Heading · Chapter 32
3204: Synthetic organic colouring matter, whether or not chemically defined; preparations as specified in note 3 to this chapter based on synthetic organic colouring matter; synthetic organic products of a kind used as fluorescent brightening agents or as luminophores, whether or not chemically defined
11 subheadings make up heading 3204 in chapter 32 (tanning or dyeing extracts).
Duty rates compared
UK Free – 6% Third-country duty 76 tariff lines · average 5.7% 
EU 6% – 6.5% Third-country duty 11 tariff lines · average 6.5% 
Türkiye 6% – 6.5% Third-country duty 16 tariff lines · average 6.5% 
USA Free – 6.5% General (MFN) 52 tariff lines · average 5.3% 
Canada Free General (MFN) 16 tariff lines 
Mexico Free – 6% General (MFN) 50 tariff lines · average 1.3% 
Brazil Free – 12.6% General (MFN) 22 tariff lines · average 9.5% 
Argentina Free – 12.6% General (MFN) 118 tariff lines · average 11.6% 
Peru Free General (MFN) 12 tariff lines 
New Zealand Free General (MFN) 11 tariff lines 
Japan 3.5% – 4.4% General (MFN) 14 tariff lines · average 4.3% 
Taiwan 5% General (MFN) 53 tariff lines 
GCC 5% General (MFN) 13 tariff lines 
Switzerland Free General (MFN) 11 tariff lines 
Norway Free General (MFN) 11 tariff lines 
North Macedonia Free General (MFN) 11 tariff lines 
Nigeria 5% – 10% General (MFN) 11 tariff lines · average 6.4% Subheadings 11
- 3204.11Disperse dyes and preparations based thereon
- 3204.12Acid dyes, whether or not premetallised, and preparations based thereon; mordant dyes and preparations based thereon
- 3204.13Basic dyes and preparations based thereon
- 3204.14Direct dyes and preparations based thereon
- 3204.15Vat dyes (including those usable in that state as pigments) and preparations based thereon
- 3204.16Reactive dyes and preparations based thereonReactive dyes
- 3204.17Pigments and preparations based thereonSynthetic organic pigments
- 3204.18Carotenoid colouring matters and preparations based thereon
- 3204.19Other, including mixtures of colouring matter of two or more of the subheadings 320411 to 320419Other synthetic organic dyes
- 3204.20Synthetic organic products of a kind used as fluorescent brightening agents
- 3204.90Synthetic organic colouring matter, whether: other
EU: imports by month
World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$840kUS$840k+US$13m+US$181m+> US$645m
Exports: 160
- China: US$3bn
- India: US$3bn
- Germany: US$1bn
- United States: US$983m
- South Korea: US$645m
- Japan: US$601m
- Netherlands: US$477m
- France: US$455m
- Switzerland: US$388m
- Taiwan: US$318m
- Spain: US$285m
- Belgium: US$269m
- Italy: US$247m
- Singapore: US$227m
- Indonesia: US$200m
- Thailand: US$181m
- United Kingdom: US$168m
- Türkiye: US$166m
- Mexico: US$137m
- Poland: US$83m
- Greece: US$70m
- Sweden: US$63m
- Denmark: US$61m
- Canada: US$53m
- Brazil: US$48m
- Czechia: US$46m
- Ireland: US$46m
- Malaysia: US$44m
- Austria: US$42m
- Hungary: US$33m
- Portugal: US$31m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$26m
- Pakistan: US$21m
- Honduras: US$20m
- Romania: US$19m
- Norway: US$18m
- Vietnam: US$15m
- South Africa: US$14m
- Colombia: US$13m
- Finland: US$12m
- United Arab Emirates: US$12m
- Luxembourg: US$12m
- Uruguay: US$11m
- Australia: US$10m
- Slovakia: US$10m
- Guatemala: US$10m
- Lithuania: US$8m
- Saudi Arabia: US$7m
- Russia: US$7m
- Morocco: US$5m
- Chile: US$5m
- Latvia: US$4m
- Slovenia: US$4m
- Israel: US$4m
- Estonia: US$4m
- Serbia: US$3m
- Sri Lanka: US$3m
- Côte d’Ivoire: US$3m
- Costa Rica: US$3m
- Kuwait: US$3m
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$4mUS$4m+US$37m+US$209m+> US$477m
Imports: 217
- China: US$895m
- United States: US$782m
- South Korea: US$769m
- Germany: US$749m
- Türkiye: US$557m
- Netherlands: US$526m
- Bangladesh: US$477m
- Vietnam: US$455m
- Indonesia: US$446m
- Italy: US$439m
- Japan: US$400m
- France: US$354m
- Brazil: US$353m
- Mexico: US$352m
- Belgium: US$349m
- India: US$305m
- Pakistan: US$294m
- Spain: US$264m
- Thailand: US$257m
- Taiwan: US$256m
- Singapore: US$231m
- United Kingdom: US$209m
- Poland: US$163m
- Russia: US$147m
- Canada: US$142m
- Egypt: US$136m
- United Arab Emirates: US$127m
- Switzerland: US$127m
- Malaysia: US$121m
- Colombia: US$91m
- South Africa: US$83m
- Chile: US$81m
- Portugal: US$79m
- Peru: US$79m
- Austria: US$77m
- Philippines: US$75m
- Sweden: US$68m
- Denmark: US$67m
- Argentina: US$66m
- Czechia: US$63m
- Saudi Arabia: US$60m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$57m
- Norway: US$52m
- Hungary: US$50m
- Guatemala: US$48m
- Uzbekistan: US$47m
- Ireland: US$46m
- Australia: US$45m
- Honduras: US$42m
- Morocco: US$42m
- Romania: US$41m
- Sri Lanka: US$40m
- Finland: US$40m
- Dominican Republic: US$39m
- Israel: US$37m
- Iran: US$37m
- El Salvador: US$36m
- Nigeria: US$35m
- Luxembourg: US$29m
- Greece: US$28m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China | US$3bn | 20.8% |
| 2 |  India | US$3bn | 19.8% |
| 3 |  Germany | US$1bn | 8% |
| 4 | United States | US$983m | 7.6% |
| 5 |  South Korea | US$645m | 5% |
| 6 | Japan | US$601m | 4.6% |
| 7 |  Netherlands | US$477m | 3.7% |
| 8 |  France | US$455m | 3.5% |
| 9 | Switzerland | US$388m | 3% |
| 10 | Taiwan | US$318m | 2.4% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | US$895m | 6.9% |
| 2 | United States | US$782m | 6% |
| 3 | South Korea | US$769m | 5.9% |
| 4 | Germany | US$749m | 5.8% |
| 5 | Türkiye | US$557m | 4.3% |
| 6 | Netherlands | US$526m | 4.1% |
| 7 |  Bangladesh | US$477m | 3.7% |
| 8 |  Vietnam | US$455m | 3.5% |
| 9 |  Indonesia | US$446m | 3.4% |
| 10 |  Italy | US$439m | 3.4% |
Recent rule changes mentioning this code
Acts whose text cites this code or its heading. Check the act itself: a code can be cited for reasons other than a change of its duty.
- Tariff change · Applies from:
CELEX 32026R1395 · Source: eur-lex.europa.eu
- Sanctions · Applies from:
The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
S.I. 2026/543 · Source: legislation.gov.uk
In the UK Global Tariff, heading 3204 covers 76 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 6%. 4 of them are duty-free.
The EU Combined Nomenclature divides heading 3204 into 11 tariff lines; the duty is between 6% and 6.5% (average 6.5%).
In the Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule, heading 3204 covers 16 tariff lines and the duty is between 6% and 6.5%.
The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States divides heading 3204 into 52 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 6.5% (average 5.3%). 9 of them are duty-free.
In the Customs Tariff of Canada, heading 3204 covers 16 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Mexican Tariff (TIGIE) divides heading 3204 into 50 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 6% (average 1.3%). 38 of them are duty-free.
In the Brazilian Tariff (NCM/TEC), heading 3204 covers 22 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 12.6%. 5 of them are duty-free.
The Argentine Tariff (NCM-SIM) divides heading 3204 into 118 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 12.6% (average 11.6%). 6 of them are duty-free.
In the Customs Tariff of Peru, heading 3204 covers 12 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Working Tariff Document of New Zealand divides heading 3204 into 11 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Customs Tariff Schedules of Japan, heading 3204 covers 14 tariff lines and the duty is between 3.5% and 4.4%.
The Customs Import Tariff of Taiwan divides heading 3204 into 53 tariff lines; the duty is 5%.
In the GCC Common Customs Tariff, heading 3204 covers 13 tariff lines and the duty is 5%.
The Swiss Customs Tariff (Tares) divides heading 3204 into 11 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Customs Tariff of Norway, heading 3204 covers 11 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Customs Tariff of North Macedonia divides heading 3204 into 11 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (Nigeria), heading 3204 covers 11 tariff lines and the duty is between 5% and 10%.
World trade in heading 3204 goods reached US$13bn in 2024, up 4.8% on 2023.
China was the largest exporter with 20.8% of the total, ahead of India.
China imported the most (US$895m).
The United Kingdom ranked 17th among 160 exporters with US$168m.
The United Kingdom imported US$209m.
Legal notes
Notes
1. This chapter does not cover:
(a) separate chemically defined elements or compounds (except those of heading 3203 or 3204, inorganic products of a kind used as luminophores (heading 3206), glass obtained from fused quartz or other fused silica in the forms provided for in heading 3207, and also dyes and other colouring matter put up in forms or packings for retail sale of heading 3212);
(b) tannates or other tannin derivatives of products of headings 2936 to 2939, 2941 or 3501 to 3504; or
(c) mastics of asphalt or other bituminous mastics (heading 2715).
2. Heading 3204 includes mixtures of stabilised diazonium salts and couplers for the production of azo dyes.
3. Headings 3203, 3204, 3205 and 3206 apply also to preparations based on colouring matter (including, in the case of heading 3206, colouring pigments of heading 2530 or Chapter 28, metal flakes and metal powders), of a kind used for colouring any material or used as ingredients in the manufacture of colouring preparations. The headings do not apply, however, to pigments dispersed in non-aqueous media, in liquid or paste form, of a kind used in the manufacture of paints, including enamels (heading 3212), or to other preparations of headings 3207, 3208, 3209, 3210, 3212, 3213 or 3215.
4. Heading 3208 includes solutions (other than collodions) consisting of any of the products specified in headings 3901 to 3913 in volatile organic solvents when the weight of the solvent exceeds 50 % of the weight of the solution.
5. The expression ‘colouring matter’ in this chapter does not include products of a kind used as extenders in oil paints, whether or not they are also suitable for colouring distempers.
6. The expression ‘stamping foils’ in heading 3212 applies only to thin sheets of a kind used for printing, for example, book covers or hat bands, and consisting of:
(a) metallic powder (including powder of precious metal) or pigment, agglomerated with glue, gelatin or other binder; or
(b) metal (including precious metal) or pigment, deposited on a supporting sheet of any material.
Products classified here
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for synthetic organic colouring matter, whether or not chemically defined; preparations as specified in note 3 to this chapter based on synthetic organic colouring matter; synthetic organic products of a kind used as fluorescent brightening agents or as luminophores, whether or not chemically defined?
Synthetic organic colouring matter, whether or not chemically defined; preparations as specified in note 3 to this chapter based on synthetic organic colouring matter; synthetic organic products of a kind used as fluorescent brightening agents or as luminophores, whether or not chemically defined fall under HS heading 3204, part of chapter 32, in section VI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on synthetic organic colouring matter in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 3204 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 0% to 6%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on synthetic organic colouring matter in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 3204 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 6% to 6.5%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most synthetic organic colouring matter?
China, with US$3bn in 2024 (20.8% of world exports).