EU Combined Nomenclature · CN code · HS 4909.00
4909 00 00: Printed or illustrated postcards; printed cards bearing personal greetings, messages or announcements, whether or not illustrated, with or without envelopes or trimmings
✓ 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 4 November 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 20% -
Belgium 21% -
Bulgaria 20% -
Croatia 25% -
Cyprus 3% reduced rate -
Czechia 21% -
Denmark 25% -
Estonia 24% -
Finland 25.5% -
France 20% -
Germany 19% -
Greece 24% -
Hungary 27% -
Ireland 23% -
Italy 4% reduced rate -
Latvia 5% reduced rate -
Lithuania 21% -
Luxembourg 17% -
Malta 18% -
Netherlands 9% reduced rate -
Poland 23% -
Portugal 23% -
Romania 21% -
Slovakia 23% -
Slovenia 22% -
Spain 21% -
Sweden 25%
TEDB · 6 November 2026
EU: imports by month · HS 4909.00
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 China | €91.4m | 59.6% | -11.4% |
 United Kingdom | €43.7m | 28.5% | -6.4% |
 Vietnam | €3.3m | 2.1% | -4.1% |
 Philippines | €2.8m | 1.9% | -4.1% |
 Switzerland | €2.1m | 1.4% | -59.7% |
 United States | €1.8m | 1.2% | -3.5% |
 Hong Kong SAR China | €1.2m | 0.8% | +102.7% |
 South Korea | €1m | 0.7% | +25% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
UK specific or compound duty Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Türkiye Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line USA Free General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
Canada Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Mexico 15% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Brazil 14.4% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Argentina 16% General (MFN) 4 tariff lines 
Peru 6% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
New Zealand Free General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
Japan Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Taiwan Free General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
GCC 5% General (MFN) 5 tariff lines Switzerland Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Norway Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
North Macedonia Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Nigeria 20% General (MFN) 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.
- N364117 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of a Valentine’s Day cards with novelties kit from China.
- N356168 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of greeting cards, calendars, and journals from China
- N354672 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of Valentine’s Day card puppets from China
- N353994 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of greeting cards and calendars from China and Vietnam
- 600015372 HMRC
16pk party invites set Lets party invites include - 16x invites 16x white envelopes size -15cm x 10cm
- 600015273 HMRC
Seed paper postcard of approximately 140gsm, made from natural, biodegradable cotton fibres and embedded with crushed wildflower seeds. The postcard is rectangle and in size A6, which is printed upon with a company logo. These are marketed as biodegradable promotional items. No guarantee of…
24 rulings in total for this code
Legal notes
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 | Printed or illustrated postcards; printed cards bearing personal greetings, messages or announcements, whether or not illustrated, with or without envelopes or trimmings | Free | — |
| 2025 | unchanged | Free | — |
| 2024 | unchanged | Free | — |
| 2023 | unchanged | Free | — |
| 2022 | unchanged | Free | — |
| 2021 | unchanged | Free | — |
| 2020 | unchanged | Free | — |
| 2019 | Printed or illustrated postcards; printed cards bearing personal greetings, messages or announcements, whether or not illustrated, with or without envelopes or trimmings | Free | — |
CN code 4909 00 00 is a line of the EU Combined Nomenclature under HS subheading 4909.00 (printed or illustrated postcards).
The third-country duty is free, and quantities are declared in —.
Imports of goods of subheading 4909.00 into the EU came to €153.4m between September 2025 and August 2026 (down 10% on the year before); China supplied 60%, followed by United Kingdom.
For the same subheading, the Türkiye duty is free, the US duty is free, the Canada duty is free, the Mexico duty is 15%, the Brazil duty is 14.4%, the Argentina duty is 16%, the Peru duty is 6%, the New Zealand duty is free, the Japan duty is free, the Taiwan duty is free, 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 20%.
EU member states imported goods of subheading 4909.00 worth US$283m in 2024; the largest supplier from outside the EU was China, and the United Kingdom ranked 2nd with US$48m.
Questions and answers
What is the EU import duty for CN code 4909 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 4909.00 as a whole, the largest supplier from outside the EU in 2024 was China (US$86m), followed by the United Kingdom.