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B&S has on its FaceBook site quoted the rules for traveling by airplane into Germany with instruments of whatever value and whatever documentation thereof.

The red exit, the one for goods to be registered, shall always be used with no exceptions.

I tried in vain to find an English version of those rules.

Klaus

http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/ ... annel.html" target="_blank

Good link!

Klaus

But if you are travelling from another country in the Schengen zone there will be no customs

The lesson is to fly into adjoining country and travel into German by land

As I get, the Germans just enforce the rules counting everywhere. Their custom officers also are on alert at the Swiss border.

If you pick-up an instrument at a German maker or store, you have to pay VAT. When you then take it out of the EU, you can apply for a refund of the VAT (I don’t know whether you get the refund in cash or whether it is transferred later on)

Klaus

I would imagine the VAT refund system is the same as for the UK, as both us and Germany will have to follow EU procedures. Get special form and VAT receipt from retailer on purchase of instrument - get the form stamped at port of exit from EU - then return form to retailer by post to issue VAT refund.

A ridiculously bureaucratic system from which only the banks benefit in international wire fees!

Yes, annoying, but there have been systemized scams.

Klaus

When I go to Europe, it is usually to the Netherlands, but on occasion to Germany. The difference is really amazing. Admittedly I haven't been to either place since 2010. But in my experience Germany has all these rules, and in contrast you just walk into the Netherlands. Seems like the thing to do is to fly into Schiphol and rent a car, since you can drive back and forth across the border no questions asked.