Subheading · Chapter 32 · Heading 3208
3208.10: Paints and varnishes: based on polyesters
Polyester paints and varnishes (solvent-based)
Official description Based on polyesters
3208.10 is the HS subheading for polyester paints and varnishes (solvent-based), under heading 3208 in chapter 32.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 3208 10 00 00 Based on polyesters
- 3208 10 10 00 Solutions as defined in note 4 to this chapter 6%
- 3208 10 90 00 Other Free
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 4
- Additional dutyAdditional duties 35%
- Applies to goods from
- Belarus, Russia
- Legal act
- 2023 No. 1203
- Documents
- 9062
- Duty suspensionAutonomous tariff suspension Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- In force
- until 31 December 2028
- Legal act
- 2020 No. 1435
- Documents
- 9Y12
- Tariff lines
- on 1 of 2 lines
- 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)
- Duty suspensionAirworthiness tariff suspension Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- S.I. 2018/1249
- Documents
- C119 Authorised Release Certificate — EASA Form 1 (Appendix I to Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012), or equivalent certificate
Import requirements 5
- Prohibition or restrictionImport prohibition
- Applies to goods from
- North Korea
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/411
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Belarus, Russia, Syria, Ukraine
- Legal act
- 2022 No. 748, S.I. 2019/792, S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9024
- 9032
- 9025
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/583
- Documents
- L100 Import licence "controlled substances" (ozone), issued by the Commission
- Y902
- 9Y06
- Import controlImport control on restricted goods and technologies
- Applies to goods from
- Iran, Libya, Russia
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/461, 2020 No. 1665, S.I. 2019/855
- Import controlImport control - Waste
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/590
- 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
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | Free – 6% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
 Germany | £10.2m | 22.6% | -3.7% |
 Poland | £5.6m | 12.3% | +117% |
 Italy | £5.2m | 11.4% | +0.7% |
 France | £4.6m | 10.2% | +1.4% |
 Spain | £3.9m | 8.7% | -2.3% |
 Ireland | £2.8m | 6.1% | +1.9% |
 Netherlands | £2.4m | 5.4% | +13.4% |
 United States | £2.1m | 4.7% | +13% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EU
TürkiyeWorld trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$828.7kUS$828.7k+US$13.5m+US$56.5m+> US$160.8m
Exports: 136
- Germany: US$454.4m
- Italy: US$356.6m
- United States: US$310.8m
- France: US$264.7m
- Spain: US$160.8m
- Poland: US$155.3m
- China: US$118.5m
- Netherlands: US$101.3m
- United Kingdom: US$90.8m
- Canada: US$82.5m
- Sweden: US$63.2m
- Russia: US$61.1m
- Belgium: US$58.8m
- Brazil: US$56.5m
- Mexico: US$48.3m
- Austria: US$46.3m
- Türkiye: US$44.3m
- India: US$42.5m
- South Korea: US$35m
- Switzerland: US$34.9m
- Slovenia: US$34.8m
- Malaysia: US$29.6m
- Greece: US$29.3m
- Portugal: US$24m
- Guatemala: US$23.6m
- Denmark: US$22.9m
- Japan: US$22.1m
- Finland: US$21m
- El Salvador: US$20.5m
- Thailand: US$18.9m
- United Arab Emirates: US$18.5m
- Costa Rica: US$15.7m
- Australia: US$14.3m
- Estonia: US$13.5m
- Singapore: US$13.2m
- Egypt: US$13.1m
- Taiwan: US$12m
- Czechia: US$10.9m
- Oman: US$10.6m
- Jordan: US$8.8m
- Indonesia: US$8.4m
- Serbia: US$8m
- Iran: US$7.4m
- Pakistan: US$7.1m
- Ireland: US$6.6m
- Vietnam: US$6.5m
- Hungary: US$5.7m
- South Africa: US$5.4m
- Norway: US$5.1m
- Lithuania: US$4.4m
- New Zealand: US$4.2m
- Croatia: US$4.2m
- Slovakia: US$4m
- Argentina: US$3.5m
- Ukraine: US$3.3m
- Colombia: US$3.3m
- Romania: US$3.2m
- Azerbaijan: US$2.8m
- Kazakhstan: US$2.7m
- Latvia: US$2.4m
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$1.6mUS$1.6m+US$13.5m+US$38.8m+> US$108m
Imports: 220
- Belgium: US$173.1m
- Germany: US$172.5m
- United States: US$157.9m
- Canada: US$152.8m
- Spain: US$146.9m
- France: US$137.9m
- Poland: US$108m
- Mexico: US$104.6m
- Netherlands: US$102.1m
- Italy: US$90.8m
- Czechia: US$73.6m
- Türkiye: US$67.8m
- China: US$63.1m
- Kazakhstan: US$59.1m
- United Kingdom: US$51.8m
- Austria: US$49.8m
- Greece: US$43.7m
- India: US$42.8m
- Ukraine: US$41.1m
- Portugal: US$40m
- Romania: US$39.9m
- Russia: US$38.8m
- Switzerland: US$37.9m
- Belarus: US$37.8m
- Uzbekistan: US$35.6m
- Hungary: US$33.8m
- United Arab Emirates: US$33.8m
- Slovakia: US$33.7m
- Saudi Arabia: US$33.6m
- Argentina: US$31.9m
- Thailand: US$27.7m
- Norway: US$25.9m
- Finland: US$25.4m
- Sweden: US$24.4m
- Vietnam: US$22.8m
- Honduras: US$22m
- Malaysia: US$21.5m
- Morocco: US$21.4m
- Indonesia: US$19m
- Croatia: US$18.6m
- Brazil: US$18.3m
- Nicaragua: US$18.2m
- Denmark: US$18.1m
- Singapore: US$17.7m
- South Korea: US$17.3m
- Lithuania: US$17.1m
- Australia: US$16.8m
- Bulgaria: US$16.6m
- Qatar: US$16.4m
- Peru: US$16.1m
- Guatemala: US$14.9m
- Taiwan: US$14.5m
- Serbia: US$13.6m
- Panama: US$13.6m
- Egypt: US$13.5m
- Japan: US$13.3m
- New Zealand: US$13m
- Israel: US$11.9m
- Azerbaijan: US$11.7m
- Ireland: US$11.2m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | US$454.4m | 14.7% |
| 2 | Italy | US$356.6m | 11.6% |
| 3 | United States | US$310.8m | 10.1% |
| 4 | France | US$264.7m | 8.6% |
| 5 | Spain | US$160.8m | 5.2% |
| 6 | Poland | US$155.3m | 5% |
| 7 |  China | US$118.5m | 3.8% |
| 8 | Netherlands | US$101.3m | 3.3% |
| 9 | United Kingdom | US$90.8m | 2.9% |
| 10 |  Canada | US$82.5m | 2.7% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Belgium | US$173.1m | 5.6% |
| 2 | Germany | US$172.5m | 5.6% |
| 3 | United States | US$157.9m | 5.1% |
| 4 | Canada | US$152.8m | 5% |
| 5 | Spain | US$146.9m | 4.8% |
| 6 | France | US$137.9m | 4.5% |
| 7 | Poland | US$108m | 3.5% |
| 8 |  Mexico | US$104.6m | 3.4% |
| 9 | Netherlands | US$102.1m | 3.3% |
| 10 | Italy | US$90.8m | 2.9% |
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.
- Sanctions · Applies from:
The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
S.I. 2026/543 · Source: legislation.gov.uk
The UK Global Tariff divides subheading 3208.10 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 6% (average 3%). 1 of them is duty-free.
In the EU Combined Nomenclature, subheading 3208.10 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is 6.5%.
174 countries pay no duty in the UK thanks to trade agreements and preference schemes such as DCTS Comprehensive and European Union, against a standard rate of Free – 6%.
In the UK, additional duty of 35% applies on top of the customs duty to goods from Belarus and Russia.
Imports of polyester paints and varnishes (solvent-based) into the UK came to £45.4m between September 2025 and August 2026 (up 10% on the year before); Germany supplied 23%, followed by Poland.
In 2024, countries exported polyester paints and varnishes (solvent-based) worth US$3.1bn (−1.2% year on year).
The largest exporter was Germany (US$454.4m), followed by Italy.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for paints and varnishes: based on polyesters?
Paints and varnishes: based on polyesters fall under HS subheading 3208.10, part of heading 3208, in section VI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on paints and varnishes: based on polyesters in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 3208.10 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 paints and varnishes: based on polyesters in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 3208.10 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 paints and varnishes: based on polyesters?
Germany, with US$454.4m in 2024 (14.7% of world exports).
Which countries can export polyester paints and varnishes (solvent-based) 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 Free – 6% applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.
Is there anti-dumping duty on polyester paints and varnishes (solvent-based)?
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 polyester paints and varnishes (solvent-based) from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Germany (23%), Poland (12%) and Italy (11%), out of total imports of £45.4m.