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Customs

Customs duty

In short

Duty is a percentage set by the EU Common Customs Tariff for your commodity code, applied to the customs value of the goods. The two expensive mistakes are the wrong code and a customs value that leaves out freight.

Updated 20 August 2026 · Last reviewed 20 August 2026 · M. Homola, Founder, customs agent

Key takeaways

  • Duty rate comes from the 10-digit TARIC code, not from a product description.
  • Anti-dumping duty can be many times the normal rate. Check before you order.
  • Preferential origin can reduce duty to zero, but only with valid proof of origin.

The calculation

Duty = customs value × duty rate. The customs value is normally the transaction value plus freight and insurance to the point of entry into the EU. Getting the value right matters twice, because import VAT is charged on the value including the duty.

Duty rates quoted anywhere on this site are configurable content fields, not tariff advice. The binding source is TARIC.

This is general information, not advice for a specific shipment. Rules change; check the official source or ask us about your consignment.