Its the same for us on this side of the pond too.
I stopped buying from UK and Ebay-UK because of al the extra charges.
Last Ebay buy of 19 pound costed me, beside the usual postcost, 6 pound of extra charges (VAT-customscharges)
Used to pay just the asking price and postcosts and that was it.
Not good for buisness on both sides of the Northsea.