Subheading · Section I
0303.53: Sardines (Sardina pilchardus, Sardinops spp.), sardinella (Sardinella spp.), brisling or sprats (Sprattus sprattus)
- 12%–20%UK
- 15%–23%EU
- 20%Türkiye
- —USA
- US$696.8mWorld trade in 2024
Subheading 0303.53 belongs to heading 0303 (fish, frozen, excluding fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304) in chapter 03.
The UK Global Tariff divides subheading 0303.53 into 3 tariff lines; the duty is between 12% and 20% (average 15.3%).
In the EU Combined Nomenclature, subheading 0303.53 covers 3 tariff lines and the duty is between 15% and 23%.
The Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule divides subheading 0303.53 into 3 tariff lines; the statutory rate is 20%.
In the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States the line under subheading 0303.53 carries a specific or compound duty rather than a percentage.
In 2024, countries exported these goods worth US$696.8m (−6.2% year on year).
The largest exporter was Russia (US$175m), followed by Morocco.
The biggest buyer was China, with imports of US$146.7m.
The United Kingdom ranked 14th among 86 exporters with US$9.6m; its largest buyer was France.
The United Kingdom imported US$3.5m, most of it from Sweden.
Duty rates compared
UK 12% – 20% Third-country duty 3 tariff lines · average 15.3% 
EU 15% – 23% Third-country duty 3 tariff lines · average 19% 
Türkiye 20% Statutory rate (Law 474) 3 tariff lines 
USA specific or compound duty General (MFN) 1 tariff line The Turkish schedule prints the statutory rate set under Customs Law 474. The rate applied at import is laid down in the Import Regime Decision and can be lower, or different by country of origin.
UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 0303 53 00 00 Sardines (sardina pilchardus, sardinops spp.), sardinella (sardinella spp.), brisling or sprats (sprattus sprattus)
- 0303 53 10 00 Sardines of the species sardina pilchardus 20%
- 0303 53 30 00 Sardines of the genus sardinops; sardinella (sardinella spp.) 14%
- 0303 53 90 00 Brisling or sprats (sprattus sprattus) 12%
EU Combined Nomenclature
EU lines →- 0303 53 Sardines (Sardina pilchardus, Sardinops spp.), sardinella (Sardinella spp.), brisling or sprats (Sprattus sprattus):
- 0303 53 10 Sardines of the species Sardina pilchardus 23%—
- 0303 53 30 Sardines of the genus Sardinops; sardinella (Sardinella spp.) 15%—
- 0303 53 90 Brisling or sprats (Sprattus sprattus) —
Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule
Türkiye lines →This line has no official text in this language; it is shown in the language of its tariff.
- 0303.53 Sardalyalar (Avrupa sardalya balığı -Sardina pilchardus, Sardinops spp.), yuvarlak ve kısa boylu sardalyalar (Sardinella spp.), palatika veya çaça balığı (Sprattus sprattus):
- 0303.53.10.00.00 Avrupa sardalya balığı türü sardalyalar (Sardina pilchardus) 20%
- 0303.53.30.00.00 Sardinops türü sardalyalar; yuvarlak ve kısa boylu sardalyalar (Sardinella spp.) 20%
- 0303.53.90.00.00 Palatika veya çaça balığı (Sprattus sprattus) 20%
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States
USA lines →- 0303.53.00.00 Sardines (Sardina pilchardus, Sardinops spp.), sardinella (Sardinella spp.), brisling or sprats (Sprattus sprattus) 1.1¢/kgkg
Special: reduced rates under trade agreements and preference programmes; the letters in brackets name the programmes (for example AU = Australia FTA, KR = Korea FTA).
World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$339.7kUS$339.7k+US$3.2m+US$18m+> US$74.2m
Exports: 86
- Russia: US$175m
- Morocco: US$81.2m
- Mauritania: US$74.2m
- Japan: US$68.6m
- China: US$54.6m
- Mexico: US$36m
- Spain: US$20.6m
- Oman: US$18.4m
- Portugal: US$18m
- South Korea: US$16.3m
- Senegal: US$12.4m
- Pakistan: US$12.4m
- Estonia: US$12m
- United Kingdom: US$9.6m
- Latvia: US$9.5m
- Croatia: US$9.2m
- Netherlands: US$8.6m
- France: US$7.8m
- Poland: US$6.6m
- Ecuador: US$3.8m
- Fiji: US$3.2m
- South Africa: US$2.5m
- Yemen: US$2.2m
- Bulgaria: US$2m
- Azerbaijan: US$1.9m
- Indonesia: US$1.8m
- Norway: US$1.8m
- India: US$1.7m
- Finland: US$1.6m
- Sweden: US$1.6m
- Taiwan: US$1.5m
- Tunisia: US$1.4m
- Ireland: US$1.2m
- United States: US$1.2m
- Denmark: US$1.1m
- Cameroon: US$919.6k
- Italy: US$663.8k
- Malaysia: US$554.3k
- Brazil: US$514k
- Lithuania: US$395.3k
- Türkiye: US$350.2k
- Germany: US$339.7k
- Sierra Leone: US$334.4k
- Greece: US$280.5k
- United Arab Emirates: US$273.9k
- Tanzania: US$236.8k
- Venezuela: US$210.2k
- Gambia: US$202.9k
- Canada: US$158.6k
- Egypt: US$156k
- Thailand: US$134.8k
- Belgium: US$127.3k
- Costa Rica: US$101.1k
- Myanmar (Burma): US$93.9k
- Macao SAR China: US$88k
- Vietnam: US$86k
- Angola: US$78.9k
- New Zealand: US$73.8k
- North Macedonia: US$68.6k
- Czechia: US$64.6k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$229.8kUS$229.8k+US$2m+US$7.5m+> US$19.6m
Imports: 174
- China: US$146.7m
- Thailand: US$79.8m
- South Africa: US$76.9m
- Côte d’Ivoire: US$52.3m
- Spain: US$30.2m
- Ukraine: US$19.6m
- Egypt: US$19.5m
- Portugal: US$19.4m
- Malaysia: US$19.1m
- South Korea: US$16.6m
- France: US$15.1m
- Brazil: US$13.3m
- Türkiye: US$11m
- Vietnam: US$10.9m
- Fiji: US$9.9m
- Senegal: US$9m
- United States: US$7.5m
- Philippines: US$7.2m
- Mauritius: US$6.6m
- Russia: US$6.5m
- Poland: US$6.2m
- Zambia: US$6.2m
- Indonesia: US$4.5m
- Croatia: US$4.4m
- Benin: US$4.3m
- Costa Rica: US$4.2m
- Japan: US$3.9m
- Ghana: US$3.9m
- Romania: US$3.6m
- United Kingdom: US$3.5m
- Netherlands: US$3.3m
- Congo - Kinshasa: US$3m
- Germany: US$2.9m
- Italy: US$2.6m
- Morocco: US$2.5m
- Australia: US$2.4m
- Latvia: US$2.4m
- Solomon Islands: US$2.3m
- Cameroon: US$2.3m
- Canada: US$2.2m
- Marshall Islands: US$2.1m
- Serbia: US$2m
- Togo: US$2m
- Taiwan: US$2m
- Samoa: US$2m
- Kazakhstan: US$1.8m
- Bangladesh: US$1.7m
- Bahrain: US$1.7m
- Liberia: US$1.7m
- French Polynesia: US$1.7m
- Belarus: US$1.6m
- Malta: US$1.5m
- Estonia: US$1.4m
- Micronesia: US$1.2m
- Greece: US$1.2m
- Panama: US$1.2m
- Bulgaria: US$1.2m
- Mozambique: US$1.1m
- Algeria: US$1.1m
- Central African Republic: US$1m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Russia | US$175m | 25.1% |
| 2 |  Morocco | US$81.2m | 11.7% |
| 3 |  Mauritania | US$74.2m | 10.6% |
| 4 |  Japan | US$68.6m | 9.8% |
| 5 |  China | US$54.6m | 7.8% |
| 6 |  Mexico | US$36m | 5.2% |
| 7 |  Spain | US$20.6m | 3% |
| 8 |  Oman | US$18.4m | 2.6% |
| 9 |  Portugal | US$18m | 2.6% |
| 10 |  South Korea | US$16.3m | 2.3% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | US$146.7m | 21.1% |
| 2 |  Thailand | US$79.8m | 11.4% |
| 3 |  South Africa | US$76.9m | 11% |
| 4 |  Côte d’Ivoire | US$52.3m | 7.5% |
| 5 | Spain | US$30.2m | 4.3% |
| 6 |  Ukraine | US$19.6m | 2.8% |
| 7 |  Egypt | US$19.5m | 2.8% |
| 8 | Portugal | US$19.4m | 2.8% |
| 9 |  Malaysia | US$19.1m | 2.7% |
| 10 | South Korea | US$16.6m | 2.4% |
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for sardines (Sardina pilchardus, Sardinops spp.), sardinella (Sardinella spp.), brisling or sprats (Sprattus sprattus)?
Sardines (Sardina pilchardus, Sardinops spp.), sardinella (Sardinella spp.), brisling or sprats (Sprattus sprattus) fall under HS subheading 0303.53, part of heading 0303, in section I of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on sardines (Sardina pilchardus, Sardinops spp.)… in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 0303.53 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 12% to 20%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on sardines (Sardina pilchardus, Sardinops spp.)… in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 0303.53 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 15% to 23%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most sardines (Sardina pilchardus, Sardinops spp.)…?
Russia, with US$175m in 2024 (25.1% of world exports).