I would suppose every EU country now holds any letter or package that comes outside EU. Either get it clarified as gift, that is cheap enough to not need to pay taxes. Or you just pay the import tax and VAT. Couple years ago they removed the "cheap value items for free" -deal, since so much cheap chinese stuff was flooding in, causing more losses than profit for postal system.
So even if sender would have marked its free gift, it goes to customs system that one needs to do the "paperwork" (online). Potentially pay the taxes and handling fees.
This is one thing that makes a lot of discogs purchases difficult. Even if there would be original release somewhere out there, its possible item price is very fair, yet seller may not ship overseas. If does, postage may be insane. Besides postage one would have to do import paperwork online, pay for taxes and handling fees that are pure extortion in some of countries. I recall in Belgium it was like 15 euro extra fee? Over here merely 3,10 euro per shipment after taxes, if comes via post. Couriers may ask more. So thinking that couple sellers have old pressing of release still in stock, one may still want that someone in EU would have it in mailorder. Not to mention discogs is also paypal only. I know still quite many people who do not have paypal. Some never had, some were kicked out and not allowed to get new one. So all this said, its sometimes quite funny to hear artists who is bitter or hopeless for items not selling out and being "seemingly wanted", when there is situation that even if you want it and it is out there, it is not like you could just buy it, if conditions are suddenly mean that even if sellers would take the order, that "cheap 10usd cd" would cost you 50 euro. Then you might just buy the other CD's you have available in distro you buy from. This type of thing never really "registers". Is there demand? Who would want certain new or old album? I feel it's sort of labels job to give it a try. Any opportunist can jump into trend of reissuing the hot and wanted. Good labels put out what they like, regardless is there visible "demand". That is one great thing about TRIBE TAPES. You look at the discography, and indeed, Randy Greif etc.. its great stuff, but unlikely to be "lets collect the cash from fans" -type of reissue, hah.
I know there is, and been also doing that, one element of self made releases, that it is a bit of challenge, a tiny element of testing who put the leg work in getting item. That is fine, but to me it appears a bit odd when it may manifest itself in a way that you need credit card, sign up into various systems, sign up into government databases to able to even receive orders etc. (Not to mention that if label or artists idea of this "leg work" is that everything revolves around them, and not some sort of dialogue and interaction.)
