Honorary decorations

In some cases, when importing cups, honorary declarations, medals and similar objects from countries outside the EU, you are not required to pay customs duty or VAT.

Importing such goods free of customs duty and VAT is conditional on there not being any commercial reason for the importation.

The following goods are eligible for relief from customs duty and VAT:

1. decorations conferred by governments of third countries on persons whose normal place of residence is in the EU;
2. cups, medals and similar articles of an essentially symbolic nature which, having been awarded in a third country to persons having their normal place of residence in the EU; these articles should be presented as a tribute to the recipient’s activities in fields such as the arts, the sciences, sport or the public service or as in recognition for merit at a particular event; these articles must be imported into the EU by such persons themselves;
3. cups, medals and similar articles of an essentially symbolic nature which are given free of charge by authorities or persons established in a third country to be presented in the EU as a tribute to the recipient’s activities in fields such as the arts, the sciences, sport or the public service or as in recognition for merit at a particular event;
4. awards, trophies and souvenirs of a symbolic nature and of limited value intended for distribution free of charge to persons normally resident in third countries at business conferences or similar international events.
   

Enter the following codes in your customs declaration to apply for duty relief:

• Data element 99 05 000 000 – Nature of transaction: Search goods nomenclature
• Data element 14 11 000 000 – Preference: 100
• Data element 11 10 000 000 – Additional procedure:
  • C27 for goods according to point 1 + F45
  • C51 for goods according to point 2 + F45
  • C52 for goods according to point 3 + F45
  • C53 for goods according to point 4 + F45