When travelling from the EU* to the UK you do not have to pay any tax or duty on goods you have bought in another EU country as long as tax was included in the price when you purchased the items, the items are for your own use, and have been transported to the UK by you. This includes gifts, but does not include any item that is intended to be used as payment or to be resold.

If you bring back large quantities of alcohol or tobacco, a Customs Officer is more likely to ask about the purposes for which you hold the goods. This will most likely be the case if you appear at the airport with more than:

• 3200 cigarettes

• 400 cigarillos

• 200 cigars

• 3 kg of smoking tobacco

• 110 litres of beer

• 10 litres of spirits

• 90 litres of wine

• 20 litres of fortified wine i.e.: port or sherry

Please note the following exceptions stand for these EU countries:

From Czech Republic - 200 cigarettes or 250g of smoking tobacco or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos
From Estonia - 200 cigarettes or 250g of smoking tobacco*
From Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia or Slovenia - 200 cigarettes*

*No limit of on other tobacco products as long as they are for your own use.

* The EU countries currently include: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus (Greek part), Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Irish Republic, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (but not the Canary Islands), Sweden and the United Kingdom (but not the Channel Islands).