My experience with FedEx Global Trade Services (Belgium) has been extremely disappointing. A legal shipment from Japan containing personal seals made of domesticated buffalo horn was blocked and returned due to arbitrary decision-making.
The sequence of errors at FedEx:
- Misunderstanding regarding the figure/amount: Customs clearance was initially blocked because FedEx believed the amounts on the invoice and the waybill did not match. They failed to understand that in the English/Japanese system, a comma is used for thousands and a point for decimals (136,330.00 JPY vs 136330.0 JYE).
- False claim regarding ivory: After clarifying the amount, the employee suddenly claimed that the shipment contained prohibited ivory.
- Ignoring legislation & common material: After I demonstrated that domesticated water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is a completely common material traded legally everywhere (used for hair combs, clothing buttons, etc.) and is explicitly excluded from CITES legislation, this was completely ignored.
- Hiding behind 'internal rules': Ultimately, it was dismissively stated that "FedEx has its own rules" prohibiting animal products, regardless of their legal status.
It is unacceptable that a courier service ignores European and national legislation and rejects legal, everyday material.