I'd like to buy a MacBook at a Swiss Apple Store and take it with me to France. Will I have to pay duty/VAT at the border?
I'd like to buy it in Switzerland because it's about 200 euros cheaper.
Is there a way to avoid paying extra at the border?
Best Answer
No, there isn't, apart from smuggling. Proving it's for personal use does not completely exempt you from VAT (or duty, but VAT is the biggie in this case), it only allows you to benefit from the €300/430 allowance (otherwise, you are in principle taxed from the first euro).
Also: It's not a coincidence. Taking the cheapest MacBook as an example, the price in Switzerland is CHF 1399, minus 8% VAT, that's CHF 1295 or EUR 1210. The same model cost EUR 1449 in France, minus 20% VAT, that's EUR 1207. It's been that way for years, even as the CHF moved relative to the EUR.
Listed price is exactly the same in Germany, the Netherlands, which all have a VAT rate around 20% (±1) but you can save about €50 by buying in Luxembourg where VAT is 17% (it's in the EU and eurozone so paying and taking your laptop with you is hassle-free and completely legal).
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