Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
Applies to goods from
North Korea
Legal act
Regulation 1836/17
Documents
Y084 Derogation from import prohibition by virtue of Article 16i (1) of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1509
Import control
Applies to goods from
Belarus, Ukraine
Legal act
Regulation 0765/06, Regulation 0692/14
Documents
Y727 The prohibitions defined in article 1ra paragraph 1 of Council Regulation (EU) No 765/2006 do not apply (see exemptions in article 1ra paragraph 3)
Y728 The prohibitions defined in article 1ra paragraph 1 of Council Regulation (EU) No 765/2006 do not apply (see exemptions in article 1ra paragraph 4)
L152 Import authorisation by virtue of article 1ra paragraph 10 of Council Regulation (EU) 765/2006
Y870 Goods entered the territory of the customs union of the EU and presented to customs authorities prior to the entry into force or to applicability date of the present sanction, whichever is latest (see Article 8f of Regulation (EU) No 765/2006)
Y997 Goods not originating from or destined to Crimea or Sevastopol (Articles 2 and 2b.1 of Council Regulation (EU) No 692/2014)
N864 Invoice declaration or origin declaration made out by any exporter on invoice or any other commercial document
L142 Import authorisation by virtue of article 3i paragraph 3c of Council Regulation (EU) 833/2014
Y874 The prohibitions defined in article 3i.1 of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 do not apply (see exemptions in article 3i.3aa)
L143 Import authorisation by virtue of article 12b.2 of Council Regulation (EU) 833/2014
Y859 Goods entered the territory of the customs union of the EU and presented to customs authorities prior to the entry into force or to applicability date of the present sanction, whichever is latest (see Article 12e of Regulation (EU) No 833/2014)
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
N864 Invoice declaration or origin declaration made out by any exporter on invoice or any other commercial document
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.
Austria20%
Belgium21%
Bulgaria20%
Croatia25%
Cyprus19%
Czechia21%
Denmark25%
Estonia24%
Finland25.5%
France20%
Germany19%
Greece24%
Hungary27%
Ireland23%
Italy22%
Latvia21%
Lithuania21%
Luxembourg17%
Malta18%
Netherlands21%
Poland23%
Portugal23%
Romania21%
Slovakia23%
Slovenia22%
Spain21%
Sweden25%
TEDB · 26 October 2026
Preferential rates by country
Agreement or scheme
Countries
Rate
standard rate (no agreement)
—
4.3%
GSP-EBA (Special arrangement for the least-developed countries - Everything But Arms)
Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 42 more
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.
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.
The tariff classification of nonwoven panels from South Korea
5 rulings in total for this code
Legal notes
Notes
1. This chapter does not cover:
(a) wadding, felt or nonwovens, impregnated, coated or covered with substances or preparations (for example, perfumes or cosmetics of Chapter 33, soaps or detergents of heading 3401, polishes, creams or similar preparations of heading 3405, fabric softeners of heading 3809), where the textile material is present merely as a carrying medium;
(c) natural or artificial abrasive powder or grain, on a backing of felt or nonwovens (heading 6805);
(d) agglomerated or reconstituted mica, on a backing of felt or nonwovens (heading 6814);
(e) metal foil on a backing of felt or nonwovens (generally, Section XIV or XV); or
(f) sanitary towels (pads) and tampons, napkins (diapers) and napkin liners and similar articles of heading 9619.
2. The term ‘felt’ includes needleloom felt and fabrics consisting of a web of textile fibres the cohesion of which has been enhanced by a stitch-bonding process using fibres from the web itself.
3. Headings 5602 and 5603 cover, respectively, felt and nonwovens, impregnated, coated, covered or laminated with plastics or rubber, whatever the nature of these materials (compact or cellular).
Heading 5603 also includes nonwovens in which plastics or rubber forms the bonding substance.
(a) felt impregnated, coated, covered or laminated with plastics or rubber, containing 50 % or less by weight of textile material or felt completely embedded in plastics or rubber (Chapter 39 or 40);
(b) nonwovens, either completely embedded in plastics or rubber, or entirely coated or covered on both sides with such materials, provided that such coating or covering can be seen with the naked eye with no account being taken of any resulting change of colour (Chapter 39 or 40); or
(c) plates, sheets or strip of cellular plastics or cellular rubber combined with felt or nonwovens, where the textile material is present merely for reinforcing purposes (Chapter 39 or 40).
4. Heading 5604 does not cover textile yarn, or strip or the like of heading 5404 or 5405, in which the impregnation, coating or covering cannot be seen with the naked eye (usually Chapters 50 to 55); for the purpose of this provision, no account should be taken of any resulting change of colour.
Additional note
1. Subheadings 56031420 and 56039420 cover needle-punched sheet, of a weight not exceeding 400 g/m2, of a thickness exceeding 0,5 mm but not exceeding 1,8 mm, impregnated with binders, containing less than 10 % of glass by weight, in rolls of a diameter from 100 cm to 130 cm and of a width from 95 cm to 120 cm.
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.
5603 · Nonwovens, whether or not impregnated, coated, covered or laminated
This heading includes products where a nonwoven web (of textile fibres) is combined with fibres of cellulose by spunlacing/hydroentangling bonding process (see also the HSEN to heading 5603, II. Bonding and III. Finishing).
On one side the nonwoven web remains predominant/visible and on the other side the cellulose fibres remain predominant/visible.
Considering the manufacturing process and the characteristics given to the product by the textile fibres (strength, resistance, long-lasting properties, softness on the skin, liquid repellent) the presence of the cellulose fibres does not change the character of the product. Even if the textile fibres are not in all cases predominant, this type of product remain classified in this heading.
See also the explanatory note to subheading 6210 10 92.
General notes to the chapter
WADDING, FELT AND NONWOVENS; SPECIAL YARNS; TWINE, CORDAGE, ROPES AND CABLES AND ARTICLES THEREOF
General
For the classification, within headings, of articles composed of two or more textile materials, see the general explanatory note to this section.
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
Carrier sheet, of polyester, specified in additional note 1 to this chapter
4.3%
—
2025
unchanged
4.3%
—
2024
Carrier sheet, of polyester, specified in additional note 1 to this chapter
4.3%
—
2023
not in this year’s nomenclature
—
—
2022
not in this year’s nomenclature
—
—
2021
not in this year’s nomenclature
—
—
2020
not in this year’s nomenclature
—
—
2019
not in this year’s nomenclature
—
—
Code history
Since 2024; before, these goods were classified under 5603 14 90.
In the EU Combined Nomenclature, 5603 14 20 is one of 3 lines under subheading 5603.14, weighing more than 150 g/m2.
The third-country duty is 4.3%, and quantities are declared in —.
Goods from 152 countries can enter the EU at a preferential rate instead of the standard 4.3%; 140 of them pay no duty at all, for example under GSP-EBA or CARIFORUM.
In the EU, anti-dumping duty of 50% applies on top of the customs duty to goods from China.
In the 12 months to August 2026, the EU imported synthetic filament nonwovens over 150 g/m² (HS 5603.14) worth €256.3m (down 7% on the year before), at an average of €5.13 per kg; China supplied 35%, followed by Japan.
For the same subheading, the UK duty is 4%, the Türkiye duty is 4.3%, the US duty is free, the Canada duty is free, the Mexico duty is 25%, the Brazil duty is 0%–25%, the Argentina duty is 0%–18%, the Peru duty is 6%, the New Zealand duty is 5%, the Japan duty is 0%–4.3%, the Taiwan duty is 0%–5%, the GCC duty is 5%, the Switzerland duty is free, the Norway duty is free, the North Macedonia duty is 4.3%–10% and the Nigeria duty is 20%.
EU member states imported goods of subheading 5603.14 worth US$1bn in 2024; the largest supplier from outside the EU was China, and the United Kingdom ranked 5th with US$10m.
Questions and answers
What is the EU import duty for CN code 5603 14 20?
The third-country duty in the EU Combined Nomenclature is 4.3%; the supplementary unit is —. Preferential rates for goods from agreement countries, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which countries get a lower rate on 5603 14 20?
152 countries have a preferential rate on this line, 140 of them at 0%, under GSP-EBA, CARIFORUM and OCTs and other arrangements. The rate applies only to goods that meet the rules of origin of the agreement, with proof of origin. Choose the country of origin on this page to see its rate.
Do anti-dumping or other extra duties apply to 5603 14 20?
Anti-dumping duty of 50% on goods from China. These are charged on top of the customs duty.
Where does the EU import these goods from?
For subheading 5603.14 as a whole, the largest supplier from outside the EU in 2024 was China (US$98m), followed by Japan.
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EU Combined Nomenclature · CN code · 
China
Japan
United States
Türkiye
Switzerland
United Kingdom
South Korea
Israel
Canada
Mexico
Brazil
Argentina
Peru
New Zealand
Taiwan
GCC
Norway
North Macedonia
Nigeria