Heading · Chapter 34
3404: Artificial waxes and prepared waxes
2 subheadings make up heading 3404 in chapter 34 (soap, organic surface-active agents, washing preparations, lubricating…).
Duty rates compared
UK Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
EU Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Türkiye Free Third-country duty 4 tariff lines 
USA Free General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
Canada Free – 6.5% General (MFN) 5 tariff lines · average 3.9% 
Mexico Free – 10% General (MFN) 4 tariff lines · average 5.3% 
Brazil Free – 12.6% General (MFN) 10 tariff lines · average 8.8% 
Argentina Free – 12.6% General (MFN) 15 tariff lines · average 10.1% 
Peru Free – 6% General (MFN) 6 tariff lines · average 2% 
New Zealand Free General (MFN) 9 tariff lines 
Japan Free General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
Taiwan Free – 3.5% General (MFN) 6 tariff lines · average 0.6% 
GCC 5% General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
Switzerland Free General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
Norway Free General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
North Macedonia Free General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
Nigeria 10% General (MFN) 2 tariff lines Subheadings 2
EU: imports by month
World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$389kUS$389k+US$11m+US$83m+> US$371m
Exports: 135
- Germany: US$694m
- China: US$547m
- United States: US$516m
- South Korea: US$371m
- Malaysia: US$186m
- Denmark: US$177m
- Netherlands: US$156m
- Belgium: US$147m
- Italy: US$134m
- Indonesia: US$130m
- India: US$110m
- France: US$109m
- Thailand: US$83m
- Japan: US$77m
- United Kingdom: US$73m
- Poland: US$62m
- Canada: US$59m
- Spain: US$58m
- Singapore: US$58m
- Belarus: US$44m
- Taiwan: US$39m
- Saudi Arabia: US$24m
- Switzerland: US$22m
- Russia: US$19m
- Mexico: US$17m
- South Africa: US$16m
- Brazil: US$15m
- Türkiye: US$15m
- Vietnam: US$14m
- Ireland: US$14m
- Czechia: US$13m
- Iran: US$11m
- United Arab Emirates: US$9m
- Sweden: US$7m
- Lithuania: US$7m
- Portugal: US$7m
- Austria: US$6m
- Uzbekistan: US$6m
- Qatar: US$5m
- Hungary: US$5m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$3m
- Egypt: US$3m
- Finland: US$3m
- Bulgaria: US$3m
- Australia: US$2m
- Slovenia: US$2m
- Norway: US$2m
- Philippines: US$1m
- Argentina: US$1m
- Luxembourg: US$1m
- Israel: US$1m
- Greece: US$1m
- Kyrgyzstan: US$1m
- Kazakhstan: US$1m
- Serbia: US$1m
- Estonia: US$975k
- Chile: US$958k
- Slovakia: US$852k
- Colombia: US$636k
- Costa Rica: US$585k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$800kUS$800k+US$10m+US$58m+> US$183m
Imports: 206
- China: US$496m
- United States: US$328m
- India: US$236m
- Germany: US$233m
- Türkiye: US$219m
- Italy: US$192m
- France: US$183m
- Netherlands: US$142m
- Spain: US$122m
- Poland: US$115m
- Canada: US$111m
- United Kingdom: US$110m
- Mexico: US$107m
- Vietnam: US$99m
- South Korea: US$94m
- Japan: US$91m
- Belgium: US$82m
- Brazil: US$81m
- Thailand: US$74m
- Indonesia: US$67m
- Austria: US$58m
- United Arab Emirates: US$45m
- Taiwan: US$42m
- Sweden: US$39m
- Saudi Arabia: US$39m
- Russia: US$39m
- Czechia: US$33m
- Egypt: US$32m
- Malaysia: US$31m
- Australia: US$28m
- Switzerland: US$25m
- Colombia: US$24m
- Finland: US$21m
- Slovakia: US$19m
- Singapore: US$19m
- South Africa: US$19m
- Pakistan: US$17m
- Argentina: US$17m
- Israel: US$16m
- Philippines: US$16m
- Ireland: US$16m
- Portugal: US$16m
- Romania: US$15m
- Denmark: US$15m
- Slovenia: US$15m
- Hungary: US$12m
- Chile: US$12m
- Lithuania: US$12m
- Bangladesh: US$12m
- Greece: US$12m
- Nigeria: US$10m
- Algeria: US$10m
- Ukraine: US$9m
- Peru: US$9m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$8m
- Bulgaria: US$8m
- Costa Rica: US$7m
- Côte d’Ivoire: US$7m
- Serbia: US$6m
- Norway: US$6m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Germany | US$694m | 16.9% |
| 2 |  China | US$547m | 13.3% |
| 3 | United States | US$516m | 12.6% |
| 4 |  South Korea | US$371m | 9% |
| 5 |  Malaysia | US$186m | 4.5% |
| 6 |  Denmark | US$177m | 4.3% |
| 7 |  Netherlands | US$156m | 3.8% |
| 8 |  Belgium | US$147m | 3.6% |
| 9 |  Italy | US$134m | 3.3% |
| 10 |  Indonesia | US$130m | 3.2% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | US$496m | 12.1% |
| 2 | United States | US$328m | 8% |
| 3 |  India | US$236m | 5.8% |
| 4 | Germany | US$233m | 5.7% |
| 5 | Türkiye | US$219m | 5.3% |
| 6 | Italy | US$192m | 4.7% |
| 7 |  France | US$183m | 4.5% |
| 8 | Netherlands | US$142m | 3.5% |
| 9 |  Spain | US$122m | 3% |
| 10 |  Poland | US$115m | 2.8% |
In the UK Global Tariff, heading 3404 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The EU Combined Nomenclature divides heading 3404 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule, heading 3404 covers 4 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States divides heading 3404 into 3 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Customs Tariff of Canada, heading 3404 covers 5 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 6.5%. 2 of them are duty-free.
The Mexican Tariff (TIGIE) divides heading 3404 into 4 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 10% (average 5.3%). 1 of them is duty-free.
In the Brazilian Tariff (NCM/TEC), heading 3404 covers 10 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 12.6%. 3 of them are duty-free.
The Argentine Tariff (NCM-SIM) divides heading 3404 into 15 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 12.6% (average 10.1%). 3 of them are duty-free.
In the Customs Tariff of Peru, heading 3404 covers 6 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 6%. 4 of them are duty-free.
The Working Tariff Document of New Zealand divides heading 3404 into 9 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Customs Tariff Schedules of Japan, heading 3404 covers 3 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Customs Import Tariff of Taiwan divides heading 3404 into 6 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 3.5% (average 0.6%). 5 of them are duty-free.
In the GCC Common Customs Tariff, heading 3404 covers 3 tariff lines and the duty is 5%.
The Swiss Customs Tariff (Tares) divides heading 3404 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Customs Tariff of Norway, heading 3404 covers 3 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Customs Tariff of North Macedonia divides heading 3404 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (Nigeria), heading 3404 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is 10%.
World trade in heading 3404 goods reached US$4.1bn in 2024, up 4.5% on 2023.
Germany was the largest exporter with 16.9% of the total, ahead of China.
China imported the most (US$496m).
The United Kingdom ranked 15th among 135 exporters with US$73m.
The United Kingdom imported US$110m.
Legal notes
Notes
1. This chapter does not cover:
(a) edible mixtures or preparations of animal, vegetable or microbial fats or oils of a kind used as mould release preparations (heading 1517);
(b) separate chemically defined compounds; or
(c) shampoos, dentifrices, shaving creams and foams, or bath preparations, containing soap or other organic surface-active agents (heading 3305, 3306 or 3307).
2. For the purposes of heading 3401, the expression ‘soap’ applies only to soap soluble in water. Soap and the other products of heading 3401 may contain added substances (for example, disinfectants, abrasive powders, fillers or medicaments). Products containing abrasive powders remain classified in heading 3401 only if in the form of bars, cakes or moulded pieces or shapes. In other forms, they are to be classified in heading 3405 as ‘scouring powders and similar preparations’.
3. For the purposes of heading 3402, ‘organic surface-active agents’ are products which, when mixed with water at a concentration of 0,5 % at 20 °C and left to stand for one hour at the same temperature:
(a) give a transparent or translucent liquid or stable emulsion without separation of insoluble matter; and
(b) reduce the surface tension of water to 4,5 × 10–2 N/m (45 dyn/cm) or less.
4. In heading 3403, the expression ‘petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals’ applies to the products defined in note 2 to Chapter 27.
5. In heading 3404, subject to the exclusions provided below, the expression ‘artificial waxes and prepared waxes’ applies only to:
(a) chemically produced organic products of a waxy character, whether or not water-soluble;
(b) products obtained by mixing different waxes;
(c) products of a waxy character with a basis of one or more waxes and containing fats, resins, mineral substances or other materials.
The heading does not apply to:
(a) products of heading 1516, 3402 or 3823, even if having a waxy character;
(b) unmixed animal waxes or unmixed vegetable waxes, whether or not refined or coloured, of heading 1521;
(c) mineral waxes or similar products of heading 2712, whether or not intermixed or merely coloured; or
(d) waxes mixed with, dispersed in or dissolved in a liquid medium (headings 3405, 3809, etc.).
Products classified here
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for artificial waxes and prepared waxes?
Artificial waxes and prepared waxes fall under HS heading 3404, part of chapter 34, in section VI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on artificial waxes and prepared waxes in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 3404 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 artificial waxes and prepared waxes in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 3404 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most artificial waxes and prepared waxes?
Germany, with US$694m in 2024 (16.9% of world exports).