Subheading · Chapter 29 · Heading 2903
2903.21: Unsaturated chlorinated derivatives of acyclic hydrocarbons: vinyl chloride (chloroethylene)
Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM)
Official description Vinyl chloride (chloroethylene)
2903.21 is the HS subheading for vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), under heading 2903 in chapter 29.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 2903 21 00 00 Vinyl chloride (chloroethylene) 4%
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 2
- Additional dutyAdditional duties 35%
- Applies to goods from
- Belarus, Russia
- Legal act
- 2022 No. 833
- Documents
- 9018
- 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
- 2020 No. 1431
- Documents
- C990 End use authorisation ships and platforms (Column 8c, Annex A of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446)
Import requirements 1
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Russia, Ukraine
- Legal act
- 2023 No. 440, S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9011
- 9022
- 9038
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | 4% |
| DCTS Comprehensive | Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 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, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia | Free |
| European Union (including code "EU") | Free | |
| DCTS Enhanced | Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville and 13 moreAlgeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville, Cook Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu | 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) | Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands and 7 moreAnguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, St Helena, Turks & Caicos Islands | Free |
| Central America | Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama | Free |
| SADC EPA | Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia | Free |
| Eastern and Southern Africa States | Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe | Free |
| CPTPP | Brunei, Malaysia | Free |
| UK–Andorra agreement | Andorra | Free |
| UK–Albania agreement | Albania | Free |
| UK–Australia agreement | Australia | Free |
| UK–Canada agreement | Canada | Free |
| UK–Switzerland agreement | Switzerland | Free |
| UK–Côte d’Ivoire agreement | Côte d’Ivoire | Free |
| UK–Chile agreement | Chile | Free |
| UK–Cameroon agreement | Cameroon | Free |
| UK–Colombia agreement | Colombia | Free |
| UK–Ceuta & Melilla agreement | Ceuta & Melilla | Free |
| UK–Ecuador agreement | Ecuador | Free |
| UK–Egypt agreement | Egypt | Free |
| UK–Fiji agreement | Fiji | Free |
| UK–Faroe Islands agreement | Faroe Islands | Free |
| UK–Georgia agreement | Georgia | Free |
| UK–Ghana agreement | Ghana | Free |
| DCTS Standard | Indonesia | Free |
| UK–Israel agreement | Israel | Free |
| UK–India agreement | India | Free |
| UK–Iceland agreement | Iceland | Free |
| UK–Jordan agreement | Jordan | Free |
| UK–Japan agreement | Japan | Free |
| UK–Kenya agreement | Kenya | Free |
| UK–South Korea agreement | South Korea | Free |
| UK–Lebanon agreement | Lebanon | Free |
| UK–Liechtenstein agreement | Liechtenstein | Free |
| UK–Morocco agreement | Morocco | Free |
| UK–Moldova agreement | Moldova | Free |
| UK–North Macedonia agreement | North Macedonia | Free |
| UK–Mexico agreement | Mexico | Free |
| UK–Norway agreement | Norway | Free |
| UK–New Zealand agreement | New Zealand | Free |
| UK–Peru agreement | Peru | Free |
| UK–Papua New Guinea agreement | Papua New Guinea | Free |
| UK–Palestinian Territories agreement | Palestinian Territories | Free |
| UK–Serbia agreement | Serbia | Free |
| UK–Solomon Islands agreement | Solomon Islands | Free |
| UK–Singapore agreement | Singapore | Free |
| UK–San Marino agreement | San Marino | Free |
| UK–Tunisia agreement | Tunisia | Free |
| UK–Türkiye agreement | Türkiye | Free |
| UK–Ukraine agreement | Ukraine | Free |
| UK–Vietnam agreement | Vietnam | Free |
| UK–Samoa agreement | Samoa | Free |
| UK–Kosovo agreement | Kosovo | Free |
| UK–South Africa agreement | South Africa | Free |
UK: imports by month
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 Norway | £47.4m | 93% | -39.9% |
 Germany | £3.5m | 7% | +90,242.9% |
 United States | £3k | 0% | +255.2% |
 Japan | £0 | 0% | -100% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EU 5.5% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Türkiye 5.5% Third-country duty 1 tariff line USA 5.5% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Canada Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Mexico Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Brazil 9% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Argentina 9% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Peru Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
New Zealand Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line Japan 3.9% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Taiwan 1% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
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 World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$48kUS$48k+US$110m+US$201m+> US$564m
Exports: 38
- United States: US$939m
- Japan: US$564m
- Belgium: US$305m
- Qatar: US$201m
- Norway: US$184m
- Taiwan: US$172m
- South Korea: US$125m
- Germany: US$121m
- China: US$110m
- Netherlands: US$105m
- France: US$76m
- Thailand: US$48m
- Indonesia: US$15m
- Spain: US$1m
- Estonia: US$130k
- Denmark: US$57k
- Singapore: US$48k
- Czechia: US$20k
- United Kingdom: US$11k
- Slovakia: US$11k
- Morocco: US$7k
- Poland: US$5k
- South Africa: US$4k
- Romania: US$2k
- Sweden: US$1k
- Bulgaria: US$1k
- India: US$900
- Australia: US$500
- Malaysia: US$500
- Canada: US$100
- Chile: US$100
- Hungary: US$100
- Ireland: US$100
- Italy: US$100
- Austria: US$0
- Luxembourg: US$0
- Portugal: US$0
- Slovenia: US$0
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$33kUS$33k+US$19m+US$138m+> US$345m
Imports: 75
- China: US$430m
- Mexico: US$413m
- India: US$345m
- Colombia: US$302m
- France: US$236m
- Canada: US$215m
- Vietnam: US$169m
- Netherlands: US$138m
- Portugal: US$119m
- United Kingdom: US$110m
- Philippines: US$89m
- Indonesia: US$87m
- Sweden: US$74m
- Türkiye: US$54m
- Taiwan: US$45m
- Spain: US$43m
- South Korea: US$34m
- Malaysia: US$32m
- Japan: US$19m
- Belgium: US$4m
- Germany: US$3m
- Czechia: US$1m
- Kenya: US$251k
- Nigeria: US$150k
- Guatemala: US$140k
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$133k
- Brazil: US$127k
- United States: US$120k
- Ecuador: US$91k
- Costa Rica: US$78k
- Austria: US$75k
- Lithuania: US$66k
- Senegal: US$57k
- Italy: US$55k
- Ireland: US$48k
- Saudi Arabia: US$37k
- Singapore: US$33k
- Peru: US$29k
- Greece: US$24k
- Qatar: US$22k
- Poland: US$21k
- Dominican Republic: US$16k
- Finland: US$14k
- Slovenia: US$13k
- Latvia: US$11k
- El Salvador: US$10k
- Hungary: US$9k
- Antigua & Barbuda: US$9k
- Australia: US$8k
- Jamaica: US$7k
- Burkina Faso: US$7k
- St Lucia: US$7k
- Denmark: US$7k
- Luxembourg: US$5k
- Algeria: US$4k
- Bulgaria: US$4k
- Micronesia: US$4k
- Iceland: US$4k
- Kuwait: US$4k
- Slovakia: US$4k
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | US$939m | 31.7% |
| 2 | Japan | US$564m | 19% |
| 3 |  Belgium | US$305m | 10.3% |
| 4 |  Qatar | US$201m | 6.8% |
| 5 | Norway | US$184m | 6.2% |
| 6 | Taiwan | US$172m | 5.8% |
| 7 |  South Korea | US$125m | 4.2% |
| 8 | Germany | US$121m | 4.1% |
| 9 |  China | US$110m | 3.7% |
| 10 |  Netherlands | US$105m | 3.5% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | US$430m | 14.5% |
| 2 | Mexico | US$413m | 13.9% |
| 3 |  India | US$345m | 11.6% |
| 4 |  Colombia | US$302m | 10.2% |
| 5 |  France | US$236m | 8% |
| 6 | Canada | US$215m | 7.3% |
| 7 |  Vietnam | US$169m | 5.7% |
| 8 | Netherlands | US$138m | 4.6% |
| 9 |  Portugal | US$119m | 4% |
| 10 | United Kingdom | US$110m | 3.7% |
Import duty on this product around the world 165
The most-favoured-nation (MFN) duty each country applies to goods of this HS subheading: the average over its national tariff lines, with the lowest and highest line where they differ. Goods from countries with a trade agreement often pay less.
- 5%median duty
- 57number of duty-free countries (MFN)
- 45%highest: Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands
165
| Importing country | MFN duty | lines from – to | data year |
|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan | 5% | 2018 · HS 2012 | |
 Albania | 0% | 2023 | |
 Algeria | 15% | 2023 | |
 Angola | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Anguilla | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Antigua & Barbuda | 5% | 2021 · HS 2007 | |
| Argentina | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Armenia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Aruba | 6% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Australia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Azerbaijan | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bahamas | 45% | 2022 | |
 Bahrain | 5% | 2023 | |
 Bangladesh | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Barbados | 5% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Belarus | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Belize | 5% | 2023 | |
 Benin | 5% | 2023 | |
 Bermuda | 25% | 2023 | |
 Bhutan | 10% | 2022 | |
 Bolivia | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 5% | 2022 | |
 Botswana | 0% | 2023 | |
| Brazil | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Brunei | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Burkina Faso | 5% | 2023 | |
 Burundi | 0% | 2023 | |
 Cambodia | 7% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cameroon | 10% | 2023 | |
| Canada | 0% | 2023 | |
 Cape Verde | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cayman Islands | 22% | 2021 · HS 2002 | |
 Central African Republic | 10% | 2023 | |
 Chad | 10% | 2023 | |
 Chile | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| China | 5.5% | 2023 | |
| Colombia | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Comoros | 20% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Congo - Brazzaville | 10% | 2023 | |
 Cook Islands | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Costa Rica | 0% | 2023 | |
 Côte d’Ivoire | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cuba | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Dominica | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Dominican Republic | 0% | 2023 | |
 Ecuador | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Egypt | 2% | 2019 · HS 2017 | |
 El Salvador | 0% | 2022 | |
 Equatorial Guinea | 10% | 2023 | |
 Eswatini | 0% | 2023 | |
 Ethiopia | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
| European Union (27 countries) | 5.5% | 2023 | |
 Fiji | 5% | 2023 | |
 French Polynesia | 8% | 2023 | |
 Gabon | 10% | 2023 | |
 Gambia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Georgia | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Ghana | 5% | 2023 | |
 Gibraltar | 12% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Grenada | 5% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 Guatemala | 0% | 2023 | |
 Guinea | 5% | 2023 | |
 Guinea-Bissau | 5% | 2023 | |
 Guyana | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Haiti | 0% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Honduras | 0% | 2023 | |
 Hong Kong SAR China | 0% | 2023 | |
 Iceland | 0% | 2023 | |
| India | 2% | 2023 | |
 Indonesia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Iran | 5% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Israel | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Jamaica | 0% | 2023 | |
| Japan | 3.9% | 2023 | |
 Jordan | 0% | 2023 | |
 Kazakhstan | 5% | 2023 | |
 Kenya | 0% | 2023 | |
 Kiribati | 0% | 2023 · HS 2002 | |
 Kuwait | 5% | 2023 | |
 Kyrgyzstan | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Laos | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Lebanon | 0% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Lesotho | 0% | 2023 | |
 Liberia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Libya | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Liechtenstein | 1.8%* | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Macao SAR China | 0% | 2023 | |
 Madagascar | 5% | 2023 | |
 Malawi | 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Malaysia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Maldives | 15% | 2023 | |
 Mali | 5% | 2023 | |
 Mauritania | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Mauritius | 0% | 2023 | |
| Mexico | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Micronesia | 4% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Moldova | 5.5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Mongolia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Montserrat | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Morocco | 2.5% | 2023 | |
 Mozambique | 2.5% | 2023 | |
 Myanmar (Burma) | 3% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Namibia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Nauru | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Nepal | 10% | 2023 | |
| New Zealand | 0% | 2023 | |
 Nicaragua | 0% | 2023 | |
 Niger | 5% | 2023 | |
| Nigeria | 5% | 2023 | |
| North Macedonia | 0% | 2023 | |
| Norway | 0% | 2023 | |
 Oman | 5% | 2023 | |
 Pakistan | 0% | 2023 | |
 Palau | 3% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 Palestinian Territories | 0% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Panama | 0% | 2023 | |
 Papua New Guinea | 0% | 2023 | |
 Paraguay | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Peru | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Philippines | 0% | 2023 | |
| Qatar | 5% | 2023 | |
 Russia | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Rwanda | 0% | 2023 | |
 Samoa | 8% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 São Tomé & Príncipe | 10% | 2019 · HS 2017 | |
 Saudi Arabia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Senegal | 5% | 2023 | |
 Seychelles | 0% | 2023 | |
 Sierra Leone | 5% | 2023 | |
 Singapore | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Solomon Islands | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Somalia | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 South Africa | 0% | 2023 | |
| South Korea | 5.5% | 2023 | |
 Sri Lanka | 0% | 2023 | |
 St Kitts & Nevis | 5% | 2023 | |
 St Lucia | 5% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 St Pierre & Miquelon | 8% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 St Vincent & the Grenadines | 5% | 2023 | |
 Sudan | 3% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Suriname | 5% | 2023 · HS 2007 | |
| Switzerland | 1.7%* | 2023 | |
 Syria | 1% | 2020 · HS 2012 | |
 Tajikistan | 5.5% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Tanzania | 0% | 2023 | |
 Thailand | 0% | 2023 | |
 Togo | 5% | 2023 | |
 Tonga | 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Trinidad & Tobago | 0% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
| Türkiye | 5.5% | 2023 | |
 Tuvalu | 0% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Uganda | 0% | 2023 | |
 Ukraine | 5.5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 United Arab Emirates | 5% | 2023 | |
| United Kingdom | 4% | 2023 | |
| United States | 5.5% | 2023 | |
 Uruguay | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Uzbekistan | 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Vanuatu | 5% | 2023 | |
 Venezuela | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Vietnam | 0% | 2023 | |
 Wallis & Futuna | 6% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Yemen | 5% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Zambia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Zimbabwe | 0.1% | 2023 |
Tariff data years 2017–2023; rates may have changed since. * ad valorem equivalent of specific duties (UNCTAD estimate) · UNCTAD TRAINS, accessed via WITS (World Bank)
Classifications and correspondences
Where this HS subheading sits in the United Nations' statistical classifications, and which codes it had in earlier editions of the Harmonized System.
- SITC Rev. 4
- 51131 Vinyl chloride (chloroethylene)
- End use (BEC Rev. 5)
- Intermediate goods · BEC 211220
- CPC 2.1 product
- 34110 Hydrocarbons and their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives
- ISIC Rev. 4 activity
- 2011 Manufacture of basic chemicals
Earlier HS editions
| HS | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2903.21 | unchanged |
| 2012 | 2903.21 | unchanged |
| 2007 | 2903.21 | unchanged |
| 2002 | 2903.21 | unchanged |
| 1996 | 2903.21 | unchanged |
| 1992 | 2903.21 | unchanged |
Correspondence tables of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD)
Subheading 2903.21 is a single line in the UK Global Tariff, where the duty is 4%.
The EU Combined Nomenclature has one tariff line for subheading 2903.21; the duty is 5.5%.
Goods from 174 countries can enter the UK at a preferential rate instead of the standard 4%; 174 of them pay no duty at all, for example under DCTS Comprehensive or European Union.
In the UK, additional duty of 35% applies on top of the customs duty to goods from Belarus and Russia.
In the 12 months to August 2026, the UK imported vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) worth £50.9m (down 35% on the year before), at an average of £0.50 per kg; Norway supplied 93%, followed by Germany.
World trade in vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) reached US$3bn in 2024, down 2.1% on 2023.
The United States was the largest exporter with 31.7% of the total, ahead of Japan.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for unsaturated chlorinated derivatives of acyclic hydrocarbons: vinyl chloride (chloroethylene)?
Unsaturated chlorinated derivatives of acyclic hydrocarbons: vinyl chloride (chloroethylene) fall under HS subheading 2903.21, part of heading 2903, in section VI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on unsaturated chlorinated derivatives of acyclic… in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 2903.21 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 4%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on unsaturated chlorinated derivatives of acyclic… in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 2903.21 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 5.5%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most unsaturated chlorinated derivatives of acyclic…?
The United States, with US$939m in 2024 (31.7% of world exports).
Which countries can export vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) to the UK duty-free?
174 countries pay no duty under a trade agreement or preference scheme, among them partners under DCTS Comprehensive, European Union, DCTS Enhanced. The goods must meet the agreement’s rules of origin and the importer needs proof of origin; otherwise the standard rate of 4% applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.
Is there anti-dumping duty on vinyl chloride monomer (VCM)?
The UK charges additional duty of 35% on goods from Belarus and Russia. Lower rates apply to the named exporters listed in the measure.
Where does the UK import vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Norway (93%), Germany (7%) and United States (0%), out of total imports of £50.9m.