Heading · Section VI

3212: Pigments (including metallic powders and flakes) dispersed in non-aqueous media, in liquid or paste form, of a kind used in the manufacture of paints (including enamels); stamping foils; dyes and other colouring matter put up in forms or packings for retail sale

3212
  • FreeUK
  • 6.5%EU
  • 50%Türkiye
  • 3.1%–4.7%USA
  • US$2.3bnWorld trade in 2024

Heading 3212 is divided into 2 six-digit subheadings and sits in chapter 32, tanning or dyeing extracts.

The UK Global Tariff divides heading 3212 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.

In the EU Combined Nomenclature, heading 3212 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is 6.5%.

The Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule divides heading 3212 into 4 tariff lines; the statutory rate is 50%.

In the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, heading 3212 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is between 3.1% and 4.7%.

In 2024, countries exported heading 3212 goods worth US$2.3bn (+3.2% year on year).

The largest exporter was Germany (US$478.8m), followed by China.

The biggest buyer was the United States, with imports of US$241.6m.

The United Kingdom ranked 11th among 143 exporters with US$66.4m.

The United Kingdom imported US$63.7m.

Duty rates compared

UK Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines EU 6.5% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines Türkiye 50% Statutory rate (Law 474) 4 tariff lines USA 3.1% – 4.7% General (MFN) 2 tariff lines · average 3.9%

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.

Subheadings 2

World trade in 2024

3212 · US$2.3bn

Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$414.8kUS$414.8k+US$6.2m+US$48.3m+> US$117.4m

Exports: 143
  1. Germany: US$478.8m
  2. China: US$232.9m
  3. United States: US$228m
  4. Japan: US$121.2m
  5. France: US$117.4m
  6. Netherlands: US$107.9m
  7. Taiwan: US$106.1m
  8. Italy: US$102.3m
  9. Malaysia: US$91.2m
  10. South Korea: US$89.7m
  11. United Kingdom: US$66.4m
  12. India: US$59.9m
  13. Poland: US$54.7m
  14. Belgium: US$48.3m
  15. Spain: US$45.8m
  16. Switzerland: US$42.5m
  17. Canada: US$37.9m
  18. Austria: US$25.2m
  19. Sweden: US$22.9m
  20. Ireland: US$21.1m
  21. Slovenia: US$16.9m
  22. Saudi Arabia: US$16.6m
  23. Denmark: US$15.8m
  24. Mexico: US$14.4m
  25. South Africa: US$12.2m
  26. Türkiye: US$10.9m
  27. Norway: US$9.1m
  28. Romania: US$8.9m
  29. Brazil: US$8.4m
  30. Singapore: US$8.4m
  31. United Arab Emirates: US$7.7m
  32. Hungary: US$6.7m
  33. Finland: US$6.6m
  34. Australia: US$6.2m
  35. Russia: US$5.7m
  36. Thailand: US$5.7m
  37. Czechia: US$5.5m
  38. Uruguay: US$5.3m
  39. Greece: US$4.6m
  40. Portugal: US$4.2m
  41. Costa Rica: US$4.2m
  42. Hong Kong SAR China: US$3.5m
  43. Bulgaria: US$3.3m
  44. Lithuania: US$3m
  45. El Salvador: US$2.8m
  46. Latvia: US$2.4m
  47. Kazakhstan: US$2m
  48. Indonesia: US$1.8m
  49. Colombia: US$1.6m
  50. Vietnam: US$1.4m
  51. Estonia: US$1.3m
  52. Serbia: US$1.2m
  53. Chile: US$1.2m
  54. Tunisia: US$1.2m
  55. Slovakia: US$1.1m
  56. Israel: US$1m
  57. Morocco: US$989.9k
  58. Egypt: US$978.3k
  59. Kenya: US$819.2k
  60. Argentina: US$699.6k

Top exporters

RankCountryValueShare
1 Germany US$478.8m 20.6%
2 China US$232.9m 10%
3 United States US$228m 9.8%
4 Japan US$121.2m 5.2%
5 France US$117.4m 5%
6 Netherlands US$107.9m 4.6%
7 Taiwan US$106.1m 4.6%
8 Italy US$102.3m 4.4%
9 Malaysia US$91.2m 3.9%
10 South Korea US$89.7m 3.9%

Top importers

RankCountryValueShare
1 United States US$241.6m 10.4%
2 Germany US$162.7m 7%
3 China US$128.6m 5.5%
4 Italy US$102.2m 4.4%
5 France US$97.6m 4.2%
6 Belgium US$92.5m 4%
7 Mexico US$82m 3.5%
8 India US$80.4m 3.5%
9 Poland US$72.4m 3.1%
10 Spain US$67.7m 2.9%

Legal notes

Notes

1. This chapter does not cover:

  1. (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);

  2. (b) tannates or other tannin derivatives of products of headings 2936 to 2939, 2941 or 3501 to 3504; or

  3. (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:

  1. (a) metallic powder (including powder of precious metal) or pigment, agglomerated with glue, gelatin or other binder; or

  2. (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 pigments (including metallic powders and flakes) dispersed in non-aqueous media, in liquid or paste form, of a kind used in the manufacture of paints (including enamels); stamping foils; dyes and other colouring matter put up in forms or packings for retail sale?

Pigments (including metallic powders and flakes) dispersed in non-aqueous media, in liquid or paste form, of a kind used in the manufacture of paints (including enamels); stamping foils; dyes and other colouring matter put up in forms or packings for retail sale fall under HS heading 3212, part of chapter 32, in section VI of the Harmonized System.

What is the import duty on pigments (including metallic powders and flakes)… in the UK?

Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 3212 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 pigments (including metallic powders and flakes)… in the EU?

Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 3212 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 pigments (including metallic powders and flakes)…?

Germany, with US$478.8m in 2024 (20.6% of world exports).