Subheading · Chapter 34 · Heading 3404
3404.20: Of poly(oxyethylene) (polyethylene glycol)
3404.20 is a six-digit subheading of heading 3404, artificial waxes and prepared waxes, chapter 34.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 3404 20 00 00 Of poly(oxyethylene) (polyethylene glycol) 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 1
- 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)
Import requirements 2
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Russia, Ukraine
- Legal act
- 2023 No. 440, S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9011
- 9022
- 9038
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
- Import controlImport control on restricted goods and technologies
- Applies to goods from
- North Korea
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/411
- Documents
- Y920 Goods other than those described in the footnotes linked to the measure
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | Free |
| 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 | £13.1m | 69.3% | -28.9% |
 Belgium | £4.7m | 24.7% | -33% |
 Netherlands | £439k | 2.3% | +370.9% |
 France | £203k | 1.1% | +51.3% |
 United States | £184k | 1% | -14.5% |
 Italy | £135k | 0.7% | +26.3% |
 China | £86k | 0.5% | +161.3% |
 South Korea | £42k | 0.2% | -29.9% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EUWorld trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$139kUS$139k+US$1m+US$7m+> US$145m
Exports: 85
- South Korea: US$243m
- Germany: US$146m
- China: US$145m
- Belgium: US$51m
- United States: US$49m
- Japan: US$20m
- Russia: US$19m
- India: US$18m
- Taiwan: US$7m
- Italy: US$7m
- Netherlands: US$6m
- Mexico: US$6m
- United Kingdom: US$5m
- France: US$5m
- Switzerland: US$4m
- Singapore: US$4m
- Thailand: US$3m
- Saudi Arabia: US$3m
- Spain: US$3m
- Malaysia: US$2m
- Brazil: US$1m
- Canada: US$1m
- Denmark: US$1m
- Slovenia: US$886k
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$697k
- Poland: US$682k
- Bulgaria: US$661k
- Australia: US$657k
- Czechia: US$557k
- Türkiye: US$414k
- South Africa: US$394k
- Vietnam: US$375k
- Sweden: US$316k
- Iran: US$295k
- New Zealand: US$222k
- Portugal: US$210k
- Austria: US$190k
- Kuwait: US$164k
- Ukraine: US$156k
- Uzbekistan: US$152k
- Norway: US$140k
- Honduras: US$138k
- Indonesia: US$126k
- United Arab Emirates: US$106k
- Costa Rica: US$90k
- Ireland: US$87k
- Latvia: US$66k
- Israel: US$55k
- Peru: US$53k
- Greece: US$30k
- Croatia: US$28k
- Malta: US$28k
- Slovakia: US$22k
- Chile: US$21k
- Hungary: US$20k
- Guatemala: US$19k
- Armenia: US$17k
- Serbia: US$17k
- Kenya: US$12k
- Estonia: US$11k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$218kUS$218k+US$2m+US$11m+> US$39m
Imports: 159
- Türkiye: US$141m
- India: US$89m
- France: US$60m
- Italy: US$44m
- United States: US$39m
- China: US$37m
- United Kingdom: US$37m
- Spain: US$29m
- Germany: US$28m
- Vietnam: US$25m
- Austria: US$24m
- United Arab Emirates: US$18m
- Poland: US$14m
- Saudi Arabia: US$13m
- Netherlands: US$13m
- Brazil: US$11m
- Indonesia: US$10m
- Egypt: US$8m
- Ireland: US$7m
- Malaysia: US$7m
- Canada: US$7m
- Algeria: US$6m
- Pakistan: US$5m
- Belgium: US$5m
- Nigeria: US$5m
- Thailand: US$5m
- Taiwan: US$5m
- South Korea: US$4m
- South Africa: US$3m
- Australia: US$3m
- Colombia: US$3m
- Finland: US$2m
- Hungary: US$2m
- Japan: US$2m
- Singapore: US$2m
- Israel: US$2m
- Argentina: US$2m
- Costa Rica: US$2m
- Bulgaria: US$2m
- Switzerland: US$2m
- Denmark: US$2m
- Mexico: US$2m
- Philippines: US$2m
- Romania: US$2m
- Chile: US$2m
- Czechia: US$2m
- Bangladesh: US$2m
- Sweden: US$2m
- Qatar: US$1m
- Greece: US$1m
- Croatia: US$1m
- Guatemala: US$1m
- Peru: US$1m
- Honduras: US$960k
- Morocco: US$949k
- Norway: US$921k
- Iran: US$912k
- Portugal: US$876k
- Sri Lanka: US$815k
- Russia: US$761k
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Korea | US$243m | 32.1% |
| 2 | Germany | US$146m | 19.2% |
| 3 | China | US$145m | 19.1% |
| 4 | Belgium | US$51m | 6.8% |
| 5 | United States | US$49m | 6.5% |
| 6 |  Japan | US$20m | 2.7% |
| 7 |  Russia | US$19m | 2.4% |
| 8 |  India | US$18m | 2.3% |
| 9 |  Taiwan | US$7m | 0.9% |
| 10 | Italy | US$7m | 0.9% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Türkiye | US$141m | 18.6% |
| 2 | India | US$89m | 11.8% |
| 3 | France | US$60m | 7.9% |
| 4 | Italy | US$44m | 5.8% |
| 5 | United States | US$39m | 5.1% |
| 6 | China | US$37m | 4.9% |
| 7 | United Kingdom | US$37m | 4.8% |
| 8 |  Spain | US$29m | 3.8% |
| 9 | Germany | US$28m | 3.6% |
| 10 |  Vietnam | US$25m | 3.3% |
Binding rulings for similar goods 1
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.
- N297602 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of “Sunbright ME-200HS” from Japan
Subheading 3404.20 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 3404.20; the duty is duty-free.
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 12 months to August 2026, the UK imported these goods worth £18.9m (down 28% on the year before), at an average of £1.91 per kg; Germany supplied 69%, followed by Belgium.
World trade in these goods reached US$758m in 2024, up 3.8% on 2023.
South Korea was the largest exporter with 32.1% of the total, ahead of Germany.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for of poly(oxyethylene) (polyethylene glycol)?
Of poly(oxyethylene) (polyethylene glycol) fall under HS subheading 3404.20, part of heading 3404, in section VI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on of poly(oxyethylene) (polyethylene glycol) in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 3404.20 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 of poly(oxyethylene) (polyethylene glycol) in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 3404.20 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 of poly(oxyethylene) (polyethylene glycol)?
South Korea, with US$243m in 2024 (32.1% of world exports).
Which countries can export these goods 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.
Where does the UK import these goods from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Germany (69%), Belgium (25%) and Netherlands (2%), out of total imports of £18.9m.