Tax/Duty on Alcohol Brought in from Gibraltar
Posted: 12 October 2009 03:25 AM  
Tourist
Rank
Total Posts:  6
Joined  2009-04-06

This is a financial question, although I am not sure if it falls in line with the other posts here…

I am a resident of Spain.  There are several brands of alcohol that I can purchase in Gibraltar that I can not buy in Spain.  If I bring more than than the allowed limit of alcohol back from Gibraltar (1 litre as I have read), what is the duty/tax that I would have to pay in Spain? 

I suppose I would also be interest knowing the same for alcohol brought in from the UK.

I would be willing to pay the duty, if it was reasonable.

Thanks in advance.

Profile
 
Posted: 12 October 2009 11:33 PM   [ # 1 ]  
Expatriator
RankRankRankRank
Total Posts:  682
Joined  2007-11-01

Contact HM Customs & Excise at the border? Although it might be the Spanish side you need to ask the Q to?

Profile
 
Posted: 12 October 2009 11:59 PM   [ # 2 ]  
Expatriator
RankRankRankRank
Total Posts:  682
Joined  2007-11-01

Have just googled and think this is the place to start looking:
http://www.aeat.es  It is part of the Agencia Tributania - basically the tax people..
There IS a document there (in Spanish) about alcohol taxes/imported good… but it was a whopping 7MB so I didn’t download it!
Good luck - and let us know if you get a definitive answer!

Profile
 
Posted: 13 October 2009 02:00 PM   [ # 3 ]  
Tourist
Rank
Total Posts:  6
Joined  2009-04-06

Thanks for the replies.  I have since emailed a government agency of Gibraltar who (surprisingly) told me that it is NOT possible to pay duty/tax on any ‘excess’ alcohol brought across the border from Gibraltar.  The person wrote:

I am sorry to inform you that any amount exceeding the allowed limit of 1 litre would be confiscated by the spanish authorities.

I am a bit surprised at this, and somewhat concerned that the Govt can simply take legal items items that I have purchased legally without offerring me the option of paying a fine (ie. tax) ... BUT that is a whole other conversation that I dont mean or want to start here.

I did also try to confirm this on the AEAT website, however I was unable to locate the information.

I still am not sure of alcohol brought from mainland UK, though.  I expect that the rules are different as this is not a tax free state as is Gibraltar.

Profile
 
Posted: 15 October 2009 07:00 AM   [ # 4 ]  
Expatriator
RankRankRankRank
Total Posts:  682
Joined  2007-11-01

Let us know if you speak to the Auydana at the Spanish side and get a different response!
(wink…)

Profile
 
Posted: 15 October 2009 03:30 PM   [ # 5 ]  
Administrator
RankRankRankRank
Total Posts:  2855
Joined  2007-10-19

got fast boat if you need it , lots jobs are done in the dark , can only take cash L?L

Profile
 
Posted: 15 October 2009 05:16 PM   [ # 6 ]  
Tourist
Rank
Total Posts:  6
Joined  2009-04-06

hehe.  Yea, thanks.  That may be my option!

Profile
 
Posted: 18 October 2009 03:15 AM   [ # 7 ]  
Just Landed
RankRank
Total Posts:  30
Joined  2008-01-17

I had too many cigarettes once and had to pay duty, ended up paying just about the same price I would have paid in Spain

Profile
 
Posted: 20 October 2009 01:33 AM   [ # 8 ]  
Tourist
Rank
Total Posts:  3
Joined  2009-07-13

we did that once, had 2 packs too many - but we persuaded them to let us leave the excess at customs and collect them the next day - which i thought was pretty decent of them - this was a few years ago though!

Profile