Customs | Import to Denmark | ColliCare Logistics

Just as when exporting goods from Denmark, there are also different rules that apply when importing goods to Denmark. At the same time, the rules vary depending on whether you are importing goods from countries outside the EU or whether you are importing goods from countries within the EU. It is important that you familiarize yourself with the various rules so that you avoid sudden extra bills - At ColliCare, we have made a comprehensive overview of the rules for importing goods into Denmark, so that you can quickly get an overview.

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Imports from countries outside the EU

When talking about the import of goods from outside the EU, it is important to note that this also applies to both Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Before your company can import goods outside the EU, it is necessary that it is registered as an importer with the Danish Business Authority in order to be able to submit the required import declarations. In addition, you must provide security, by which you decide when you want to pay the duty that is required. You can read more about collateral and payment at skat.dk here.

When you have registered your company as an importer with the Danish Business Authority, it will be assigned an EORI number, which is an English abbreviation for 'Economic Operators' Registration and Identification'. The number is registered in a joint EU register for companies dealing with imports and exports to and from countries outside the EU. The number will be your company's CVR number with DK in front. If your company does not have a CVR number, the SE number can also be used as an EORI number.

Import from countries in the EU

The rules look slightly different when trading within the EU. This is about delivery of goods and not import/export, which means you don't have to pay customs duties. In return, you must pay VAT and any excise duties, which are sometimes referred to as environmental and energy taxes. Excise duties are added to products such as packaging, spirits, electricity and oil, they aim, among other things, to reduce the amount of waste or to increase the saving of water.

As a Danish company trading goods within the EU, it is your own responsibility to calculate and pay VAT on the purchase - but in order to do this, your company must be VAT registered.

Customs when you import to Denmark

Whether you have to pay customs duty on your goods when you import them to Denmark, and how much the customs duty is, depends on the type of goods, where they come from and what they are made of. When shopping online outside the EU, the limit for whether you have to pay customs duty for your item is 150 euros. The amount limit applies to the intrinsic value of the shipment, which is the total value of all the goods in the shipment excluding freight.

However, a rule of thumb is that you must always pay duty on the following products, regardless of how much you buy:

Liquor
Wine
Beer
Tobacco products (e.g. cigarettes)
Perfumes and eau de toilette.

If you are buying from Norway, it is important that you take note of the applicable customs regulations from Norway to Denmark. As Norway is not part of the EU, the above customs rules also apply when importing to Denmark from Norway.

New VAT rules in 2021

On the 1st of July 2021, new VAT rules came into effect, which have an impact on online shopping outside the EU. The rules are part of the EU's e-commerce package, and they explain that VAT must be paid on all goods, which means that it will be more expensive to buy cheap goods online in countries outside the EU, such as China. This also means that the trifling limit, which was NOK 80, has disappeared, and that all goods bought online outside the EU are subject to VAT on an equal footing.

The rules must contribute to ensuring equal competition between companies in and outside the EU.

Contact us for advice

If you have questions or need advice about customs regulations when importing to Denmark, you are welcome to contact Collicare. We have a number of dedicated customs experts who have a good knowledge of the applicable customs rules and can help you navigate the various rules and procedures.

In addition to advice on customs regulations, we also offer a number of other services within export and logistics, including handling of your warehouse logistics, processing of returned goods and customized transport services for your webshop warehouse.

Feel free to contact us to find out more about how we can help you have a safe and efficient export process. We look forward to hearing from you.