0303 · Fish, frozen, excluding fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304
The provisions of the explanatory notes to the subheadings of heading 0302 apply, mutatis mutandis, to the subheadings of this heading.
EU Combined Nomenclature · CN code · HS 0303.54
0303 54 10
0303 54 10: Frozen mackerel: Of the species Scomber scombrus or Scomber japonicus
Frozen mackerel
Not declarable on its own: use one of its 2 subdivisions Data: EU Combined Nomenclature, in force from 1 January 2026 · checked on 24 October 2026
- 0303 Fish, frozen, excluding fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304:
- Herrings (Clupea harengus, Clupea pallasii), anchovies (Engraulis spp.), sardines (Sardina pilchardus, Sardinops spp.), sardinella (Sardinella spp.), brisling or sprats (Sprattus sprattus), mackerel (Scomber scombrus, Scomber australasicus, Scomber japonicus), Indian mackerels (Rastrelliger spp.), seerfishes (Scomberomorus spp.), jack and horse mackerel (Trachurus spp.), jacks, crevalles (Caranx spp.), cobia (Rachycentron canadum), silver pomfrets (Pampus spp.), Pacific saury (Cololabis saira), scads (Decapterus spp.), capelin (Mallotus villosus), swordfish (Xiphias gladius), Kawakawa (Euthynnus affinis), bonitos (Sarda spp.), marlins, sailfishes, spearfish (Istiophoridae), excluding edible fish offal of subheadings 030391 to 030399:
- 0303 54 Mackerel (Scomber scombrus, Scomber australasicus, Scomber japonicus):
- 0303 54 10 Of the species Scomber scombrus or Scomber japonicus
What you pay
Importing into EU
Customs duty standard rate depends on the country of origin
Additional duties and charges 3 additional measures Import requirements: 6 VAT standard rate of the member state of import, 17% to 27%
Duty calculatorCalculate duty and taxes → Additional duties and import rules
Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.
Additional duties and charges 4
- Tariff quotaNon preferential tariff quota under end-use 7.5%
- Only for
- 0303 54 10 95 Whole, for processing
- Applies to goods from
- all countries except Belarus, Russia
- In force
- until 31 December 2026
- Legal act
- Regulation 2720/23
- Duty on low-value parcelsLow-value consignment customs duty 3 EUR
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- In force
- until 31 October 2026
- Legal act
- Regulation 0382/26
- Duty on low-value parcelsLow-value consignment customs duty 3 EUR
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- In force
- from 1 November 2026
- Legal act
- Regulation 0382/26
- Handling feeUnion handling fee 2 EUR
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- In force
- from 1 November 2026
- Legal act
- Regulation 2108/26
- Documents
- Y126 Goods sold in distance sales
Import requirements 7
- Prohibition or restrictionImport prohibition
- Applies to goods from
- North Korea
- Legal act
- Regulation 1548/17
- Import controlVeterinary control
- Applies to goods from
- all countries except Andorra, Switzerland, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino
- Legal act
- Regulation 0632/21
- Documents
- N853 Common Health Entry Document for Products (CHED-P) (as set out in Part 2, Section B of Annex II to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1715 (OJ L 261))
- Y058 Exemption by virtue of Article 7 of Commission Delegated Regulation 2019/2122 (Goods which form part of passengers' personal luggage and are intended for personal consumption or use) or Article 10 (small consignments of goods sent to natural persons which are not intended to be placed on the market) of Commission Delegated Regulation 2019/2122
- Y170 Goods with third country origin coming from Andorra, according to the relevant EU legislation.
- Y171 Goods with third country origin coming from Switzerland, according to the relevant EU legislation.
- Y172 Goods with third country origin coming from Faroe Islands, according to the relevant EU legislation.
- Y173 Goods with third country origin coming from Greenland, according to the relevant EU legislation.
- Y174 Goods with third country origin coming from Iceland, according to the relevant EU legislation.
- Y175 Goods with third country origin coming from Liechtenstein, according to the relevant EU legislation.
- Y176 Goods with third country origin coming from Norway, according to the relevant EU legislation.
- Y177 Goods with third country origin coming from San Marino, according to the relevant EU legislation.
- C084 Exemption by virtue of Articles 3 and 4 of regulation 2019/2122 (animals intended for scientific purposes, research and diagnostic samples, and samples for product analysis and quality testing).
- Import controlControl on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
- Applies to goods from
- all countries except Cameroon, Cambodia, Comoros, Trinidad & Tobago, St Vincent & the Grenadines
- Legal act
- Regulation 1005/08
- Import controlControl on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
- Applies to goods from
- Cambodia, Cameroon, Comoros, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago
- In force
- until 9 January 2027
- Legal act
- Regulation 1005/08
- Documents
- Y927 The declared goods are not concerned by Council Regulation (EC) No. 1005/2008
- Import controlImport control of organic products
- Applies to goods from
- all countries except Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway
- Legal act
- Regulation 2306/21
- Import control
- Applies to goods from
- Ukraine
- Legal act
- Regulation 0692/14
- Import control
- Applies to goods from
- Ukraine
- Legal act
- Regulation 0263/22
- Documents
- Y984 Goods not originating from or not destined for the non-government controlled areas of Ukraine in the oblasts of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia
- N954 Movement certificate EUR.1
- N864 Invoice declaration or origin declaration made out by any exporter on invoice or any other commercial document
TARIC subdivisions
Declare the 10-digit TARIC code that fits the goods: measures can differ between subdivisions.
| 0303 54 10 20 | Of the species Scomber scombrus |
| 0303 54 10 95 | Whole, for processing |
| 0303 54 10 96 | Other |
Tariff quotas
| Order number | Origin | In-quota duty | Period | Volume | Balance | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09.0725 | Norway | Free | 16 June 2026 – 14 February 2027 | 30,600,000 kg | 28,536,230 kg | Open |
| 09.2505 | ERGA OMNES | 7.5% | 1 January 2026 – 31 December 2026 | 5,000,000 kg | 4,181,600 kg | Open |
| 09.7195 | Peru | Free | 1 March 2026 – 28 February 2027 | 4,000,000 kg | 4,000,000 kg | Open |
Balances from the Commission’s weekly quota report of 23 October 2026.
Export measures 2
Prohibitions, licences, controls and sanctions that apply when these goods leave the EU.
| Export measures | Destination | Legal act | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing | ERGA OMNES (except Cameroon, Cambodia, Comoros, Trinidad & Tobago, St Vincent & the Grenadines) | Regulation 1005/08 | 10 January 2026 |
| Control on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing | Cameroon, Cambodia, Comoros, Trinidad & Tobago, St Vincent & the Grenadines | Regulation 1005/08 | 11 December 2013 – 9 January 2027 |
TARIC data as of 25 October 2026
Import VAT in the EU member states
The rate each member state applies to goods of this code, from the Commission’s Taxes in Europe Database. A reduced rate can cover only part of the goods under a code: check the national VAT law.
-
Austria 10% reduced rate -
Belgium 6% reduced rate -
Bulgaria 20% -
Croatia 25% -
Cyprus 5% reduced rate -
Czechia 12% reduced rate -
Denmark 25% -
Estonia 24% -
Finland 13.5% reduced rate -
France 5.5% reduced rate -
Germany 7% reduced rate -
Greece 13% reduced rate -
Hungary 5% reduced rate -
Ireland 23% -
Italy 10% reduced rate -
Latvia 21% -
Lithuania 21% -
Luxembourg 3% reduced rate -
Malta 0% reduced rate -
Netherlands 9% reduced rate -
Poland 5% reduced rate -
Portugal 6% reduced rate -
Romania 11% reduced rate -
Slovakia 19% reduced rate -
Slovenia 9.5% reduced rate -
Spain 10% reduced rate -
Sweden 6% reduced rate
TEDB · 25 October 2026
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | |
| GSP-EBA (Special arrangement for the least-developed countries - Everything But Arms) | Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 42 moreAfghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo - Kinshasa, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia | Free |
| CARIFORUM | Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize and 10 moreAntigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago | Free |
| OCTs (Overseas Countries and Territories) | Antarctica, Aruba, Caribbean Netherlands, Curaçao and 8 moreAntarctica, Aruba, Caribbean Netherlands, Curaçao, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories, Greenland, New Caledonia, Sint Maarten, St Barthélemy, St Pierre & Miquelon, Wallis & Futuna | Free |
| GSP+ (incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance) | Bolivia, Cape Verde, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and 4 moreBolivia, Cape Verde, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan | Free |
| Central America | Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama | Free |
| Mercosur | Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay | Free |
| SADC EPA | Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia | Free |
| Eastern and Southern Africa States | Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe | Free |
| EU–Andorra agreement | Andorra | Free |
| EU–Albania agreement | Albania | Free |
| EU–Bosnia & Herzegovina agreement | Bosnia & Herzegovina | Free |
| EU–Canada agreement | Canada | Free |
| EU–Côte d’Ivoire agreement | Côte d’Ivoire | Free |
| EU–Chile agreement | Chile | Free |
| EU–Cameroon agreement | Cameroon | Free |
| EU–Colombia agreement | Colombia | Free |
| EU–Algeria agreement | Algeria | Free |
| EU–Ecuador agreement | Ecuador | Free |
| EU–Egypt agreement | Egypt | Free |
| Preferential origin in accordance with the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco on the amendment of Protocols 1 and 4 to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Kingdom of Morocco, of the other part. | Western Sahara | Free |
| EU–Fiji agreement | Fiji | Free |
| EU–United Kingdom agreement | United Kingdom | Free |
| EU–Georgia agreement | Georgia | Free |
| EU–Ghana agreement | Ghana | Free |
| EU–Israel agreement | Israel | Free |
| EU–Japan agreement | Japan | Free |
| EU–Kenya agreement | Kenya | Free |
| EU–South Korea agreement | South Korea | Free |
| EU–Lebanon agreement | Lebanon | Free |
| EU–Morocco agreement | Morocco | Free |
| EU–Moldova agreement | Moldova | Free |
| EU–Montenegro agreement | Montenegro | Free |
| EU–North Macedonia agreement | North Macedonia | Free |
| EU–Mexico agreement | Mexico | Free |
| EU–Norway agreementQuota | Norway | Free |
| EU–New Zealand agreement | New Zealand | Free |
| EU–Peru agreement | Peru | Free |
| EU–Papua New Guinea agreement | Papua New Guinea | Free |
| EU–Palestinian Territories agreement | Palestinian Territories | Free |
| EU–Serbia agreement | Serbia | Free |
| EU–San Marino customs union | San Marino | Free |
| EU–Tunisia agreement | Tunisia | Free |
| EU–Türkiye agreement | Türkiye | Free |
| EU–Ukraine agreement | Ukraine | Free |
| EU–Vietnam agreement | Vietnam | Free |
| EU–Samoa agreement | Samoa | Free |
| EU–Kosovo agreement | Kosovo | Free |
| EU–South Africa agreement | South Africa | Free |
| GSP - General arrangements | Congo - Brazzaville, Cook Islands, India, Indonesia and 6 moreCongo - Brazzaville, Cook Islands, India, Indonesia, Micronesia, Nigeria, Niue, Syria, Tajikistan, Vanuatu | 16.5% |
Footnotes
From 1 January to 14 February and from 16 June to 31 December: 20,
from 15 February to 15 June: Free.
EU: imports by month · HS 0303.54
last 12 months€380.4m+59% · previous 12 months
Average import price€2.91 per kg
Preferential rate59%
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 United Kingdom | €100.9m | 26.5% | +31.5% |
 Faroe Islands | €94.9m | 25% | +38.3% |
 Norway | €55.9m | 14.7% | +21.6% |
 Iceland | €49m | 12.9% | +300.4% |
 South Korea | €36.3m | 9.5% | +1,025.7% |
 Greenland | €29.5m | 7.8% | +61.8% |
 China | €7.2m | 1.9% | -23.4% |
 Morocco | €3.6m | 1% | +45.7% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
0303.54 Mackerel (Scomber scombrus, Scomber australasicus, Scomber japonicus)
UK 14% – 20% Third-country duty 4 tariff lines · average 18.5% 
Türkiye 30% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
USA Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Canada Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Mexico 15% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Brazil 9% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Argentina 9% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Peru Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
New Zealand Free Third-country duty 6 tariff lines 
Japan 7% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Taiwan specific or compound duty Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
GCC 5% Third-country duty 3 tariff lines 
Switzerland Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line Norway Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
North Macedonia Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Nigeria 10% Third-country duty 1 tariff line EU lines: 0303.54
Legal notes
CN Explanatory Notes
The European Commission's explanatory notes on how to classify goods in these CN codes. They are not legally binding but customs authorities follow them; they complement the HS Explanatory Notes of the World Customs Organization.
General notes to the chapter
FISH AND CRUSTACEANS, MOLLUSCS AND OTHER AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES
General
1. Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates which have been deep-frozen are classified in the same way as fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates which have been frozen.
2. Simple scalding (blanching), consisting of a light heat treatment which does not entail cooking as such does not affect the classification. It is often used before freezing, particularly for tunny fish and the flesh of crustaceans or molluscs.
3. The following are excluded from Chapter 3:
(a) fish maws (air bladders), raw, dried or salted, unfit for human consumption (heading 0511);
(b) lightly salted fish, dried or smoked and steeped in a vegetable oil in order to ensure provisional preservation — products known as ‘semi-preserved’ — (heading 1604);
(c) fish, simply pickled in oil or vinegar, whether or not further prepared (heading 1604);
(d) molluscs which have undergone heat treatment that is sufficient to bring about the coagulation of their proteins (heading 1605).
Explanatory Notes to the Combined Nomenclature of the European Union, Official Journal C (consolidated text and later amendments) · © European Union
This line in earlier years
The Combined Nomenclature of each year, as published in the Official Journal: description, third-country duty and supplementary unit.
| Year | Description | Third-country duty | Supplementary unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Of the species Scomber scombrus or Scomber japonicus | — | — |
| 2025 | unchanged | — | — |
| 2024 | unchanged | — | — |
| 2023 | unchanged | — | — |
| 2022 | unchanged | — | — |
| 2021 | unchanged | — | — |
| 2020 | unchanged | — | — |
| 2019 | Of the species Scomber scombrus or Scomber japonicus | — | — |
CN code 0303 54 10 is a line of the EU Combined Nomenclature under HS subheading 0303.54 (mackerel (Scomber scombrus, Scomber australasicus, Scomber japonicus)).
No rate is printed on this line itself.
Imports of frozen mackerel (HS 0303.54) into the EU came to €380.4m between September 2025 and August 2026 (up 59% on the year before); United Kingdom supplied 27%, followed by Faroe Islands.
For the same subheading, the UK duty is 14%–20%, the Türkiye duty is 30%, the US duty is free, the Canada duty is free, the Mexico duty is 15%, the Brazil duty is 9%, the Argentina duty is 9%, the Peru duty is free, the New Zealand duty is free, the Japan duty is 7%, the GCC duty is 5%, the Switzerland duty is free, the Norway duty is free, the North Macedonia duty is free and the Nigeria duty is 10%.
EU member states imported goods of subheading 0303.54 worth US$428m in 2024; the largest supplier from outside the EU was the United Kingdom, and the United Kingdom ranked 1st with US$102m.
Questions and answers
Where does the EU import these goods from?
For subheading 0303.54 as a whole, the largest supplier from outside the EU in 2024 was the United Kingdom (US$102m), followed by Norway.