Importing from Turkey: duty-free with the right certificate
Turkey has something no other country outside the EU has: a customs union with the EU. Industrial goods, textiles included, can be imported entirely free of duty. Everything hinges on a single document, the A.TR certificate, and on knowing when it applies and when it does not.
EasyTull knows the Turkey flows. We check the documents, classify the goods and declare within two hours.
The A.TR certificate: the key to zero duty
The customs union between the EU and Turkey means industrial goods move duty-free in both directions. The proof is the A.TR certificate, which the Turkish seller arranges and which must accompany the shipment.
The obligation to declare does not go away. Every shipment is cleared through Swedish Customs, and import VAT is always added. But with a valid A.TR, the duty rate is zero.
If the certificate is missing at the border, the full EU duty rate is charged. It can often be arranged afterwards, but that delays the goods and costs extra work. Ask for the A.TR already in the order.
A.TR is not a proof of origin
The A.TR does not show where the goods were manufactured, but that they are in free circulation within the customs union between the EU and Turkey. This differs from trade with, for example, Norway and the UK, where duty preferences are normally based on the origin of the goods.
That is why even goods originating outside Turkey can qualify for duty-free treatment with an A.TR, provided they have been released into free circulation in Turkey and the other conditions are met.
The exceptions are agricultural goods plus coal and steel. Other documents apply there, see below.
The right document for the right type of goods
The most common and most expensive mistake in Turkey imports is sending the wrong document for the type of goods. Here is how it fits together.
Industrial goods
Machinery, vehicle parts, furniture, tools, electronics plus textiles and clothing
Food and agricultural products
Fruit, nuts, oils, preserves and other agricultural goods fall outside the customs union
Coal and steel
Certain steel products are covered by a separate agreement, and some carry additional duties despite it
Food and agricultural products
Fruit, nuts, oils, preserves and other agricultural goods fall outside the customs union
Coal and steel
Certain steel products are covered by a separate agreement, and some carry additional duties despite it
An A.TR for a pallet of hazelnuts does not help you, and a EUR.1 for machinery is unnecessary work. We check the commodity code first and tell you exactly which document your supplier should arrange.
The wrong document cost 6.5 per cent unnecessarily
A customer imported stretch film (commodity code 3920108990) where the seller had enclosed a proof of origin, but no A.TR. With the wrong document, 6.5 per cent duty was charged on the whole consignment. We managed to help the customer get an A.TR certificate issued, and the duty rate became zero.
Saving
SEK 36,453
Clothing without duty: Turkey’s big advantage
Textiles and clothing count as industrial goods in the customs union. That makes Turkey unique among low-cost countries: the same garment that costs 12 per cent in duty from China can be brought in duty-free from Turkey with an A.TR certificate.
For a fashion company with steady purchase volumes, that is the difference between paying six-figure duty amounts per year and paying no duty at all. Add shorter transit times and less capital tied up, and the maths is often obvious.
Are you paying duty on goods that could have been duty-free?
Call +46 31 755 77 76 or email info@easytull.com. You get a reply within 10 minutes.
What does it cost without the right document?
This is how much duty you pay unnecessarily if the certificate is missing or wrong.
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 shows what a proof of origin is worth. Missing the commodity code? Search the HS code for free.
Product category
Without documents
With the right documents
Clothing and textiles
12 %
0% with an A.TR
Machinery and tools
0–8,5 %
0% with an A.TR
Vehicle parts
0–4,5 %
0% with an A.TR
Furniture and interiors
0–5 %
0% with an A.TR
Tiles and ceramics
5–7 %
0% with an A.TR
Plastics and film
6,5 %
0% with an A.TR
Food and agriculture
Varies, often high
Reduced with EUR.1, varies per product
What about VAT? Import VAT is always charged, even on duty-free goods: 25 per cent for most goods, calculated on the customs value plus any duty. VAT-registered companies report and deduct it in their VAT return to the Swedish Tax Agency.
What must accompany the shipment
Turkey imports involve more document types than most countries. We review everything before the declaration is lodged.
A.TR certificate
Issued on the Turkish side and gives zero duty on industrial goods. Should be requested already in the order.
EUR.1 or statement on origin
For food, agricultural goods plus coal and steel, which fall outside the customs union
Commercial invoice
Real price, currency, Incoterms and a description per item
Packing list
Number of packages, weight, volume and dimensions
Transport document
CMR for road, B/L for sea freight, AWB for air
CE documentation and EORI
CE with documentation for electronics, toys and machinery. EORI number we arrange if needed.
From Turkey to Sweden with the right mode of transport
Most Turkey imports roll by road through the Balkans and Central Europe. We clear the goods whatever the mode of transport.
7–14
days
Road transport
The most common and flexible, for both full and part loads.
10–20
days
Sea freight
The cheapest per kilo for large volumes and heavy goods.
2–5
days
Air and express
For samples, urgent orders and smaller volumes.
Incoterms from Turkey: DAP is simplest for most buyers, as you control duty and VAT yourself. Avoid DDP, as the VAT handling often goes wrong and the risk lands with you. Need the freight as well? We arrange transport through our forwarding partners, so freight and clearance are booked in one.
Why many pay too much duty on Turkey imports
Turkey is one of the countries where the most importers pay duty unnecessarily. Almost always, it comes down to the documents.
The A.TR is missing at the border
The full duty rate is charged immediately. The certificate should be ordered with the order, not chased afterwards.
The wrong document for the type of goods
An A.TR for food or a EUR.1 for industrial goods gives no duty reduction at all.
The wrong commodity code on textiles
The textile chapters have hundreds of similar numbers. The wrong code gives the wrong charges and a risk of retroactive billing.
DDP promises from the seller
The VAT is handled incorrectly and you bear the risk at an audit.
Additional duties on steel are missed
Certain Turkish steel products carry anti-dumping duty despite the agreements. Check before the order.
The supplier’s A.TR does not hold up
An incorrectly issued certificate is rejected at Swedish Customs’ post-clearance audit, and you as the importer are then billed retroactively, sometimes several years later.
Already paid duty unnecessarily?
It is often possible to request a reassessment afterwards and get the money back. We help you run the numbers.
How to secure the zero duty, three steps
No more is needed. Then send the invoice and the certificate to us when the goods are on their way, and the declaration is normally ready within two hours.
Order the A.TR with the order
Write the certificate into the order to the supplier as a requirement.
Let us check the commodity code
We confirm that the goods are covered by the customs union and that the code is right.
Send the documents to us
Invoice, packing list, transport document and the A.TR. We declare, and you get the figures for your bookkeeping.
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 Turkey
Can’t find the answer? We reply within 10 minutes.
Is there duty on goods from Turkey?
All shipments are cleared, and import VAT is always added. But thanks to the customs union between the EU and Turkey, industrial goods are duty-free with a valid A.TR certificate. Without the certificate, the full EU duty rate is charged.
What is an A.TR certificate?
A document showing that the goods are in free circulation in Turkey and may therefore move duty-free within the customs union. It is issued on the Turkish side and must accompany the shipment. Ask your supplier for it already when you place the order.
What is the difference between an A.TR and a proof of origin?
The A.TR is about free circulation, not about where the goods were manufactured. Proofs of origin such as EUR.1 instead establish the country of manufacture and are used for goods outside the customs union, for example food. The wrong document for the type of goods gives no duty reduction.
Is clothing from Turkey duty-free?
Yes, textiles and clothing count as industrial goods in the customs union and are duty-free with a valid A.TR certificate. Without the certificate, you pay the EU’s ordinary duty rate of 12 per cent for most garments.
Can an A.TR be arranged afterwards?
Often, but it delays the goods and costs extra work. If you have already paid duty on shipments entitled to zero duty, it is in many cases possible to request a reassessment and get the money back. Contact us and we run the numbers.
Can I trust the supplier’s A.TR?
Not blindly. An incorrectly issued certificate is rejected at Swedish Customs’ post-clearance audit, and it is you as the importer who is billed retroactively, sometimes several years later. We review the certificates before the declaration is lodged and react to anything that does not add up.
What applies to food and agricultural products?
They fall outside the customs union. There, proofs of origin such as EUR.1 are required instead for a reduced duty rate, and many foods also require special certificates and controls. We check what applies to your particular product.
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 Turkey?
We check the certificates, classify the goods and lodge the declaration with Swedish Customs.
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: Importing from China · Importing from Norway · Importing from the USA · Duty calculator · HS code search · EORI number · Import declarations · Export declarations · Customs broker
