Going out, the goods need a UK export declaration and an EU import declaration: depending on the arrangements, they are cleared where they enter the EU or travel on under customs transit to be cleared in the Netherlands. Coming back, they are exported from the EU and imported into the UK. Canal-house deliveries need planning, so tell us the floor and the size of the piece when you ask for a quote.
The route at a glance
| Route | London and Amsterdam, either direction |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | Van, by road |
| Crossing | The Channel and the road through France and Belgium, or a North Sea ferry to the Netherlands, chosen for each job |
| Customs position | Going out: UK export, then EU import, at entry or under transit at destination. Coming back: the reverse. No declarations at internal EU borders. |
| What is included | Collection, the drive, delivery and handover, with customs paperwork handled as part of the job. Pieces are normally wrapped by you; we can wrap them at an extra cost. |
The journey
Two crossings suit this route. The short sea crossing to France leaves a longer drive north through Belgium; the North Sea ferries from the east coast of England land in the Netherlands itself. The choice depends on where the job starts in the UK and how the timing falls, and we tell you which one when we quote.
Where the goods are cleared into the EU depends on how the job is set up. They can be cleared where the van first enters the EU, in France for example, and then drive on through Belgium into the Netherlands with no further declaration, because those borders are inside the EU. Or they can travel under customs transit and be cleared at a customs office in the Netherlands. Which one applies is agreed with you, and with any agent, before collection.
Amsterdam canal houses are tall and narrow, and the stairs are often too steep and tight for a large frame or a piece of furniture. Big items usually go in through a front window on a hoist fixed to the gable. If the address is a canal house, tell us early, with the floor, the stair and window sizes, and who will arrange the hoist.
Galleries, dealers and design shops in the city often take deliveries at a shop door or goods entrance on a narrow street, where there is little room to stop. Send the address, any delivery window and a contact on the day with the request.
Paperwork for this route
Where the EU import is declared
The goods need an EU import declaration. Depending on the arrangements, it is made where they enter the EU, which may be France or the Netherlands depending on the crossing, or they travel under customs transit and it is made at a customs office elsewhere, often near the destination. The UK export declaration is made in Great Britain either way. The Dutch receiver should know where the goods were cleared, since that is where the import record sits.
EORI numbers for dealers and private owners
A dealer or gallery moving stock between London and Amsterdam needs a GB EORI number for the UK side. A collector moving their own painting that is not controlled and is for personal use may not need one; the carrier or agent can use their name and address. Some art is controlled, so check the export licence question first.
Sales and auctions in the Netherlands
Work sent to an Amsterdam auction or dealer to be sold is a full export, because it may not come back. Work sent for viewing or an exhibition and expected home can travel under an ATA Carnet or temporary admission instead. Tell us which it is, because the two need different papers from the start.
Export licences in both directions
Some works need a UK export licence from Arts Council England before they leave Great Britain, depending on category, age and value. On the way back, certain cultural goods leaving the EU need an EU export licence from the country where they were lawfully located, and some cultural goods entering the EU now need an import licence or importer statement.
Protected materials in antiques and design
Antique furniture with ivory escutcheons, tortoiseshell boxes and some tropical hardwoods can fall under CITES, which needs permits from both countries. Tell us about any such material when you first describe the piece.
Questions about London and Amsterdam
Do you use the ferry from England to the Netherlands?
Where it suits the job. The route is chosen for each consignment, and we tell you how your piece will travel when we quote.
The piece will not go up the stairs. What happens?
Many canal houses take large items in through a window with a hoist. Send the measurements and the floor, and we will talk through what is possible before the day.
I am a private individual moving my own painting. Do I need an EORI number?
Not always. Goods for personal use that are not controlled may not need one, and an agent can use your name and address instead.