Canada and Greece enjoy a trade relationship with over $300 million per year in bilateral trade. The relationship is strengthened by the over 200,000 Canadians that claim Greek heritage with over 100,000 Canadians visiting Greece each year. Canadian companies need solutions for shipping to Greece from Canada. And vice versa.
Canada is a major exporter of goods such as wheat, lumber, and minerals, while Greece is known for its tourism and shipping industries. The Canadian - European Free Trade Agreement (CETA) has created opportunity for Canadian and Greek companies who need low cost delivery options.
Jet Worldwide provides Canadian and global logistics. Our support refers to the various systems and services regarding European and Canadian movement of goods. This can include things like transportation, storage facilities, and supply chain management. Our logistics support augments your team by not being beholden to a specific carrier or process.
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This shipping guide to Greece from explores of the main elements of international shipping between Canada and Greece:
Shipping to Greece from Canada
Disclaimer: The information in this blog is for general information only.
There are a few options for shipping freight between Greece and Canada.
When choosing a shipping method, you will need to consider factors such as the size and weight of your freight, the time frame in which you need it to arrive, and your budget. It may be helpful to compare quotes from different carriers to find the best option for your needs.
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Companies can choose between air cargo and sea freight. Cargo that ships via air usually deliver within around 1 week. Ocean cargo averages between 1 to 3 months door to door.
Less than container load - LCL - is a service that shares space in a container with different consignment. It requires and additional transit time to account for loading and de-consolidation.
Full container loads - FCL - can ship either via a 20 or 40 foot container.
Ocean cargo's many surcharges can add significant costs for smaller cargo shipments. Consignments up to around 100 kilograms often have a lower price via air versus ocean.
Read more: Shipping sea freight to and from Canada
Canada Post is the preferred option for individuals shipping small packages and personal items to Greece. Packages sent via Canada Post are imported to Greece and delivered by Greece Hellenic Post (the state owned provider of postal services in Greece).
FedEx and UPS are the largest carriers in North America. Along with DHL, offer dependable international express services from Canada to Athens and across Greece.
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FedEx and UPS shipping options to Greece from Canada Include:
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We are happy to help with your shipping between Canada and Greece. Provide information regarding the type of goods that will be shipped, and whether they are being sent? Fill in form below to hear back from our team.
Purolator Courier, a subsidiary of Canada Post, offers international parcel delivery from Canada to Athens via partners, such as UPS.
For shipments from Canada to Greece CAD $2,000 and abov require a Canadian export declaration. Goods with restrictions regardless a value require CERS.
Confirm compliance with Canadian Export Reporting System (CERS).
The default option for most international shipments from Canada to Greece si the term EXW. All import related costs assign to the consignee. Shippers from Canada can choose to pay the import fees on behalf of the receiver. Most carriers offer a Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) option.. Verify your understanding of IncoTerms
The disadvantage of paying import fees on behalf of the receiver is that they are not recoverable. The importing business in Greece may be able to claim back VAT.
Before shipping from Canada to Greece it is important to verify the EORI number of the consignee.
An Economic Operators Registration and Identification number (EORI number) is an E.U. identification number for businesses. The "economic operator" uses this number to import or export of good. An EORI number is part a necessary data point for EU customs authorities.
The EORI number exists out of two parts:
Greece customs assessed duty and taxes on the CIF value (Cost of the goods being imported plus the cost for transportation and insurance). Greece uses the Harmonized System HS codes to assess the rate of duty.
A description and value of the items must be included on the invoice for customs or other supporting documents.
Value added tax (VAT) in Greece is applied for shipments from Canada. The VAT in Greece is 23%. Some goods, such as books and newspapers, are charged a lesser rate (6.5%)
All goods imported to the EU are subject to VAT. E-commerce shipments valued under EUR 150 can be imported via One-Stop Shop (IOSS) processes that allow sellers and online marketplaces to charge VAT at the point of sale and remit it directly to the authorities. Verify compliance with IOCC and VAT prepayment to EU Countries
For details on IOSS and the otherEU’s VAT rules, visit: Publications Office of the European Union.
Most packages imported to Greece from an individual in Canada to an individual person in Greece with a value under €45 (around $65 CAD) can be imported duty fee. Many items shipped from a company Canada to Greece with a value under €150 can qualify for duty free entry but are subject to VAT. See section above regarding payment of VAT for e-commerce orders.
The European Canadian Free Trade agreement allows duty free entry of Canadian goods imported to Greece. In order to qualify for duty free status, the parcel must be accompanied by a certificate of origin and other supporting paperwork.
Useful information regarding a Certificate of Origin and verify when it is necessary.
Regarding duty free eligibility under CETA: Country origin rules are associated with factors used to determine if the product is eligible for preferential duty free treatment under CETA.
Fortunately for Canadians shipping to Greece, CETA rules don’t require a formal certificate in order to obtain tariff benefits. A declaration on the invoice or any other commercial document accompanying the shipment is enough.
Understanding the difference: Shipping goods from Canada and Canadian origin goods.
The CETA country of origin declaration has a specific wording, which is fairly straight forward (check with up to date regulations before shipping).
The common carrier shipping options from Greece to Canada include Hellenic Post (imported and delivered by Canada Post), DHL, FedEx and UPS.
Get a comparison shipping rate to verify cheapest shipping options Greece To Canada
FedEx and UPS Shipping Options from Greece to Canada Include:
Consignments imported from Greece to Canada are subject to duty and taxes. Most imports valued under CAD 20 can be clean duty-free and tax-free. Shipments under CAD 3 300 can be imported under Courier Low-Value Shipment (CLVS) processes.
Verify import duty and how it is calculated
Consignments containing Greek origin goods may benefit from preferential duty free entry under the CETA free trade agreement (see below).
Contact Jet’s logistics team to get an estimate of import fees
Common import fees to Canada can include duty, taxes and import fees.
The value for duty amount for all of Canada's free trade agreements (including qualified Greek origin goods CETA) for which the proof of origin / certificate of origin is up to $3,300 CAD.
For imports not exceeding $3,300 to Canada, the requirement for proof of origin is waived. The requirement on the importer to maintain records (for example, commercial invoice and B3) applies even if the CBSA does not require a certification of origin or if a requirement for a certification of origin has been waived.
Benefit from CANADA'S MAJOR FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) online portal streamlines the process of importing commercial goods to Canada. Read more about CARM
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