Want to send cash (50 Euros) in a birthday card to Greece, is this prohibited? Thanks in advance.

Snowsong · Post by **Snowsong** » 04 Oct 2017, 21:57

Hi,

So this is my first time sending anything overseas (from the UK) and I just thought I'd check Royal Mail's list of prohibitions for Greece out of pure interest... I have a large A4 letter package with a birthday card and 50 Euros inside for my friend's son, as well as a small packaged toy, to my surprise both cash and toys are listed as 'prohibited' items for Greece but without much more specification - are small amounts such as 50 Euros allowed or is it all quantities? Am I being overly paranoid and so should send it anyway or am I likely to have my package denied?

Many thanks in advance for your help!

SS

Post by **barrowc** » 05 Oct 2017, 02:31

You can get more details on each country's prohibited and restricted goods on the Universal Postal Union website. The large PDF file at http://www.upu.int/uploads/tx_sbdownloa ... clesEn.pdf has all the information. The info on the Royal Mail website sometimes lists both the overall category (e.g. "live animals") as well as the specific prohibition (e.g. "All live animals, except bees, leeches, sikworms")

For Greece, the prohibition on toys applies to playing cards and fireworks only (p488 of the PDF) - no other kind of toys are prohibited although toys without the CE mark need special import permission (p490). The prohibition on banknotes (p484) has no further details other than "banknotes" and the prohibition is repeated again on p490.

That document also says "Items originating in the European Union are not checked by Customs" (p490) so it's very possible that your package might get through. There's no need to put any customs declaration on your item because it's going to an EU destination. If your package was lost or damaged, however, then you would have no chance of getting any compensation.

Post by **baldrick** » 05 Oct 2017, 08:16

AFAIK RM advise that cash should not be sent by standard mail service, but by Special Delivery which is tracked, signed for and more secure.
If you send it by ordinary post and indicate on the Customs declaration that it contains cash, it might be compulsorily registered as special delivery, surcharged and returned to you to pay for the additional cost.
I would send it by Special Delivery.

Snowsong · Post by **Snowsong** » 05 Oct 2017, 11:43

Thank you both for your replies and for the extra clarity.

I was not going to risk sending it in the ordinary post, rather international tracked and signed but I will ask the advice of the post office when doing so and inform them of the contents and the best course of action... thanks. I was mostly wondering how strict Greece are about small quantities of gift cash but can't seem to find many results on the internet.

Post by **Snaggletooth** » 05 Oct 2017, 17:34

The Post Office will only repeat what it says on the Royal Mail advice, they don’t get other information and they are only allowed to repeat the RM advice. If you get any other information it’s just because they missed it in the mass of information (easily done), or they haven’t checked, or they misunderstood you.

Mulready · Post by **Mulready** » 10 Oct 2017, 15:02

barrowc wrote:You can get more details on each country's prohibited and restricted goods on the Universal Postal Union website. The large PDF file at http://www.upu.int/uploads/tx_sbdownloa ... clesEn.pdf has all the information. The info on the Royal Mail website sometimes lists both the overall category (e.g. "live animals") as well as the specific prohibition (e.g. "All live animals, except bees, leeches, sikworms")

For Greece, the prohibition on toys applies to playing cards and fireworks only (p488 of the PDF) - no other kind of toys are prohibited although toys without the CE mark need special import permission (p490). The prohibition on banknotes (p484) has no further details other than "banknotes" and the prohibition is repeated again on p490.
...

I wonder why playing cards would be banned?

Post by **baldrick** » 10 Oct 2017, 15:16

Mulready wrote:
barrowc wrote:You can get more details on each country's prohibited and restricted goods on the Universal Postal Union website. The large PDF file at http://www.upu.int/uploads/tx_sbdownloa ... clesEn.pdf has all the information. The info on the Royal Mail website sometimes lists both the overall category (e.g. "live animals") as well as the specific prohibition (e.g. "All live animals, except bees, leeches, sikworms")

For Greece, the prohibition on toys applies to playing cards and fireworks only (p488 of the PDF) - no other kind of toys are prohibited although toys without the CE mark need special import permission (p490). The prohibition on banknotes (p484) has no further details other than "banknotes" and the prohibition is repeated again on p490.
...
I wonder why playing cards would be banned?

I think it might be that the coating contains traces of explosives. That is why the Birmingham 6 were arrested and convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings. Test showed traces of explosives on their hands. Apparently that was because they had been playing cards. Their convictions were later quashed after they had spent years in prison.

Post by **Snaggletooth** » 10 Oct 2017, 18:47

The customs regulations are full of quirky items. For instance, the Republic of Ireland used to ban “brushes made in Japan”.

Post by **barrowc** » 15 Oct 2017, 01:59

Mulready wrote: I wonder why playing cards would be banned?

It seems to be that the Greek government has a monopoly on playing cards - from p489 of that document:

The following articles on which the Greek State has a monopoly: salt, playing cards, matches, fireworks, petroleum, saccharine, cigarette paper as well as thin paper which could be used for making cigarettes