Anybody gone to Europeland this year? And needed a Carnet?

What do you think you need the carnet for? I was told yonks back I would need one because I take a laptop with me when I travel there, but I have been in and out of Europe with a laptop, camera, iPad and other goods which the .GOV website and the travel advisors say mean I need a carnet and I've had no problems. I know people in bands who have had issues with musical instruments needing carnet, but that seems to be more of a problem for Europeland people wanting to come here. It seems the UK is more interested in enforcing the painful elements of Brexit than the EU nations do. I have even had certain countries let me still use the "EU citizen fast track" rather than sit in the "rest of the world" queue at their airports. Although I have also seen British passport holders sent back for trying that in some places...

I looked into it when I thought I would need one and it was like £400+

#1 drive racecar to event (tiring) , #2 trailer racecar to event (less tiring) or #3 pay for a place on a transporter (eye wateringly expensive) .[/quote]

If only you had a transporter or lorry of your own.

Yes, but 3800 miles at a maximum of 50mph in a wooden box on top of a 5.9 litre diesel 'six' with no sound deadening. I'm going to pass on the Goddess this time.

Congratulations! With your love of old lorries you've just passed the interview for the position of 2nd riding mechanic on the trip down. Your job is to sleep in the wagon at night, fight off thieves, especially on the Marseille/Tunis ferry and brew the tea. I'll be in touch.

I'm glad that there is some sense being seen over the process there, I have a few friends in bands who had been unable to tour and some bands unable to come across from the mainland because of it.

Where I work we ship a lot of prototype cars around Europe. If they go on a truck they have a carnet. Ours are arranged the transport company we use and cost about £1000 per car. If it's road-legal, you're driving it and it's your personal car you don't need one. But you may have issues if you're transporting a lot of spares/tools/tyres. That may need a carnet even if the car doesn't.

If you're driving a car, at the border they won't care. The ferry/tunnel people won't care. It's only if you get stopped by the police for any reason and they ask for your documents, then it will get complicated. We regularly drove cars out to Europe until one incident where a car was stopped (I think in Austria) and impounded until duty was paid on it. Since then everything gets a carnet whether it's driven or shipped on a truck. It's costing a fortune and it's a PITA. If you're driving with a carnet you have to stop at Sevington Inland Border Facility on the M20 and get it stamped. Then stop when you enter France and get it stamped. Then repeat on the return journey. Hope to God you're not passing through Switzerland. You need all the stamps for the carnet to be closed. We've had to drive cars back to France to get a missing stamp before now.

None of that applies if you're drivng your personal car, so going on holiday isn't an issue. I don't know the current situation for race cars on trailers. At the start of Brexit the MSA were warning that some authorities in Europe were being especially bureaucratic and race cars stand out as easy targets. It's possible they've negotiated a more sensible agreement since then. I'd go with what they advise. Yes, it's possible to get away with it, but you don't want to get stiffed for ££££s in duty.

How would it work if you drive a car with a trailer and someone else drives the race car but put it on the trailer on "some parts"

This, as the TLDR broadly speaking, but tools and spares can change that dynamic.

I've only done it myself once with a mate, without a Carnet, but that was just a car, and a one off.

But in the trackday world, where folks have had track cars, even with an MOT and Reg etc. but with tools, folks have got away with it. But some haven't, and it's down to the interpretation of whoever is at the docks. I.e are you a trader etc. or taking things across you should be declaring, and they suspect it.

It's worth joining Track Time on Facebook, and seeking out a chap called Nigel Pinder, who is pinderwagen on here, but I don't think he comes on here much anymore. He has done the trip to Europe several times a year, for years, with a variety of folks. He himself has a Carnet, purely to avoid the hassle. He has a road registered car, with tools, and tyres etc.

If it's a business venture however, you need a Carnet, and I wouldn't even bother taking things with you. A mate, colleague and an ex-mag journo bod I know barely take over many spares like oil etc. as it's simply not worth the hassle of declaring things, and risk getting caught for them if they don't. After all, they have day jobs at the end of the day which don't revolve around declaring things.