HM Revenue and Customs says:

"If you buy goods online from a country outside the European Union, for instance the USA, Canada, China, Australia you will be charged:

Customs Duty if the amount of duty is €10 (£7) or over
Import VAT if the value of the goods is €22 (£18) and over"

so it looks as if the €22 is EU-wide.

Still a pest though ...

Brian