Cambridge China Bridge
Guides

Logistics & customs (Page 2)

Shipping containers stacked several high against a blue skyWhat documents do you need for UK customs clearance?The exact paperwork a shipment from China needs to clear UK customs, who produces each document, and what goes wrong when one is missing.6 min readShipping containers stacked several high against a blue skyHow to find your commodity code (and check it is right)The code decides your duty rate, your VAT treatment and whether extra charges apply. How the digits work, how to look one up, and the traps that cost money.4 min readShipping containers stacked several high against a blue skyDoes packaging EPR apply to importers in the UK?When you import packaged goods, you take on the producer's packaging responsibilities. Who is obligated, what you report, and what it costs.3 min readShipping containers stacked several high against a blue skyUK Plastic Packaging Tax: what importers from China oweThe tax applies to the packaging you import, not just what you manufacture. What it costs, the 10-tonne threshold, and how to avoid paying it.4 min readA loaded container ship at sea, seen from aboveShipping from China to the UK: the full pictureHow goods actually get from a Chinese factory to your UK door — the modes, the timeline, the paperwork and the costs.5 min readAn open notebook showing the year written on a blank page, with a penShipping lead times and how to planChina to UK lead times: sampling, production, booking, transit and clearance — and the commonest delay is the buyer taking weeks to approve a sample.5 min readAerial view of a vessel berthed beside portside storage tanksIncoterms explained: EXW, FOB, CIF and DDPIncoterms decide who pays for what and where risk passes. Here are the four you will meet most, in plain English.6 min readAerial view of a container port with quay cranes and stacked containersUK customs clearance: steps, documents and costsHow UK customs clearance works: EORI, commodity code, documents, a declaration on CDS, then duty and VAT paid or postponed. What it costs and what holds it up.11 min readA DHL cargo aircraft on the runwaySea vs air freight: cost and timeCompare chargeable weight, complete delivery quotes and lost margin to decide whether sea, air or a split shipment suits your China order.5 min readStacks of coins on tax paperwork, with a receipt roll behindHow much is UK import tax from China? Duty and VATImport tax from China to UK: a worked example with £440 duty and £2,288 VAT, plus how to find your commodity code rate and reclaim import VAT.13 min read

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