Importing from China: how duty, VAT and freight work
China is the world’s largest producer of goods and, for many Swedish companies, the most important sourcing market. The prices are hard to beat, but the way home runs through Swedish Customs. The commodity code, customs value, CE requirements and import VAT must all be right, or the goods get stuck in the port.
EasyTull takes care of the whole clearance. You send the invoice and the transport documents, we do the rest.
What does it cost to import from China?
Three things decide the final bill: the duty rate, the customs value and the import VAT. China has no free trade agreement with the EU, so the full duty rate applies to most of what you buy.
Want the amount for your particular shipment? Calculate duty and VAT in our duty calculator, which fetches the duty rate from the customs tariff and converts at the official exchange rate. Missing the commodity code? Search the HS code for free.
The customs value is the price of the goods plus freight and insurance up to the EU border. The duty is added to that, and the VAT is calculated on the sum of both. VAT-registered companies report the import VAT to the Swedish Tax Agency and normally deduct it in the same return.
Value of the goods
60 000 kr
Freight and insurance
10 000 kr
Customs value
70 000 kr
Duty, 12%
8 400 kr
VAT base
78 400 kr
Import VAT, 25%
19 600 kr
The VAT is normally deductible. The real cost for a VAT-registered company is the duty of 8 400 kr.
Duty rates on common goods from China
The duty rate is set by the commodity code, not by what the supplier calls the product. Here are approximate levels for common categories.
Product category
Without documents
With the right documents
Consumer electronics
0 %
Phones, computers and most consumer electronics are duty-free
Clothing
12 %
One of the higher rates, applies to most apparel
Footwear
8–17 %
Depends on material and construction
Furniture
0–5 %
Most furniture is duty-free or close to zero
Toys
0–4,7 %
Remember the CE requirements
Tools
0–8,5 %
Varies between hand tools and machinery
Plastic goods
6,5 %
Applies to many household and storage products
Bicycles
14 %
Anti-dumping duty is added, see below
Send us the product sheet and we find the right commodity code.
Anti-dumping duties: the extra duty many miss
The EU protects certain industries against underpriced goods from China with special additional duties. They are added on top of the ordinary duty rate and can multiply the cost of the whole consignment.
The list changes continuously. As recently as July 2026, new rules for tyres arrived. Always check before you order, not when the container is already standing in Gothenburg.
When the new tyre rules arrived in July 2026, our customer was not aware of them. We caught it before the order was placed and saved the customer SEK 110,000.
Tyres
new rules July 2026
Bicycles and e-bikes
up to 79%
Ceramic tableware and kitchenware
up to 36%
Screws, bolts and fasteners
up to 86%
Certain steel and aluminium products
varies
CE marking: you bear the responsibility, not the factory
When you import from China, you count as the product’s representative within the EU. It is you who must be able to show that it meets the safety requirements, not the Chinese manufacturer.
A CE mark printed on the product is not enough. If the documentation behind it is missing, Swedish Customs can stop the goods, and products already sold may have to be recalled.
What you should demand from the supplier
EU declaration of conformity (Declaration of Conformity)
Test reports from an accredited laboratory
Technical documentation for the product
Correct marking on the product and the packaging
Unsure what applies to your particular product?
Call +46 31 755 77 76 or email info@easytull.com. You get a reply within 10 minutes.
Sea, rail, air or express?
The choice depends on volume, budget and how urgent it is. We clear the goods however they arrive, from container imports via Gothenburg to express parcels. Need the freight as well? We arrange transport through our forwarding partners, so freight and clearance are booked in one. Selling to China as well? Here is our guide on exporting to China.
30–50
days
Sea freight
The cheapest per kilo. Full container (FCL) or consolidated (LCL) for smaller consignments.
18–25
days
Rail freight
A middle ground in both price and time. A stable timetable for medium volumes.
5–10
days
Air freight
For urgent or high-value goods where holding stock costs more than the freight.
3–6
days
Express
DHL, FedEx and UPS door to door. Suits samples and smaller shipments.
Incoterms from China: why we recommend FOB
The delivery term decides who pays what and who bears the risk. From China, the recommendation looks different from within Europe.
FOB
Free On Board
The supplier loads the goods on board the vessel in the Chinese port. From there you are responsible for the freight, any insurance and the import clearance.
EXW
Ex Works
The cheapest on paper, but you are also responsible for the export out of China. Requires an experienced forwarder.
CIF
Cost, Insurance & Freight
The freight is included to the Swedish port, but local port charges are often added and increase the cost.
DDP
Delivered Duty Paid: not recommended
Chinese sellers like to promise that everything is included. In practice the VAT is often wrong, and you bear the risk at a post-clearance audit.
The documents that must be in place
We review everything before the declaration is lodged, so the goods are not left standing in customs.
A commercial invoice with the real price
Chinese suppliers sometimes offer a low invoice for customs. Say no. Undervaluation is a customs offence, and it is the importer who is held to account.
Packing list
Number of packages, weight, volume and dimensions per item
Bill of Lading or Air Waybill
B/L for sea freight, AWB for air, CMR if the goods arrive by road
CE documentation
Test reports and the EU declaration for products that require them
Certificate of origin
Needed in some cases, among other things to decide whether anti-dumping duty applies
EORI number
Required for every company that imports. If you don’t have one, we handle the EORI application for you.
How it works when we handle your China imports
Send the documents
Commercial invoice, packing list and transport document. That is enough for us to get started.
We check everything
Commodity code, duty rate, anti-dumping and CE requirements are reviewed before anything is sent to Swedish Customs.
The declaration is lodged
Normally ready within two hours after we receive complete documents.
You get the figures
The customs invoice and VAT figures are delivered ready for your bookkeeping.
Prefer us to check the product before you order? We do that too.
Send the invoice, and a customs specialist replies within 10 minutes
Attach the commercial invoice and the transport details and we come back with what is required, what it costs and when the declaration will be ready. Calling works just as well.
The same customs specialist every time
Ready within 2 hours
Fixed price, no lock-in
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Questions and answers about importing from China
Can’t find the answer? We reply within 10 minutes.
How much does it cost to import from China?
Expect duty at the goods’ duty rate, import VAT of 25 per cent for most goods, and the freight. VAT-registered companies normally deduct the VAT. Clothing worth SEK 60,000 with SEK 10,000 in freight gives, for example, SEK 8,400 in duty.
What is the duty on goods from China?
It is set by the commodity code. Electronics are often duty-free, while clothing is at 12 per cent and footwear up to 17 per cent. China has no free trade agreement with the EU, so the duty rate cannot be reduced with a proof of origin.
Can I trust DDP from a Chinese seller?
We advise against it. The seller promises that duty and VAT are included, but the VAT handling is often wrong, and it is you as the buyer who bears the risk at an audit. Choose FOB and handle the clearance on your side instead.
What is anti-dumping duty?
An extra duty the EU imposes on certain product groups from China to protect European industry, for example bicycles, ceramics and fasteners. It comes on top of the ordinary duty rate and can exceed 80 per cent. Always check before you order.
Must products from China be CE marked?
Many product groups require it, including electronics, toys and machinery. As the importer, you are responsible for the marking and the documentation behind it being correct.
Do I need an EORI number?
Yes, every company that imports needs an EORI number with Swedish Customs. If you don’t have one, we help you apply. It usually takes under an hour.
Ready to import from China?
Send the invoice and we take care of the rest: commodity code, customs value, declaration and the VAT figures.
Ready within 2 hours
Your own customs expert
Reply within 10 min, or the declaration is on us
Call +46 31 755 77 76 or email info@easytull.com
More customs guides: Exporting to China · Importing from Turkey · Importing from the USA · Duty calculator · HS code search · EORI number · Import declarations · Export declarations · Customs broker
