Taking precious metals across a border
What the EU and a few customs services say about gold, silver, platinum and palladium in your luggage. Each source is named under the sentences that rest on it.
The rule at the EU's external border
Anyone entering or leaving the EU with €10,000 or more in cash declares it to customs in the country where they cross the border.
That applies at the EU's external border: on entering or leaving its territory, not between two EU countries.
This rule, Regulation (EU) 2018/1672, has applied since 3 June 2021.
What counts
Cash means currency, bearer-negotiable instruments, prepaid cards and commodities used as highly liquid stores of value.
Those commodities are gold coins with at least 90% gold and gold bars, nuggets or clumps with at least 99.5% gold.
Only what the annex of the regulation lists counts, and it lists only gold: silver, platinum and palladium are not covered by the EU declaration.
Shipping instead of carrying
When €10,000 or more crosses the external border by post, freight or courier, customs may require the sender or recipient to disclose it within 30 days.
Within the EU
Some EU countries have their own rules on cash carried between EU countries. Those are not part of the EU rule.
The Netherlands
If you travel to or from a country outside the EU with money and/or gold worth €10,000 or more in total, you declare it to Dutch customs.
If you travel directly between the Netherlands and another EU country, you do not need to declare anything to Dutch customs.
Not declaring, or declaring incompletely or incorrectly, can lead to a fine of at least €1,000, and also to a prison sentence.
Germany
Anyone travelling to or from a country outside the EU with €10,000 or more in cash declares it to German customs (Zoll).
Germany counts platinum and silver, and gold below 90% or 99.5%, as equivalent means of payment: you declare those orally when customs asks.
For investment coins, German customs uses their actual value, not their face value.
Source: Zoll, Anmelde- und Anzeigepflicht Drittländer
Between Germany and another EU country too, you declare cash and equivalent means of payment totalling €10,000 or more orally when customs asks.
Anyone who fails to do so, or does so incompletely, risks a fine of up to one million euros.
France
Besides the EU rule, France has a rule of its own for cash going to or coming from another EU country.
Anyone who does not declare risks a fine of up to half the amount.
Source: Douane, Obligation déclarative d'argent liquide
French customs counts gold coins with at least 90% gold and bars with at least 99.5% gold.
From €50,000, the declaration must include proof of origin.
Singapore
Anyone entering or leaving Singapore with more than S$20,000 in currency and bearer-negotiable instruments reports it to the police.
That reporting requirement does not extend to goods.
Source: Ministry of Home Affairs Singapore, written reply of 8 May 2023
This is not legal advice. Rules change, and the customs of the country where you cross the border decide: check with them before you leave.