Subheading · Chapter 32 · Heading 3212

3212.90

3212.90: Pigments: other

Pigments in non-aqueous media; dyes for retail

Official description Other

3212.90 is the HS subheading for pigments in non-aqueous media; dyes for retail, under heading 3212 in chapter 32.

What you pay

Importing into UK

Customs duty Free standard rate depends on the country of origin
Additional duties and charges 3 additional measures Import requirements: 3
VAT 20.00 % import VAT
Duty calculatorCalculate duty and taxes →

Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff

UK lines →
  1. 3212 90 00 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 3

  • Additional dutyAdditional duties 35%
    Applies to goods from
    Belarus, Russia
    Legal act
    2023 No. 1203
    Documents
    • 9062
  • 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 3

  • Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
    Applies to goods from
    Ukraine
    Legal act
    S.I. 2022/395
    Documents
    • 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 - 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 schemeCountriesRate
standard rate (no agreement)—Free
DCTS Comprehensive
Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 more

Afghanistan, 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")
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia and 23 more

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden

Free
DCTS Enhanced
Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville and 13 more

Algeria, 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 more

Antigua & 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 more

Anguilla, 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

last 12 months£33.8m+16.7% · previous 12 months
Average import price£8.51 per kg
Jan 2024: £2.1mFeb 2024: £2.3mMar 2024: £2.2mApr 2024: £2.3mMay 2024: £2.9mJun 2024: £2.7mJul 2024: £2.7mAug 2024: £2.8mSept 2024: £2.7mOct 2024: £3mNov 2024: £2.3mDec 2024: £2mJan 2025: £1.9mFeb 2025: £2.3mMar 2025: £2.8mApr 2025: £2.5mMay 2025: £2.3mJun 2025: £2.5mJul 2025: £2.8mAug 2025: £2mSept 2025: £2.8mOct 2025: £3.1mNov 2025: £3.2mDec 2025: £2.1mJan 2026: £2.1mFeb 2026: £2.5mMar 2026: £3.2mApr 2026: £2.6mMay 2026: £3.1mJun 2026: £3mJul 2026: £3.4mAug 2026: £2.7m 202420252026
Data up to August 2026 (provisional) · Monthly data: Eurostat Comext (CC BY 4.0), HMRC (OGL v3.0)

Main suppliers, last 12 months

CountryValueShareChange
Germany £6.7m 19.9% +7.1%
Netherlands £6.6m 19.4% +3.9%
United States £4.1m 12.1% -2.3%
China £3.4m 9.9% +156.6%
Italy £3.3m 9.7% +13.8%
Sweden £2.4m 7.2% +44.3%
France £1.6m 4.9% +18.3%
Poland £1.3m 4% +16.9%

Same subheading in other tariffs

World trade in 2024

3212.90 · US$1.5bn

Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$377.4kUS$377.4k+US$5.1m+US$32.4m+> US$93.4m

Exports: 140
  1. Germany: US$325.8m
  2. United States: US$178.3m
  3. France: US$100.6m
  4. China: US$93.4m
  5. Netherlands: US$87.6m
  6. Japan: US$84.3m
  7. Italy: US$59.1m
  8. India: US$55.7m
  9. Belgium: US$47.3m
  10. Spain: US$40.8m
  11. Poland: US$39.1m
  12. Switzerland: US$33.5m
  13. Canada: US$33.3m
  14. South Korea: US$32.4m
  15. United Kingdom: US$31.3m
  16. Sweden: US$22.2m
  17. Ireland: US$21m
  18. Austria: US$17.4m
  19. Saudi Arabia: US$16.6m
  20. Slovenia: US$15.8m
  21. Malaysia: US$14.7m
  22. Taiwan: US$13.7m
  23. Denmark: US$13.7m
  24. Mexico: US$12.8m
  25. South Africa: US$11.9m
  26. Norway: US$9m
  27. Romania: US$8.5m
  28. Türkiye: US$8m
  29. Brazil: US$7.3m
  30. United Arab Emirates: US$6.7m
  31. Singapore: US$5.3m
  32. Uruguay: US$5.3m
  33. Russia: US$5.2m
  34. Thailand: US$5.1m
  35. Finland: US$4.7m
  36. Greece: US$4.6m
  37. Costa Rica: US$4.2m
  38. Portugal: US$4.1m
  39. Czechia: US$3.6m
  40. Australia: US$3.2m
  41. El Salvador: US$2.7m
  42. Latvia: US$2.4m
  43. Hong Kong SAR China: US$2.1m
  44. Kazakhstan: US$1.9m
  45. Lithuania: US$1.9m
  46. Colombia: US$1.5m
  47. Estonia: US$1.1m
  48. Indonesia: US$1.1m
  49. Serbia: US$1m
  50. Vietnam: US$980.1k
  51. Bulgaria: US$940.2k
  52. Kenya: US$817.9k
  53. Israel: US$796.9k
  54. Tunisia: US$758k
  55. Chile: US$694.9k
  56. Slovakia: US$678.4k
  57. Egypt: US$666.6k
  58. Argentina: US$651.6k
  59. Cyprus: US$634.7k
  60. Jordan: US$613.3k

Top exporters

RankCountryValueShare
1 Germany US$325.8m 21.5%
2 United States US$178.3m 11.7%
3 France US$100.6m 6.6%
4 China US$93.4m 6.2%
5 Netherlands US$87.6m 5.8%
6 Japan US$84.3m 5.6%
7 Italy US$59.1m 3.9%
8 India US$55.7m 3.7%
9 Belgium US$47.3m 3.1%
10 Spain US$40.8m 2.7%

Top importers

RankCountryValueShare
1 United States US$148.9m 9.8%
2 Germany US$125.2m 8.2%
3 China US$86.5m 5.7%
4 Belgium US$81m 5.3%
5 Mexico US$61.8m 4.1%
6 France US$55.3m 3.6%
7 Italy US$49m 3.2%
8 South Korea US$43.6m 2.9%
9 Canada US$42.5m 2.8%
10 Spain US$41m 2.7%

Binding rulings for similar goods 20

Decisions of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CROSS) and HMRC (Advance Tariff Rulings) on goods classified here. A ruling binds only its holder, but shows how the authorities classify similar goods. The descriptions are the authorities’ own, in English.

  • N306101 U.S. CBP 26 September 2019 · 3212.90.00.50

    The tariff classification of “POWERNICS 1025 F-1 BLACK” from Japan

  • N304909 U.S. CBP 17 July 2019 · 3212.90.00.50

    The tariff classification of “WBC TP Paliogen Red L 4039” from Germany

  • N303924 U.S. CBP 7 May 2019 · 3212.90.00.50

    The tariff classification of “Monarch 1300 Carbon Black” and “Monarch 1400 Carbon Black” from Japan

  • N303081 U.S. CBP 11 March 2019 · 3212.90.00.50

    The tariff classification of “Cinquasia Magenta L 4540” and “Irgazin Rubine L 4025” from Japan

  • N303082 U.S. CBP 11 March 2019 · 3212.90.00.50

    The tariff classification of “Paliogen Red L 3875” from Japan

  • N301955 U.S. CBP 17 December 2018 · 3212.90.00.50

    The tariff classification of “POWERNICS 1010F-K F-1 GRAY” and “POWERNICS 1010F-K F-2” from Japan

  • 600011502 HMRC 6 November 2024 – 5 November 2027 · 3212 90 00 00

    Edible Drink Shimmer Designed for cakes/baking and also can be used in drinks to give colour and an unflavoured shimmering effect. 10ml Transparent PET Bottle with Silver Aluminium Cap which are then packaged within a small branded printed card box. Ingredients: E555 (potassium aluminium silicate)…

  • 600011168 HMRC 16 September 2024 – 15 September 2027 · 3212 90 00 00

    Orange Food Colouring Powder Orange Food Colouring Powder to be added to water. Ingredients: Salt, Tartrazine, Allura Red, Carmoisine 500g

  • 600011125 HMRC 21 August 2024 – 20 August 2027 · 3212 90 00 00

    Food colouring gel/liquid Used to give food colour, for mainly in food baking Ingredients: Glucose syrup, sugar, water, colour (curcumin), gelling agents (agar, xanthan gum), acidity regulator (citric acid), preservative (potassium sorbate) Packaged in to a plastic tube containing 19g

20 rulings in total for this code

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.

  1. GB Sanctions · Applies from:

    The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

    S.I. 2026/543 · Source: legislation.gov.uk

  2. US Anti-dumping

    Strontium Chromate From Austria: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2023-2024

    FR Doc. 2026-09468 · 91 FR 27021 · Source: federalregister.gov

Rule changes →

Subheading 3212.90 is a single line in the UK Global Tariff, where the duty is duty-free.

The EU Combined Nomenclature has one tariff line for subheading 3212.90; the duty is 6.5%.

Goods from 174 countries can enter the UK at a preferential rate instead of the standard Free; 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 pigments in non-aqueous media; dyes for retail worth £33.8m (up 17% on the year before), at an average of £8.51 per kg; Germany supplied 20%, followed by Netherlands.

World trade in pigments in non-aqueous media; dyes for retail reached US$1.5bn in 2024, up 0% on 2023.

Germany was the largest exporter with 21.5% of the total, ahead of the United States.

Questions and answers

What is the HS code for pigments: other?

Pigments: other fall under HS subheading 3212.90, part of heading 3212, in section VI of the Harmonized System.

What is the import duty on pigments: other in the UK?

Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 3212.90 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: other in the EU?

Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 3212.90 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: other?

Germany, with US$325.8m in 2024 (21.5% of world exports).

Which countries can export pigments in non-aqueous media; dyes for retail 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 applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.

Is there anti-dumping duty on pigments in non-aqueous media; dyes for retail?

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 pigments in non-aqueous media; dyes for retail from?

In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Germany (20%), Netherlands (19%) and United States (12%), out of total imports of £33.8m.