The Benefits of Utilizing EU Duty Suspensions for Your Product Imports
- Arne Mielken
- Nov 24, 2023
- 4 min read
Unlock the secrets to EU duty suspensions with our comprehensive guide! Discover how to import products at 0% duty rates and save big. Date of last Update: 27.11.2023
Latest Update
Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2283 opening and providing for the management of autonomous tariff quotas of the Union for certain agricultural and industrial products
What are Customs Duty suspensions?
Customs Duty suspensions have been put in place as exceptions to the normal application of the regular customs duty rate. They can give either full or partial relief from the usual duties that are put on imported goods. You can also ask the EU to suspend as many items as you want, subject to approval with (quota) or without limits (suspension).
Note: They do not change anti-dumping taxes, which stay the same.
Why have Customs Duty suspensions?
The primary objective of tariff suspensions is to allow Union firms to use raw materials, semi-finished items, or components without being obligated to pay the standard tariffs specified in the common customs tariff. More broadly, low tariffs are required to promote competition in some economic sectors, such as the information technology and pharmaceutical industries. This increases their ability to compete, generate jobs, update systems, etc.
What products can benefit from Customs Duty suspensions?
Suspensions are only suggested when they are likely to help the Union economy and only after a careful analysis of the economic justifications for the requests have been made. Suspensions are normally granted to
raw materials,
semi-finished goods or
components not available within the EU.
But no suspensions are usually granted for finished products.
Can I buy and sell goods imported under duty suspensions in the EU?
Imported goods that fall under the suspension provisions are considered in a state of free circulation and are granted the privilege of unrestricted movement inside the European Union (EU). Moreover, once a suspension is authorised, it is typically accessible to operators in any Member State.
The list of goods with suspended customs duty changes regularly
A list of the products currently under suspension is regularly amended (in January and July each year) to consider new requests presented by the Member States. Contact us to discuss if and how you can benefit from duty suspensions.
How to apply for custom duty suspension
Every application for a tariff suspension or quota must first be made to Turkey (Custom Union) or a central office in each member state. Turkey and the Member States are responsible for ensuring that the request satisfies the requirements and that all relevant information is delivered accurately. The request is sent to the Commission by Turkey or the Member States. Subsequently, the Autonomous Suspensions and Quotas Measures Management System registers the requests for tariff suspension and quotas.
How long is a tariff suspension valid in the EU?
When an autonomous tariff suspension takes effect, it remains valid for five years, renewable (or until a European company objects to its renewal). To ensure
sufficient use (beyond the 15,000 euros in customs duties saved per year), the European Commission carries out statistical monitoring.
How Customs Manager Ltd can help
We have been assisting clients for many years with the successful application of tariff suspensions, saving our customers thousands of Euros. Please contact if you would like to discuss how to apply for or renew duty suspensions.
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