Sending Gifts to the European Union
- In Amerika people generally expect 24-hour shipping to be available six or seven days a week. In Europe Saturday delivery is almost impossible. Also be sure to take the time difference into account. If you are in California and places an order in the afternoon for delivery to Europe, it is already the middle of the night there.
- Overnight delivery companies, accustomed to working with businesses, may not be familiar with residential addresses. They may expect the recipients to be pro-active in getting their parcels. If the recipient will be at work on the desired day of delivery, consider shipping to the place of work rather than home.
- Keep in mind the location of the recipient. It is easier to get a package to a capital such as Paris or Berlin than to a small village in the mountains.
- Europeans have many holidays. Around the Christmas and New Year holidays many people remain at home and offices may be closed. Be sure to check to make sure that your recipient is not on vacation. Europeans generally have at least 4 weeks of vacation a year and they use them.
- Duties (taxes) will need to be paid on gifts mailed to Europe with a value of over 45 Euros. Certain items such as alcohol and perfume have additional restrictions. You can avoid your recipient having to pay taxes on a gift by using a gift company based in the European Union like GiftsForEurope.com.
- Customs and taxes are not always collected on personal gifts, if they are clearly identified with the word “gift” on the customs declaration. But you must be prepared to have your recipient pay duties on a gift with a value greater than 45 Euros if you mail one yourself from outside the EU.
Business Gifts for the European Union
Generally, gifts are not an integral component of a business relationship in the European culture. This does not mean an occasional and appropriate gift is not appreciated. It means that a person is not expected to present a gift at a first meeting or on a routine basis. Holidays - Christmas and New Year’s - are a traditional time for businesses to send gifts to each other as a thanks for a positive working relationship.For information on a specific country within Europe:
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Gift Baskets to Germany |
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Gift Baskets to Greece |
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Gift Baskets to Hungary |
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Gift Baskets to Ireland |
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Gift Baskets to Italy |
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Gift Baskets to Latvia |
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Gift Baskets to Lithuania |
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Gift Baskets to Luxembourg |
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Gift Baskets to Malta |
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Gift Baskets to Netherlands |
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Gift Baskets to Poland |
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Gift Baskets to Portugal |
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Gift Baskets to Romania |
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Gift Baskets to Slovakia |
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Gift Baskets to Slovenia |
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Gift Baskets to Spain |
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Gift Baskets to Sweden |
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Gift Baskets to United Kingdom |
Here are some links to other information about the European Union:
All sorts of general information about Europe and the European Union
http://europa.eu/abc/index_en.htm
Customs and Taxes for gifts in Europe
http://www.export.gov/logistics/gifts.asp