6909 11 00 to 6909 19 00 · Ceramic wares for laboratory, chemical or other technical uses
See the HS Explanatory Note to heading 6909, second paragraph, (1) and (2).
EU Combined Nomenclature · CN code · HS 6909.12
6909 12 00
6909 12 00: Articles having a hardness equivalent to 9 or more on the Mohs scale
✓ Can be used in a customs declaration Data: EU Combined Nomenclature, in force from 1 January 2026 · checked on 24 October 2026
- 6909 Ceramic wares for laboratory, chemical or other technical uses; ceramic troughs, tubs and similar receptacles of a kind used in agriculture; ceramic pots, jars and similar articles of a kind used for the conveyance or packing of goods:
- Ceramic wares for laboratory, chemical or other technical uses:
- 6909 12 00 Articles having a hardness equivalent to 9 or more on the Mohs scale
What you pay
Importing into EU
Customs duty 5% standard rate depends on the country of origin
Additional duties and charges 4 additional measures Import requirements: 7 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 5
- Duty suspensionSuspension - goods for certain categories of ships, boats and other vessels and for drilling or production platforms Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- Regulation 2658/87
- Documents
- C990 End use authorisation ships and platforms (Column 8c, Annex A of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446)
- Duty suspensionAirworthiness tariff suspension Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- Regulation 1517/18
- Documents
- C119 Authorised Release Certificate — EASA Form 1 (Appendix I to Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012), or equivalent certificate
- 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 8
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Iraq, Syria
- Legal act
- Regulation 1210/03, Regulation 1332/13
- Import controlImport control on restricted goods and technologies
- Applies to goods from
- Iran, North Korea
- Legal act
- Regulation 0267/12, Regulation 1509/17
- Import control
- Applies to goods from
- all countries except Iran
- Legal act
- Regulation 0267/12
- Import control
- Applies to goods from
- Iran
- Legal act
- Regulation 0267/12
- Documents
- Y949 Goods other than those described in the footnotes linked to the measure (Reg 267/2012)
- Import control
- Applies to goods from
- Iran
- Legal act
- Regulation 0267/12
- Documents
- Y750 The declared goods are not concerned by Council Regulation (EC) No. 267/2012, Annex II
- Import controlImport control - Waste
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- Regulation 1157/24
- Documents
- C672 Information document accompanying shipments of waste as mentioned in Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 – Article 18 and Annex VII
- C669 Notification document as mentioned in Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 - Article 5 and Annex IA
- Y923 Product not subjected to the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2024/1157
- C670 Movement document as mentioned in Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 – Article 5 and Annex IB
- Import control
- Applies to goods from
- North Korea, Ukraine
- Legal act
- Regulation 1509/17, Regulation 0692/14
- Documents
- Y963 Goods other than those described in the MG footnotes linked to the measure (Annex II, Part IV of Reg. (EU) 2017/1509)
- 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
- N954 Movement certificate EUR.1
- 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 16
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 |
| Restriction on exportSanctions regime: North Korea | North Korea | Regulation 1509/17 | 20 September 2017 |
| Restriction on exportSanctions regime: Iran | Iran | Regulation 0267/12 | 30 September 2025 |
| Export authorizationSanctions regime: Syria | All third countries | Regulation 1332/13 | 15 December 2013 |
| Restriction on exportSanctions regime: Iran | Iran | Regulation 0267/12 | 23 October 2017 |
| Export controlSanctions regime: Russia | Russia | Regulation 0833/14 | 26 January 2026 |
| Export control on restricted goods and technologiesSanctions regime: North Korea | North Korea | Regulation 1509/17 | 1 September 2017 |
| Export control on restricted goods and technologiesSanctions regime: Syria | Syria | Regulation 0509/12 | 17 June 2012 |
| Export controlSanctions regime: Iran | Iran | Regulation 0267/12 | 30 September 2025 |
| Export controlSanctions regime: North Korea | North Korea | Regulation 1509/17 | 11 April 2025 |
| Export controlSanctions regime: Belarus | Belarus | Regulation 0765/06 | 24 October 2025 |
| Export controlSanctions regime: Russia | Russia | Regulation 0833/14 | 24 June 2023 |
| Export controlSanctions regime: Belarus | Belarus | Regulation 0765/06 | 25 February 2025 |
| Export authorization (Dual use) | All third countries | Regulation 2003/25 | 15 November 2025 |
| Export control on cultural goods | All third countries | Regulation 0116/09 | 2 March 2009 |
| Export control - Waste | All third countries | Regulation 1157/24 | 21 May 2026 |
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 20% -
Belgium 21% -
Bulgaria 20% -
Croatia 25% -
Cyprus 19% -
Czechia 21% -
Denmark 25% -
Estonia 24% -
Finland 25.5% -
France 20% -
Germany 19% -
Greece 24% -
Hungary 27% -
Ireland 23% -
Italy 22% -
Latvia 21% -
Lithuania 21% -
Luxembourg 17% -
Malta 18% -
Netherlands 21% -
Poland 23% -
Portugal 23% -
Romania 21% -
Slovakia 23% -
Slovenia 22% -
Spain 21% -
Sweden 25%
TEDB · 26 October 2026
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | 5% |
| 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 |
| SADC EPA | Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia | Free |
| EEA - European Economic Area | Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway | Free |
| Eastern and Southern Africa States | Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe | Free |
| EU–Andorra customs union | Andorra | Free |
| EU–Albania agreement | Albania | Free |
| EU–Bosnia & Herzegovina agreement | Bosnia & Herzegovina | Free |
| EU–Canada agreement | Canada | Free |
| EU–Switzerland agreement | Switzerland | 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–Faroe Islands agreement | Faroe Islands | Free |
| EU–United Kingdom agreement | United Kingdom | Free |
| EU–Georgia agreement | Georgia | Free |
| EU–Ghana agreement | Ghana | Free |
| EU–Israel agreement | Israel | Free |
| EU–Jordan agreement | Jordan | 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–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–Singapore agreement | Singapore | Free |
| EU–San Marino customs union | San Marino | Free |
| EU–Syria agreement | Syria | Free |
| EU–Tunisia agreement | Tunisia | Free |
| EU–Türkiye customs union | Türkiye | Free |
| EU–Ukraine agreement | Ukraine | Free |
| EU–United States agreement | United States | 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, Indonesia, Micronesia and 4 moreCongo - Brazzaville, Cook Islands, Indonesia, Micronesia, Nigeria, Niue, Tajikistan, Vanuatu | 1.5% |
| Mercosur | Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay | 4% |
EU: imports by month · HS 6909.12
last 12 months€148.2m-0.6% · previous 12 months
Average import price€11.74 per kg
Preferential rate37%
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 Japan | €47.4m | 32% | -1.2% |
 China | €40.8m | 27.5% | +12.1% |
 United States | €27.1m | 18.3% | -4.4% |
 South Korea | €9.1m | 6.1% | +26.5% |
 Switzerland | €5.9m | 4% | -5.1% |
 United Kingdom | €5.9m | 4% | +24% |
 Thailand | €4.3m | 2.9% | -9.8% |
 Taiwan | €2.3m | 1.6% | +105.8% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
6909.12 Articles having a hardness equivalent to 9 or more on the Mohs scale
UK 4% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Türkiye 5% Third-country duty 1 tariff line USA 4% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Canada Free – 4.5% General (MFN) 2 tariff lines · average 2.3% 
Mexico 5% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Brazil Free – 10.8% General (MFN) 4 tariff lines · average 7.2% 
Argentina Free – 10.8% General (MFN) 5 tariff lines · average 6.5% 
Peru 6% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
New Zealand Free General (MFN) 2 tariff lines Japan Free General (MFN) 2 tariff lines Taiwan 6% – 7% General (MFN) 3 tariff lines · average 6.7% 
GCC 5% General (MFN) 1 tariff line Switzerland Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Norway Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
North Macedonia Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Nigeria 5% 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.
- N285514 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of ceramic pistons and sleeves from Germany.
- N271512 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of a ceramic seal from China.
- 600015780 HMRC
Mechanical seal faces. The seal faces are components of a mechanical seal assembly used in various industrial applications to prevent leakage. Manufactured from sintered silicon (SiC) which is generally rated at 9 to 9.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness is resistance to wear, corrosion and also…
- 600014697 HMRC
The product is an alumina ceramic mechanical seal face and is one of the two seal faces in a mechanical seal assembly. Manufactured from pressed and sintered alumina ceramic powder, the seal face has a Mohs hardness value of 9, and can withstand temperatures above 1700ºC. Features a lapped sealing…
- 600014283 HMRC
The product is a Silicon carbide mechanical seal face and is one of the two seal faces in a mechanical seal assembly. Manufactured from pressed and sintered silicon carbide powder, and machined to the extract design requirements. The seal face with Mohs Hardness value over of 9, features a lapped…
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.
6909 12 00 · Articles having a hardness equivalent to 9 or more on the Mohs scale
See the HS Explanatory Note to subheading 6909 12.
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 | Articles having a hardness equivalent to 9 or more on the Mohs scale | 5% | — |
| 2025 | unchanged | 5% | — |
| 2024 | unchanged | 5% | — |
| 2023 | unchanged | 5% | — |
| 2022 | unchanged | 5% | — |
| 2021 | unchanged | 5% | — |
| 2020 | unchanged | 5% | — |
| 2019 | Articles having a hardness equivalent to 9 or more on the Mohs scale | 5% | — |
In the EU Combined Nomenclature, 6909 12 00 is one of 1 line under subheading 6909.12, articles having a hardness equivalent to 9 or more on the Mohs scale.
The third-country duty is 5%, and quantities are declared in —.
Goods from 152 countries can enter the EU at a preferential rate instead of the standard 5%; 140 of them pay no duty at all, for example under GSP-EBA or CARIFORUM.
In the 12 months to August 2026, the EU imported goods of subheading 6909.12 worth €148.2m (down 1% on the year before), at an average of €11.74 per kg; Japan supplied 32%, followed by China.
For the same subheading, the UK duty is 4%, the Türkiye duty is 5%, the US duty is 4%, the Canada duty is 0%–4.5%, the Mexico duty is 5%, the Brazil duty is 0%–10.8%, the Argentina duty is 0%–10.8%, the Peru duty is 6%, the New Zealand duty is free, the Japan duty is free, the Taiwan duty is 6%–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 5%.
EU member states imported goods of subheading 6909.12 worth US$331m in 2024; the largest supplier from outside the EU was Japan, and the United Kingdom ranked 8th with US$1m.
Questions and answers
What is the EU import duty for CN code 6909 12 00?
The third-country duty in the EU Combined Nomenclature is 5%; 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 6909 12 00?
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.
Where does the EU import these goods from?
For subheading 6909.12 as a whole, the largest supplier from outside the EU in 2024 was Japan (US$64m), followed by China.