GPSR - COLLECTABLES OVER 100 YEARS OLD - ANTIQUES AND VINTAGE QUERY

[moonspender]

So looking at the FAQ's GPSR applies to items categorised as Collectibles., however above it says that antiques are excluded from GPSR so in the collectables section when listing an item if asks in the item specifics is the item antique ? If you say yes does this exclude the item from the GPSR regs ?

Also there must be millions of items that are vintage. For example we have quite a few photos we sell from the 1930's, took by an individuals, no makers name on them, can we no longer sell these to the EU ? if so thats insane.

[spence0175]

Would you have to prove it to be antique.

i sometimes sell some type of  Dh furniture. The company started in the early 20s and went onto the early 40s. What items would be classed as the antiques and the later items not. They made the same range for years
What date are they specifying that something is antique. Would it have to 100 years to the dot.

[cobwebcottage]

I don't know the answer to your questions so I will exclude Europe and NI on all my listings when the time comes.

[moonspender]

Generally antiques are considered over 100 years only but proving its another matter as its opinion so for example you could pay an expert to confirm he believes an item is over 100 years old but that would mean the trade in international antique would grind to a halt.

Something like youve suggested is likely to be datable through research though not easy but lets say you have a caved wooden bowl .. no makrs on it ... impossible to date or confirm the manufacturer is that therefor now unsellable to the EU ?

[spence0175]

I think as Cobwebcottage above says, it will be the end of us vintage sellers, selling to EU and NI. 
You could find someone to certify something was antique but how much would that cost and when you have many items to sell like I do it would be virtually impossible to adhere to every single one.

[moonspender]

Agreed, its not viable, unless there is better clarification we will exclude EU and NI

[magpiecorner1]

Have you found any indication that, under this legislation 'antique' is referring to items over 100 years?  I haven't found this information.

Now, to me and to you 'antique' is items over 100 years, but is that the case throughout the world or even throughout the EU?   Because 'vintage' is seemingly a different age range even on different platforms in the UK.  

Would have made much more sense to indicate items over 100 years are exempt, then it would include items in any category.  But legislation, especially EU legislation, is never very sensible.

[moonspender]

I think its a general worldwide thing looking at google, however, the EU seem to clarify it a little more in the new import licensing regulation for cultural goods (2019/880) affecting the import of antiques / antiquities into the EU that comes into force in the EU on June 28, 2025, for more info search news  " import licensing regulation for cultural goods (2019/880 "

Found this out today and from what i see even if we get over this fence this new regulation is likely to cause more problems especially for small sellers selling antiquities

[stampsnallsorts]

Below is a copy of a letter I have just sent to Dept for Trade and Industry on this subject.

How can a business continue to trade into Europe after Dec 13th 2024 under GPSR as collectibles are now to be included in this regulation. In my field of trade most of my products are less than 100 years. It would be impossible to provide the required information for my products as in most cases manufacturers are either not known or no longer trading.
IE -
1. - Kiloware stamps sold by weight as collected by charities. The stamps contained could come from any country in the world of any age used or unused.
2. A collection of items stamps, coin or postcards etc. Same applies.

This not only will effect my business but thousands of businesses across the UK if we have to adhere to this regulation as it stands. The way I see it after the 13th Dec I will have no option but to cease all trade with the EU.

I am an eBay concierge member and as yet eBay have no answer to this problem.

What the heck are UK businesses in our field supposed to do?

HELP PLEASE.

[moonspender]

Yes i plan to do the same as well as contact political parties as they are likely not be aware the impact this will have on the supply chain ... same with the EU, they will need far less customs officials and couriers / post people !

[stampsnallsorts]

It is not eBay that have put collibles into this but the EU. GPSR refers to ALL NON FOOD PRODUCTS.

When I get an answer I will post it here

[moonspender]

I decided to read the regulations and found the following are ok, stamps and coins dont need to be over 100 years old. Still excludes most vintage stuff though. Ive attached the links and tried to make it easy to follow

main page

https://commission.europa.eu/business-economy-euro/doing-business-eu/eu-product-safety-and-labelling...

UK document

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32023R0988

Antiques, such as works of art or collectors’ items are specific categories of products which cannot be expected to meet the safety requirements laid down by this Regulation, and should therefore be excluded from its scope. However, in order to prevent other products from being mistakenly considered as belonging to those categories, it is necessary to take into account that works of art are products created solely for artistic purposes, that collectors’ items are of sufficient rarity and historical or scientific interest to justify their collection and preservation, and that antiques, if they are not already works of art or collectors’ items or both, are of an extraordinary age. When assessing whether a product is an antique, such as a work of art or a collector’s item, Annex IX to Council Directive 2006/112/EC (13) could be taken into account.

Annex IX to Council Directive 2006/112/EC (

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L:2006:347:FULL

ANNEX IX

WORKS OF ART, COLLECTORS' ITEMS AND ANTIQUES, AS REFERRED TO IN POINTS (2), (3) AND (4) OF ARTICLE 311(1)

PART A

Works of art

(1)

Pictures, collages and similar decorative plaques, paintings and drawings, executed entirely by hand by the artist, other than plans and drawings for architectural, engineering, industrial, commercial, topographical or similar purposes, hand-decorated manufactured articles, theatrical scenery, studio back cloths or the like of painted canvas (CN code 9701);

(2)

original engravings, prints and lithographs, being impressions produced in limited numbers directly in black and white or in colour of one or of several plates executed entirely by hand by the artist, irrespective of the process or of the material employed, but not including any mechanical or photomechanical process (CN code 9702 00 00);

(3)

original sculptures and statuary, in any material, provided that they are executed entirely by the artist; sculpture casts the production of which is limited to eight copies and supervised by the artist or his successors in title (CN code 9703 00 00); on an exceptional basis, in cases determined by the Member States, the limit of eight copies may be exceeded for statuary casts produced before 1 January 1989;

(4)	tapestries (CN code 5805 00 00) and wall textiles (CN code 6304 00 00) made by hand from original designs provided by artists, provided that there are not more than eight copies of each;

(5)	individual pieces of ceramics executed entirely by the artist and signed by him;

(6)	enamels on copper, executed entirely by hand, limited to eight numbered copies bearing the signature of the artist or the studio, excluding articles of jewellery and goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares;

(7)	photographs taken by the artist, printed by him or under his supervision, signed and numbered and limited to 30 copies, all sizes and mounts included.

PART B

Collectors' items

(1)	Postage or revenue stamps, postmarks, first-day covers, pre-stamped stationery and the like, used, or if unused not current and not intended to be current (CN code 9704 00 00);

(2)	collections and collectors' pieces of zoological, botanical, mineralogical, anatomical, historical, archaeological, palaeontological, ethnographic or numismatic interest (CN code 9705 00 00).

PART C

Antiques

Goods, other than works of art or collectors' items, which are more than 100 years old (CN code 9706 00 00).

[moldosgifts]

Is it another brexit benefit?

Or does this effect all sellers no matter where you are based ie french seller selling to germany.

[ett1954]

Nothing to do with Brexit; just EU bureaucracy.  In theory it applies to any cross-border trade whether within or outside of the EU.

It will be interesting to see how, for example, German and French buyers react when selling to another EU country from their local eBay site.  Will these rules be enforced?  Are eBay advising their members on these sites of the new rules?

[santlache_sales]

Not a problem in my line - Coins & Medals - They are all dated or have a monarch's effigy.

Although for the last 10 months or so I don't understand why eBay withhold any Medals listed for 24 hours in the Collectables section before they become 'live'.

Only with medals does this happen, nothing else we list and they won't even appear in our Shop until 24 hours has passed.

[stampsnallsorts]

Found this today well worth readings. So I read this as collectibles I sell will be classed as excempt as we cannot fulfil the required information. That refers to stamps, coins, postcards the main cats I sell.

luckily I only sell 1 line of brand new goods on an ongoing basis and I have uploaded the require information about my Chinese supplier. I am not sure about another line I have on clearance, remnants from my old sportswear company I closed down 10 years ago. Still have quite a bit of stock from numerous suppliers. I may have to excluded these from EU & NI

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32023R0988

In article 3 - definitions para 28

(28)	‘antiques’ means products, such as collectors’ items or works of art, in relation to which consumers cannot reasonably expect that they fulfil state-of-the-art safety standards.

[ett1954]

You would need to verify that your items conform to the EU's definition of antiques and collectibles:

"Antiques, such as works of art or collectors’ items are specific categories of products which cannot be expected to meet the safety requirements laid down by this Regulation, and should therefore be excluded from its scope. However, in order to prevent other products from being mistakenly considered as belonging to those categories, it is necessary to take into account that works of art are products created solely for artistic purposes, that collectors’ items are of sufficient rarity and historical or scientific interest to justify their collection and preservation, and that antiques, if they are not already works of art or collectors’ items or both, are of an extraordinary age. When assessing whether a product is an antique, such as a work of art or a collector’s item, Annex IX to Council Directive 2006/112/EC could be taken into account."

"extraordinary age" - Now there's a very subjective descriptor.  100 years or 500 years?

Your poison bottles may cause some consternation with the bureaucrats who don't understand these things 😂

[stampsnallsorts]

I am leaning towards blocking all sale to EU and NI and save myself an auful lot of hassle. Thank goodness I am working towards retirement

[bzmotman]

"that collectors’ items are of sufficient rarity and historical or scientific interest to justify their collection and preservation"

Very subjective - whats rare to me may be common to you. My main line is vintage/antique overseas transport tickets. I'm currently selling a few tickets from the Japanese occupation of Manchuria in the 1930s. I doubt anyone at Ebay or in the EU Commission would have any idea what they are or whether they are rare or not but I can see Ebay refusing to let me offer them to the EU.

For collectables I forsee that the usual Ebay sledgehammer to crack a nut will be the greatest problem.

The EU document that @stampsnallsorts posted the link to gives CN codes [HSS codes] for exempt items.

Will Ebay go by these & the very broad definition of a collectors item? There is currently no box available on listings for Exempt from the GPSR so how is it to be monitored.

As usual Ebay have provided insufficient information for sellers to make an informed judgement. Do I continue to buy stock suited to my EU buyers? sell off what I have? stick my head in the sand & cross my fingers?

[ett1954]

"I'm currently selling a few tickets from the Japanese occupation of Manchuria in the 1930s" - I would have thought there would be a market for these in China, and possibly Japan.  I sell a lot of military and aviation mags and newspapers from the 1930s through to 1960.  China is my biggest international market by a long way at the moment.

The good news; neither country is impacted by this new ruling.