Whether you’ve already bought a campervan or you’re thinking of buying one, there are a few Brexit-related myths flying around that we thought we’d help to address in this week’s blog…
The UK is leaving the EU single market and customs union and we’re currently in something they’re calling the ‘transition period’. This is set to end on 31st December 2020 and so any long-term changes will come into effect as of 1st January 2021.
Whilst some things are still a bit unclear about life post-Brexit, the Gov UK website has published guidance about what might change with regards to travelling to Europe and importing and exporting goods to and from EU countries.
Travelling to Europe by camper van or motorhome
As it stands, nothing has really changed about travelling to Europe throughout the ‘transition period’…
However if you’re planning on travelling to Europe in a camper van after 1st January 2021, the Government advises that you might have to do the following:
check your passport is valid
get travel insurance that covers your healthcare – EHIC (E111) will not be valid after this time
check you have the right driving documents – you might need an International Driving Permit (IDP) or a Green Card to drive your camper in some countries
organise pet travel - contact your vet at least 4 months before you go
purchase and display a GB sticker on your campervan/car
You should also check if you’ll be charged for mobile data whilst abroad and you may require a visa if you’re staying somewhere longer than 90 days or if you’re travelling for businesses.
Importing and exporting goods (including campervans!)
If you’re one of the lucky lot who’s already ordered a new VW campervan, or you’re thinking about buying one, there are a few things that we thought we’d clear up.
As it stands, there is currently 0% import tariff on European-built cars, but the Department for International Trade has said that this could increase to 10% if the Government fails to negotiate a free trade agreement with the EU between now and the end of the transition period.
Back in October 2019, VW Brand Sales and Marketing boss, Juergen Stackmann said: “If there are [import] tariffs, we will not be able to absorb them or compensate for the cost. We need to be realistic about the fact that cars would get more expensive for customers.”
He then went on to say that the VW Group would be stockpiling – importing as many vehicles as possible into the UK to delay the impact of such tariffs. However, with the surge in demand for campervans this year, we expect that many VW dealers will still need to import new vans. So you should check the terms of your purchase agreement carefully for any clauses regarding import tax(es). If it says that the buyer is ‘responsible for any variation or increase in tax(es)’ and your new van is being imported after 31st December, the price of your vehicle might go up considerably to accommodate for the new import costs.
We will aim to keep you posted if we hear any other Brexit-related campervan myths that need busting! Make sure that you follow us on Facebook to stay up to date with the latest news….