European Union case kit
For when the free letter has not worked: everything you need to follow up, escalate and use the official route, in one place. Templates and information, not legal advice.
You may not need this. For a single €7.50 Deutsche Post fee, the free letter is usually enough. Buy the kit only if the amount at stake is clearly larger than its price.
What is inside
- Evidence checklist. What to gather before you write or call, so the first reply can be a decision.
- Follow-up letter. For when the carrier or seller has not answered your first (free) letter.
- Escalation letter. A formal complaint asking for a final answer, naming the official route you will use next.
- Official form walkthroughs. Which form or route applies, when, where to file and the deadline, with the official link.
- Deadline calendar. Every legal clock for the country, and how to turn them into calendar reminders on your device.
- Phone script. What to say, what to ask for, and what to write down during the call.
Routes covered
- PostNL: object to clearance charges (postnl.nl)
- IOSS VAT refund from the seller (taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu)
- Carrier handling fees (eur-lex.europa.eu)
- Netherlands: reclaim after return · 90 days after the return (douane.nl)
- Ireland: Revenue refund claim (revenue.ie)
- Other EU countries Unconfirmed (taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu)
Get the kit
Not on sale yet. These templates are waiting for review by a qualified lawyer. Checkout opens after that review.
Not legal advice
Parcelsline is not a law firm, carrier, customs authority or broker. You adapt and send everything yourself. Nothing in the kit guarantees a refund.
Free preview: evidence checklist
- The carrier or post notice showing VAT, duty and handling fee separately
- Order confirmation, including whether VAT was charged at checkout (IOSS) and the seller's IOSS number if shown
- Proof of payment
- Proof of return (return label, post office receipt, return tracking) if you sent it back
- Tracking history screenshots from the official site
- Item list: what each item is and how many different kinds (for the €3 per item type duty)
Deadlines in the calendar
- Reclaim import charges after a return within 90 calendar days (douane.nl)
You can already add these to your calendar for free from the decoder.
Fees it helps with (examples)
- Deutsche Post / DHL Paket advance fee: €7.50 when import charges arise (Auslagepauschale). (dhl.de)
- PostNL clearance fee: €10 per parcel up to €150; €16 above, and €16 for extended declarations even below €150 (alcohol, perfume, tobacco, licensed goods). PostNL counts the product lines the sender declared for the €3 duty. (postnl.nl)