EU Combined Nomenclature · CN code · HS 4903.00
4903 00 00: Children's picture, drawing or colouring books
Children's picture and colouring books
✓ Can be used in a customs declaration Data: EU Combined Nomenclature, in force from 1 January 2026 · checked on 24 October 2026
What you pay
Importing into EU
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 3
- 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 3
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Iraq, Syria
- Legal act
- Regulation 1210/03, Regulation 1332/13
- 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
Export measures 3
Prohibitions, licences, controls and sanctions that apply when these goods leave the EU.
| Export measures | Destination | Legal act | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restriction on exportSanctions regime: Iraq | All third countries | Regulation 1210/03 | 1 January 2007 |
| Export authorizationSanctions regime: Syria | All third countries | Regulation 1332/13 | 15 December 2013 |
| Export control on cultural goods | All third countries | Regulation 0116/09 | 2 March 2009 |
TARIC data as of 26 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 9% reduced rate -
Croatia 5% reduced rate -
Cyprus 3% reduced rate -
Czechia 0% reduced rate -
Denmark 25% -
Estonia 9% reduced rate -
Finland 13.5% reduced rate -
France 2.1% / 5.5% reduced rate -
Germany 7% reduced rate -
Greece 6% reduced rate -
Hungary 5% reduced rate -
Ireland 0% / 9% reduced rate -
Italy 4% reduced rate -
Latvia 5% reduced rate -
Lithuania 5% reduced rate -
Luxembourg 3% reduced rate -
Malta 5% reduced rate -
Netherlands 9% reduced rate -
Poland 5% reduced rate -
Portugal 6% reduced rate -
Romania 11% reduced rate -
Slovakia 5% reduced rate -
Slovenia 5% reduced rate -
Spain 21% -
Sweden 6% reduced rate
TEDB · 26 October 2026
EU: imports by month · HS 4903.00
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 China | €227.3m | 83.4% | -1.9% |
 India | €13.4m | 4.9% | -3.9% |
 Hong Kong SAR China | €8.7m | 3.2% | +13.9% |
 United Kingdom | €8.3m | 3.1% | -8.6% |
 United States | €2.3m | 0.9% | +18% |
 Türkiye | €2m | 0.7% | -1.8% |
 Serbia | €1.9m | 0.7% | +30% |
 Malaysia | €1.2m | 0.5% | -34.7% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
4903.00 Children's picture, drawing or colouring books
UK specific or compound duty Third-country duty 1 tariff line Türkiye Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines USA Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Canada Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Mexico Free – 15% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines · average 7.5% 
Brazil 14.4% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Argentina 16% Third-country duty 10 tariff lines 
Peru Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
New Zealand Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Japan Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Taiwan Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
GCC Free Third-country duty 7 tariff lines 
Switzerland Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Norway Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
North Macedonia Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Nigeria Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line Binding rulings for similar goods
Decisions of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CROSS) and HMRC (Advance Tariff Rulings) on goods classified here. A ruling binds only its holder, but shows how the authorities classify similar goods. The descriptions are the authorities’ own, in English.
- N364453 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of Aqua Doodle Books from China
- N355963 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of children’s soft books from China
- N353635 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of children’s books from China
- N353863 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of adult’s and children’s books from China
- 600016554 HMRC
A Colouring book from the National Trust Colouring Cards and Envelopes series. Consisting of 24 pre-designed cards and envelopes with black and white illustrations, intended for colouring in. There are also blank spaces on the cards and envelopes for messages, signatures, addresses etc. to be…
- 600015278 HMRC
The product is an activity pack for children. The product is packed into a reusable tin containing an embossed design with a plastic handle to carry the contents in. Size of the box 200mm x 165 mmx 65 mm. The tin has a colourful cardboard cover. Contents of tin - 2 Colouring and Activity books,…
- 600011960 HMRC
A Children's book for bath playtime. It has 4 leaves (3 spreads), all leaves with integral handle. The measurement is 195 x 150mm and has a portrait Print. The book has 2 flaps included as part of the book block and folded, 1 flap heat sealed into the gutter. Each flap is double sided with 3mm…
- 600011961 HMRC
A Fabric Book which measures 150 mm x 150 mm (square). It has 4 leaves including the cover. It is made of polyester fibre and Polyethylene Terephthalate. A crinkle section measures 64mm (w) x 25mm (h). It also includes a Teething Ring which has a circular shape and measures 4.5 x 3.5cm. It is made…
44 rulings in total for this code
Legal notes
Notes
1. This chapter does not cover:
(a) photographic negatives or positives on transparent bases (Chapter 37);
(b) maps, plans or globes, in relief, whether or not printed (heading 9023);
(c) playing cards or other goods of Chapter 95; or
(d) original engravings, prints or lithographs (heading 9702), postage or revenue stamps, stamp-postmarks, first-day covers, postal stationery or the like of heading 9704, antiques of an age exceeding 100 years or other articles of Chapter 97.
2. For the purposes of Chapter 49, the term ‘printed’ also means reproduced by means of a duplicating machine, produced under the control of an automatic data-processing machine, embossed, photographed, photocopied, thermocopied or typewritten.
3. Newspapers, journals and periodicals which are bound otherwise than in paper, and sets of newspapers, journals or periodicals comprising more than one number under a single cover are to be classified in heading 4901, whether or not containing advertising material.
4. Heading 4901 also covers:
(a) a collection of printed reproductions of, for example, works of art or drawings, with a relative text, put up with numbered pages in a form suitable for binding into one or more volumes;
(b) a pictorial supplement accompanying, and subsidiary to, a bound volume; and
(c) printed parts of books or booklets, in the form of assembled or separate sheets or signatures, constituting the whole or a part of a complete work and designed for binding.
However, printed pictures or illustrations not bearing a text, whether in the form of signatures or separate sheets, fall in heading 4911.
5. Subject to note 3 to this chapter, heading 4901 does not cover publications which are essentially devoted to advertising (for example, brochures, pamphlets, leaflets, trade catalogues, yearbooks published by trade associations, tourist propaganda). Such publications are to be classified in heading 4911.
6. For the purposes of heading 4903, the expression ‘children's picture books’ means books for children in which the pictures form the principal interest and the text is subsidiary.
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 | Children's picture, drawing or colouring books | Free | — |
| 2025 | unchanged | Free | — |
| 2024 | unchanged | Free | — |
| 2023 | unchanged | Free | — |
| 2022 | unchanged | Free | — |
| 2021 | unchanged | Free | — |
| 2020 | unchanged | Free | — |
| 2019 | Children's picture, drawing or colouring books | Free | — |
CN code 4903 00 00 is a line of the EU Combined Nomenclature under HS subheading 4903.00 (children's picture, drawing or colouring books).
The third-country duty is free, and quantities are declared in —.
Imports of children's picture and colouring books (HS 4903.00) into the EU came to €272.5m between September 2025 and August 2026 (down 1% on the year before); China supplied 83%, followed by India.
For the same subheading, the Türkiye duty is free, the US duty is free, the Canada duty is free, the Mexico duty is 0%–15%, the Brazil duty is 14.4%, the Argentina duty is 16%, the Peru duty is free, the New Zealand duty is free, the Japan duty is free, the Taiwan duty is free, the GCC duty is free, the Switzerland duty is free, the Norway duty is free, the North Macedonia duty is free and the Nigeria duty is free.
EU member states imported goods of subheading 4903.00 worth US$505m in 2024; the largest supplier from outside the EU was China, and the United Kingdom ranked 2nd with US$15m.
Questions and answers
What is the EU import duty for CN code 4903 00 00?
The third-country duty in the EU Combined Nomenclature is free; the supplementary unit is —. Preferential rates for goods from agreement countries, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Where does the EU import these goods from?
For subheading 4903.00 as a whole, the largest supplier from outside the EU in 2024 was China (US$219m), followed by the United Kingdom.