Quote: For example if you or I try to buy something (NOT off ebay/amazon), let say a motorcycle part that's over £135 from the US. That seller would then be faced with having to pay the UK vat on that which is bad enough, but also have to pay £1000-1500 per year for an accountant over here. The logical and right assumption will be the seller will say, er terrible sorry sir, but we cannot and will not sell anything to any UK buyers period.As I've read it, it's the other way around. If the value of the individual package is under £135, then the EU (and non-EU) exporter is required to register for UK VAT, and charge you 20%. So you the UK customer doesn't have any more to pay. The problem is that the exporter is saying 'why should I bother to register for UK VAT, I'll just stop sending to UK'.
If the value is more than £135 then they do not charge VAT, but they do need to complete a Customs Declaration, and the VAT will be collected from you by the shipping company (Royal Mail etc) plus a handing fee. That's always been the case with imports from non EU countries, and now it applies to the EU as well. The only difference is that there are no Customs Duties to collect, as we have a Free Trade deal.