Heading · Chapter 32
3205: Colour lakes; preparations as specified in note 3 to this chapter based on colour lakes
Heading 3205 has no further six-digit division: the whole heading is subheading 3205.00, in chapter 32 (tanning or dyeing extracts).
Duty rates compared
UK Free Third-country duty 3 tariff lines 
EU 6.5% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Türkiye 6.5% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
USA Free – 6.5% General (MFN) 4 tariff lines · average 4.9% 
Canada Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Mexico Free – 5% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines · average 2.5% 
Brazil 10.8% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Argentina 10.8% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Peru 6% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
New Zealand Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Japan 4.4% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Taiwan 5% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
GCC 5% Third-country duty 3 tariff lines 
Switzerland Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Norway Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
North Macedonia 6% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Nigeria 10% Third-country duty 1 tariff line Subheadings 1
EU: imports by month
World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$97kUS$97k+US$948k+US$6m+> US$40m
Exports: 96
- Peru: US$104m
- India: US$73m
- United States: US$40m
- United Kingdom: US$23m
- France: US$13m
- Germany: US$10m
- Belgium: US$9m
- Netherlands: US$7m
- Spain: US$6m
- China: US$5m
- Italy: US$5m
- Hungary: US$3m
- Mexico: US$2m
- South Korea: US$2m
- Japan: US$2m
- Taiwan: US$2m
- Colombia: US$2m
- Poland: US$2m
- Denmark: US$2m
- South Africa: US$1m
- Brazil: US$1m
- Austria: US$1m
- El Salvador: US$948k
- Lithuania: US$843k
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$780k
- Türkiye: US$752k
- Singapore: US$724k
- Australia: US$694k
- Czechia: US$608k
- Slovakia: US$540k
- Luxembourg: US$514k
- Egypt: US$514k
- Canada: US$510k
- Thailand: US$498k
- Costa Rica: US$417k
- Uganda: US$389k
- Guatemala: US$334k
- Vietnam: US$281k
- Portugal: US$263k
- Saudi Arabia: US$257k
- Sweden: US$249k
- Latvia: US$208k
- Malaysia: US$145k
- Chile: US$121k
- Philippines: US$97k
- Indonesia: US$96k
- Switzerland: US$90k
- Estonia: US$81k
- New Zealand: US$78k
- Côte d’Ivoire: US$63k
- Serbia: US$60k
- Israel: US$59k
- Ireland: US$53k
- Romania: US$45k
- Russia: US$43k
- Iran: US$38k
- Greece: US$36k
- United Arab Emirates: US$35k
- Croatia: US$33k
- Pakistan: US$21k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$271kUS$271k+US$1m+US$6m+> US$16m
Imports: 169
- Brazil: US$25m
- Mexico: US$25m
- United States: US$25m
- Bangladesh: US$22m
- China: US$16m
- Belgium: US$14m
- Germany: US$13m
- Russia: US$12m
- Denmark: US$9m
- France: US$8m
- Italy: US$8m
- Netherlands: US$8m
- India: US$7m
- Spain: US$7m
- Guatemala: US$6m
- Canada: US$6m
- South Africa: US$6m
- Türkiye: US$5m
- United Kingdom: US$5m
- Hungary: US$5m
- Indonesia: US$5m
- Philippines: US$4m
- Pakistan: US$4m
- Argentina: US$4m
- South Korea: US$4m
- Poland: US$4m
- Egypt: US$4m
- Vietnam: US$4m
- Malaysia: US$3m
- Thailand: US$3m
- Colombia: US$3m
- Ireland: US$2m
- Australia: US$2m
- Austria: US$2m
- Chile: US$2m
- United Arab Emirates: US$2m
- Greece: US$2m
- Czechia: US$2m
- Morocco: US$2m
- Romania: US$1m
- Israel: US$1m
- Slovakia: US$1m
- Portugal: US$1m
- Sri Lanka: US$1m
- Latvia: US$1m
- Slovenia: US$1m
- Saudi Arabia: US$1m
- Jordan: US$964k
- Honduras: US$960k
- Costa Rica: US$924k
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$904k
- Singapore: US$879k
- Kenya: US$869k
- Nepal: US$854k
- Angola: US$836k
- Nigeria: US$801k
- Ecuador: US$785k
- Peru: US$785k
- Japan: US$721k
- Iraq: US$712k
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peru | US$104m | 31.7% |
| 2 |  India | US$73m | 22.3% |
| 3 | United States | US$40m | 12.3% |
| 4 | United Kingdom | US$23m | 7.1% |
| 5 |  France | US$13m | 3.9% |
| 6 |  Germany | US$10m | 3% |
| 7 |  Belgium | US$9m | 2.6% |
| 8 |  Netherlands | US$7m | 2.2% |
| 9 |  Spain | US$6m | 1.9% |
| 10 |  China | US$5m | 1.5% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil | US$25m | 7.7% |
| 2 | Mexico | US$25m | 7.6% |
| 3 | United States | US$25m | 7.5% |
| 4 |  Bangladesh | US$22m | 6.7% |
| 5 | China | US$16m | 4.8% |
| 6 | Belgium | US$14m | 4.4% |
| 7 | Germany | US$13m | 3.9% |
| 8 |  Russia | US$12m | 3.6% |
| 9 |  Denmark | US$9m | 2.7% |
| 10 | France | US$8m | 2.5% |
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
The UK Global Tariff divides heading 3205 into 3 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
Heading 3205 is a single line in the EU Combined Nomenclature, where the duty is 6.5%.
The Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule divides heading 3205 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is 6.5%.
In the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, heading 3205 covers 4 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 6.5%. 1 of them is duty-free.
The Customs Tariff of Canada has one tariff line for heading 3205; the duty is duty-free.
In the Mexican Tariff (TIGIE), heading 3205 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 5%. 1 of them is duty-free.
The Brazilian Tariff (NCM/TEC) has one tariff line for heading 3205; the duty is 10.8%.
In the Argentine Tariff (NCM-SIM), heading 3205 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is 10.8%.
The Customs Tariff of Peru has one tariff line for heading 3205; the duty is 6%.
Heading 3205 is a single line in the Working Tariff Document of New Zealand, where the duty is duty-free.
The Customs Tariff Schedules of Japan has one tariff line for heading 3205; the duty is 4.4%.
In the Customs Import Tariff of Taiwan, heading 3205 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is 5%.
The GCC Common Customs Tariff divides heading 3205 into 3 tariff lines; the duty is 5%.
Heading 3205 is a single line in the Swiss Customs Tariff (Tares), where the duty is duty-free.
The Customs Tariff of Norway has one tariff line for heading 3205; the duty is duty-free.
Heading 3205 is a single line in the Customs Tariff of North Macedonia, where the duty is 6%.
The ECOWAS Common External Tariff (Nigeria) has one tariff line for heading 3205; the duty is 10%.
In 2024, countries exported heading 3205 goods worth US$328m (+5.6% year on year).
The largest exporter was Peru (US$104m), followed by India.
The biggest buyer was Brazil, with imports of US$25m.
The United Kingdom ranked 4th among 96 exporters with US$23m.
The United Kingdom imported US$5m.
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 colour lakes; preparations as specified in note 3 to this chapter based on colour lakes?
Colour lakes; preparations as specified in note 3 to this chapter based on colour lakes fall under HS heading 3205, part of chapter 32, in section VI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on colour lakes in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 3205 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on colour lakes in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 3205 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 6.5%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most colour lakes?
Peru, with US$104m in 2024 (31.7% of world exports).