shipping regulations post-1st July."

Gosh Comics states in their blog, "we're hoping to resume as quickly as possible, and apologies to those affected. Believe us, it's not something we want to do, but we want to avoid EU customers being slapped with unexpected VAT and customs charges." Previously, goods sold into the UK could then freely travel within Europe, without tax on duties. Now everything is being checked, there are more duties to pay, and more bureaucracy to entail, even if there are no taxes due.

The Folio Society, who publish high-end books including the Marvel Golden Age, Silver Age and Bronze Age editions state that post-Brexit VAT regulations mean it can no longer afford to deliver to Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia or Slovenia. While Austria, Belguim, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden will be limited to express shipping, bumping doubling shipping cost from £5.99 to £9.99 for delivery of one title. They state "Following the UK's exit from the European Union on 1st January 2021 and the end of the transition arrangement on 30th June, the new rules mean that we have to register for VAT in every country we sell to. The increased administrative burden and cost of this means that as a small business, sadly, we cannot affordably continue to trade in these countries." Other publishers are experiencing similar issues. What of Rebellion and 2000AD and DFC and Phoenix Comics Weekly, all popular in Europe?

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