Subheading · Section VII

3903.90: Polymers of styrene, in primary forms: other

3903.90

Official description Other

  • 0%–6%UK
  • 0%–6.5%EU
  • 50%Türkiye
  • 6.5%USA
  • US$4.5bnWorld trade in 2024

Subheading 3903.90 belongs to heading 3903 (polymers of styrene, in primary forms) in chapter 39.

The UK Global Tariff divides subheading 3903.90 into 10 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 6% (average 4.8%). 2 of them are duty-free.

In the EU Combined Nomenclature, subheading 3903.90 covers 3 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 6.5%. 2 of them are duty-free.

The Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule divides subheading 3903.90 into 3 tariff lines; the statutory rate is 50%.

In the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, subheading 3903.90 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is 6.5%.

In 2024, countries exported these goods worth US$4.5bn (+4.6% year on year).

The largest exporter was South Korea (US$736m), followed by the United States.

The biggest buyer was China, with imports of US$920.7m.

The United Kingdom ranked 30th among 112 exporters with US$12.2m; its largest buyer was the United States.

The United Kingdom imported US$65.6m, most of it from Germany.

Duty rates compared

UK Free – 6% Third-country duty 10 tariff lines · average 4.8% EU Free – 6.5% Third-country duty 3 tariff lines · average 2.2% Türkiye 50% Statutory rate (Law 474) 3 tariff lines USA 6.5% General (MFN) 2 tariff lines

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.

UK Global Tariff

UK lines →
  1. 3903 90 00 00 Other
  2. 3903 90 10 00 Copolymer, solely of styrene with allyl alcohol, of an acetyl value of 175 or more Free
  3. 3903 90 20 00 Brominated polystyrene, containing by weight 58% or more but not more than 71% of bromine, in one of the forms mentioned in note 6(b) to this chapter Free
  4. 3903 90 90 00 Other 6%
  5. 3903 90 90 20 Copolymer in the form of granules containing by weight:<br>- 83 ± 3% styrene,<br>- 7 ± 2% n-butyl acrylate,<br>- 9 ± 2% n-butyl methacrylate and<br>- 0.01% or more but not more than 1% of polyolefinic wax<br> 6%
  6. 3903 90 90 35 Copolymer of _α_-methylstyrene and styrene, having a softening point exceeding 113 ºc 6%
  7. 3903 90 90 38 Polytetrafluoroethylene (cas rn 9002-84-0) encapsulated with an acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer (cas rn 9003-54-7), with a content by weight of each polymer of 50% (± 1%) 6%
  8. 3903 90 90 43 Mixture of polymers consisting by weight of:<br>-10% or more but not more than 30% of a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer (cas rn 66070-58-4),<br>-25% or more but not more than 45% of mineral oil (cas rn 8042-47-5),<br>-25% or more but not more than 45% of calcium carbonate (cas rn 1317-65-3),<br>-10% or more but not more than 20% of polypropylene (cas rn 9003-07-0), and<br>-1% or more but not more than 3% of a copolymer of α-methylstyrene and vinyltoluene (cas rn 9017-27-0) 6%
  9. 3903 90 90 60 Copolymer of styrene with maleic anhydride, either partially esterified or completely chemically modified, in flake or powder form<br> 6%
  10. 3903 90 90 70 Copolymer in the form of granules containing by weight:<br>- 75% (± 7%) styrene and<br>- 25% (± 7%) methylmethacrylate<br> 6%
  11. 3903 90 90 86 Mixture containing by weight:<br>- 45% or more but not more than 65% of polymers of styrene,<br>- 30% or more but not more than 45% of poly(phenylene ether), and<br>- not more than 11% of additives 6%
  12. 3903 90 90 90 Other 6%

EU Combined Nomenclature

EU lines →
  1. 3903 90 Other:
  2. 3903 90 10 Copolymer, solely of styrene with allyl alcohol, of an acetyl value of 175 or more Free—
  3. 3903 90 20 Brominated polystyrene, containing by weight 58 % or more but not more than 71 % of bromine, in one of the forms mentioned in note 6(b) to this chapter Free—
  4. 3903 90 90 Other 6.5%—

Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule

Türkiye lines →

This line has no official text in this language; it is shown in the language of its tariff.

  1. 3903.90 Diğerleri:
  2. 3903.90.10.00.00 Sadece stiren ve alil alkolün kopolimeri (asetil değeri 175 veya daha fazla) 50%
  3. 3903.90.20.00.00 Bromlanmış polistiren (ağırlık itibariyle % 58 veya daha fazla fakat % 71'i geçmeyen oranda bromin içeren, bu fasılın 6 (b) Notunda belirtilen şekillerden birinde olan) 50%
  4. 3903.90.90.00.00 Diğerleri 50%

Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States

USA lines →
  1. 3903.90 Other:
  2. 3903.90.10.00 Methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene (MBS) copolymers 6.5%kg
  3. 3903.90.50.00 Other 6.5%kg

Special: reduced rates under trade agreements and preference programmes; the letters in brackets name the programmes (for example AU = Australia FTA, KR = Korea FTA).

World trade in 2024

3903.90 · US$4.5bn

Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$1mUS$1m+US$18.4m+US$132.3m+> US$364.2m

Exports: 112
  1. South Korea: US$736m
  2. United States: US$538.5m
  3. Belgium: US$412m
  4. Germany: US$364.2m
  5. China: US$276.1m
  6. Japan: US$247.7m
  7. Taiwan: US$228.8m
  8. Netherlands: US$222.3m
  9. Singapore: US$198.4m
  10. Malaysia: US$169.6m
  11. Hong Kong SAR China: US$132.3m
  12. Mexico: US$123.4m
  13. Thailand: US$119.2m
  14. France: US$103.9m
  15. Italy: US$55.5m
  16. Czechia: US$52.6m
  17. Spain: US$50.5m
  18. Indonesia: US$46.9m
  19. Colombia: US$38.2m
  20. Sweden: US$33.2m
  21. Hungary: US$29.5m
  22. India: US$28m
  23. Türkiye: US$26.8m
  24. Israel: US$26.5m
  25. Brazil: US$26m
  26. Egypt: US$25.8m
  27. Vietnam: US$18.4m
  28. Tunisia: US$17.6m
  29. Austria: US$16.3m
  30. United Kingdom: US$12.2m
  31. Poland: US$9.8m
  32. Greece: US$9.7m
  33. Portugal: US$9.6m
  34. Canada: US$9.5m
  35. Saudi Arabia: US$9.3m
  36. United Arab Emirates: US$9.2m
  37. Romania: US$8.5m
  38. Argentina: US$6.6m
  39. Guatemala: US$3.9m
  40. Russia: US$3.9m
  41. Uruguay: US$3.7m
  42. South Africa: US$3.5m
  43. Switzerland: US$2.7m
  44. Finland: US$2.4m
  45. Slovenia: US$2.4m
  46. Bulgaria: US$1.9m
  47. Australia: US$1.8m
  48. Ireland: US$1.6m
  49. Dominican Republic: US$1.5m
  50. Lithuania: US$1.4m
  51. Kazakhstan: US$1.3m
  52. Iran: US$1.2m
  53. Slovakia: US$1.1m
  54. Denmark: US$1m
  55. Norway: US$813.2k
  56. Luxembourg: US$761k
  57. Philippines: US$542.2k
  58. Peru: US$529.2k
  59. Gibraltar: US$375.2k
  60. Honduras: US$337.5k

Top exporters

RankCountryValueShare
1 South Korea US$736m 16.4%
2 United States US$538.5m 12%
3 Belgium US$412m 9.2%
4 Germany US$364.2m 8.1%
5 China US$276.1m 6.1%
6 Japan US$247.7m 5.5%
7 Taiwan US$228.8m 5.1%
8 Netherlands US$222.3m 5%
9 Singapore US$198.4m 4.4%
10 Malaysia US$169.6m 3.8%

Top importers

RankCountryValueShare
1 China US$920.7m 20.5%
2 United States US$354.3m 7.9%
3 Mexico US$295.7m 6.6%
4 Germany US$261.5m 5.8%
5 Vietnam US$181.3m 4%
6 Türkiye US$165.7m 3.7%
7 Italy US$136.2m 3%
8 Japan US$122.8m 2.7%
9 India US$114.2m 2.5%
10 France US$106.1m 2.4%

Questions and answers

What is the HS code for polymers of styrene, in primary forms: other?

Polymers of styrene, in primary forms: other fall under HS subheading 3903.90, part of heading 3903, in section VII of the Harmonized System.

What is the import duty on polymers of styrene, in primary forms: other in the UK?

Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 3903.90 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 0% to 6%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.

What is the import duty on polymers of styrene, in primary forms: other in the EU?

Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 3903.90 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 polymers of styrene, in primary forms: other?

South Korea, with US$736m in 2024 (16.4% of world exports).