did i get this right? today i really realized that there is really no VAT (value added tax) in the US (because there is a sales tax system?) and so if you imported products from EU countries (example) you don't have to pay any import VAT. this only leaves the special excise tax (gasoline, cigarettes, alcohol?) and tariffs. as a german citizen i always have to pay 19% import VAT to my govt when i import something from the US, so it's mind boggling that this was not an issue for USians so far