Is it safe to post to Europe because of Brexit?

[C2019]

I’ve sent 2 items, one to Bulgaria and one to Germany. On the tracking for Bulgaria it says it’s arrived but when you translate the status it says “wrong code”. The recipient says they have received a letter saying they have it at customs but she needs to pay £60 to release it when the parcels value was only £20!
The one in Germany hasnt even got to Germany yet, the last update was on the 17th Feb where it just says “item leaving the UK” which then takes you to Deutsche post which has no details at all so I’m assuming it’s not even reached Germany yet
I have a parcel worth £400 to post to Spain at the end of this month but what is the risk of it getting lost or not arriving? It’s not something you can replace either
I’ve been told by a few sellers not to send to anywhere in Europe as 90% of the parcels are getting lost or sent/held. I am at a loss as to what to do

[pacifiq]

Not sure how you got the 90% figure. Yes, there's disruption and confusion but it's not that bad. If you want security I recommend UPS who charge £12 for free collection, tracking, and singature for small parcels to IE, DE, NL, BE, and FR.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Parcels that are getting delayed for wrong code etc, are generally down to senders not understanding, or not following the new system.

My advice, prepay the VAT, make sure you fill all the forms required and that you have all the forms needed, and that you are allowed to send the item, it should then get through if all the information is correct.

Unfortunately despite claims that the system would be easy and relatively cheap, it's not turning out that way.

[Business15]

My Italian parcel did not make it still to Italy after 45 days in Langley!

[POSTMAN]

Customs declaration forms, as well as help and guidance, can be found online tips for small businesses who are posting goods abroad:

1. You can complete your customs declarations form before arriving in branch to make your visit as easy as possible. Just pick up some forms next time you are in your local branch or download them via the Post Office website.

2. Before preparing any goods for sending, remember to check whether or not the item is prohibited or restricted. There are certain restrictions on what you can send to certain individuals, organisations or countries so it’s best check before you arrive in branch. Letters or large letters containing only correspondence, commercial invoices or shipping documentation do not require a customs declaration form.

3. There are different variations of the customs declaration form, dependent on service being used and the value of the item being sent. More information is available in branch or on our website.

4. If completing the form by hand, remember to write legibly and in block capitals. The forms are scanned by optical character recognition, so this is important to avoid delays.

5. Make sure you complete all the relevant fields, including senders details, an accurate description of the contents, weight and value, plus VAT registered businesses need to include their GB EORI or VAT registered number and HS tariff numbers – missing or incomplete forms are likely to result in the item being returned to you.

6. Once completed, attach your customs form on the front of the item being posted, where possible and ensure the destination address isn’t covered

Two in five UK small businesses at risk of not successfully fulfilling EU-bound orders, warns Post Office

[Business15]

I can assure you everything including codes were filled in on the cn22.

[C2019]

Yeah I’ve filled in everything correctly, still no joy. The one on its way to Germany hasn't even left Langley ...

[POSTMAN]

Customs customs customs, at times it's out of everybody's control.