Chapter
Chapter 37: Photographic or cinematographic goods
Chapter 37 of the Harmonized System has 7 headings and belongs to section VI (products of the chemical or allied industries).
Duty rates compared
UK Free Third-country duty 41 tariff lines 
EU Free – 6.5% Third-country duty 41 tariff lines · average 4.6% 
Türkiye Free – 6.5% Third-country duty 44 tariff lines · average 5.4% · 2× specific or compound duty 
USA Free – 3.7% General (MFN) 37 tariff lines · average 2.3% 
Canada Free – 6.5% General (MFN) 43 tariff lines · average 3.6% 
Mexico Free – 10% General (MFN) 53 tariff lines · average 3.7% 
Brazil Free – 12.6% General (MFN) 61 tariff lines · average 7.2% 
Argentina Free – 12.6% General (MFN) 92 tariff lines · average 6.8% 
Peru Free – 6% General (MFN) 32 tariff lines · average 4.1% 
New Zealand Free – 5% General (MFN) 82 tariff lines · average 0.1% 
Japan Free General (MFN) 34 tariff lines 
Taiwan Free – 3.5% General (MFN) 79 tariff lines · average 0.3% 
GCC 5% General (MFN) 41 tariff lines 
Switzerland Free General (MFN) 30 tariff lines 
Norway Free General (MFN) 30 tariff lines 
North Macedonia Free – 6.5% General (MFN) 43 tariff lines · average 4.7% 
Nigeria 5% – 20% General (MFN) 33 tariff lines · average 17.9% Headings 7
- 3701Photographic plates and film in the flat, sensitised, unexposed, of any material other than paper, paperboard or textiles; instant print film in the flat, sensitised, unexposed, whether or not in packs
- 3702Photographic film in rolls, sensitised, unexposed, of any material other than paper, paperboard or textiles; instant print film in rolls, sensitised, unexposed
- 3703Photographic paper, paperboard and textiles, sensitised, unexposed
- 3704Photographic plates, film, paper, paperboard and textiles, exposed but not developed
- 3705Photographic plates and film, exposed and developed, other than cinematographic film
- 3706Cinematographic film, exposed and developed, whether or not incorporating soundtrack or consisting only of soundtrack
- 3707Chemical preparations for photographic uses (other than varnishes, glues, adhesives and similar preparations); unmixed products for photographic uses, put up in measured portions or put up for retail sale in a form ready for use
EU: imports by month
World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$174kUS$174k+US$6m+US$54m+> US$973m
Exports: 159
- Japan: US$5.7bn
- United States: US$2.3bn
- China: US$1.4bn
- South Korea: US$1.1bn
- Germany: US$973m
- Taiwan: US$900m
- Belgium: US$819m
- Netherlands: US$512m
- United Kingdom: US$177m
- France: US$163m
- Singapore: US$154m
- Malaysia: US$146m
- Spain: US$94m
- Italy: US$90m
- Ireland: US$70m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$54m
- Hungary: US$50m
- Mexico: US$45m
- Poland: US$39m
- Brazil: US$36m
- Czechia: US$34m
- Austria: US$28m
- Türkiye: US$25m
- Vietnam: US$22m
- Canada: US$19m
- India: US$19m
- Greece: US$15m
- United Arab Emirates: US$15m
- Finland: US$14m
- Thailand: US$13m
- Sweden: US$13m
- Kazakhstan: US$12m
- Israel: US$11m
- South Africa: US$11m
- Australia: US$11m
- Lithuania: US$10m
- Switzerland: US$8m
- Portugal: US$7m
- Luxembourg: US$6m
- Latvia: US$6m
- Slovenia: US$6m
- Denmark: US$6m
- Slovakia: US$5m
- Romania: US$5m
- Bulgaria: US$4m
- Saudi Arabia: US$4m
- Philippines: US$4m
- Croatia: US$3m
- Indonesia: US$3m
- New Zealand: US$2m
- Russia: US$2m
- Serbia: US$1m
- Estonia: US$1m
- Guatemala: US$1m
- Armenia: US$944k
- Colombia: US$811k
- Peru: US$656k
- Norway: US$575k
- Chile: US$571k
- St Barthélemy: US$466k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$3mUS$3m+US$22m+US$132m+> US$453m
Imports: 212
- China: US$3.9bn
- Taiwan: US$1.6bn
- United States: US$1.3bn
- South Korea: US$1bn
- Germany: US$710m
- Ireland: US$561m
- Netherlands: US$453m
- France: US$423m
- United Kingdom: US$367m
- Singapore: US$328m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$288m
- Japan: US$277m
- Israel: US$277m
- Belgium: US$265m
- Vietnam: US$229m
- Italy: US$223m
- Mexico: US$203m
- India: US$189m
- Poland: US$165m
- Spain: US$153m
- Türkiye: US$139m
- Thailand: US$132m
- Malaysia: US$127m
- Russia: US$115m
- Brazil: US$108m
- Canada: US$77m
- United Arab Emirates: US$76m
- Australia: US$73m
- Austria: US$73m
- Indonesia: US$66m
- Hungary: US$64m
- Czechia: US$64m
- Bangladesh: US$58m
- Switzerland: US$57m
- South Africa: US$38m
- Philippines: US$37m
- Pakistan: US$35m
- Colombia: US$35m
- Greece: US$34m
- Romania: US$34m
- Egypt: US$34m
- Sweden: US$33m
- Ukraine: US$32m
- Morocco: US$32m
- Portugal: US$31m
- Peru: US$29m
- Iran: US$28m
- Denmark: US$27m
- Kazakhstan: US$27m
- Saudi Arabia: US$27m
- Argentina: US$25m
- New Zealand: US$25m
- Slovakia: US$22m
- Finland: US$21m
- Norway: US$20m
- Chile: US$20m
- Algeria: US$19m
- Guatemala: US$18m
- Slovenia: US$18m
- Nigeria: US$18m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan | US$5.7bn | 37.5% |
| 2 | United States | US$2.3bn | 15.2% |
| 3 |  China | US$1.4bn | 9.3% |
| 4 |  South Korea | US$1.1bn | 7.3% |
| 5 |  Germany | US$973m | 6.4% |
| 6 | Taiwan | US$900m | 5.9% |
| 7 |  Belgium | US$819m | 5.4% |
| 8 |  Netherlands | US$512m | 3.4% |
| 9 | United Kingdom | US$177m | 1.2% |
| 10 |  France | US$163m | 1.1% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | US$3.9bn | 25.3% |
| 2 | Taiwan | US$1.6bn | 10.6% |
| 3 | United States | US$1.3bn | 8.3% |
| 4 | South Korea | US$1bn | 6.8% |
| 5 | Germany | US$710m | 4.7% |
| 6 |  Ireland | US$561m | 3.7% |
| 7 | Netherlands | US$453m | 3% |
| 8 | France | US$423m | 2.8% |
| 9 | United Kingdom | US$367m | 2.4% |
| 10 |  Singapore | US$328m | 2.1% |
The UK Global Tariff divides chapter 37 into 41 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the EU Combined Nomenclature, chapter 37 covers 41 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 6.5%. 10 of them are duty-free.
The Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule divides chapter 37 into 44 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 6.5% (average 5.4%). 5 of them are duty-free. 2 lines have a specific or compound duty.
In 2024, countries exported chapter 37 goods worth US$15.3bn (+7.6% year on year).
The largest exporter was Japan (US$5.7bn), followed by the United States.
The biggest buyer was China, with imports of US$3.9bn.
Chapter notes
Notes
1. This chapter does not cover waste or scrap.
2. In this chapter, the word ‘photographic’ relates to the process by which visible images are formed, directly or indirectly, by the action of light or other forms of radiation on photosensitive, including thermosensitive, surfaces.
Additional notes
1. In the case of sound films imported in two bands (the band bearing only the images and the band used for recording the sound), each band is to be classified in its appropriate heading.
2. The expression ‘newsreels’ (subheading 37069052) is to be taken to apply to films of length of less than 330 m, and depicting current events of a political, sporting, military, scientific, literary, folkloric, touristic, society, etc., nature.
Products classified here
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for photographic or cinematographic goods?
Photographic or cinematographic goods make up HS chapter 37, in section VI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on photographic or cinematographic goods in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 37 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 photographic or cinematographic goods in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 37 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 0% to 6.5%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most photographic or cinematographic goods?
Japan, with US$5.7bn in 2024 (37.5% of world exports).