Chapter
Chapter 45: Cork and articles of cork
4 headings make up chapter 45, part of section IX, wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal; cork and articles of cork; manufactures of straw, of esparto or of other plaiting materials; basketware and wickerwork.
Duty rates compared
UK Free Third-country duty 13 tariff lines 
EU Free – 4.7% Third-country duty 12 tariff lines · average 3.5% 
Türkiye Free – 15% Third-country duty 14 tariff lines · average 5.8% 
USA Free – 14% General (MFN) 19 tariff lines · average 0.7% 
Canada Free General (MFN) 7 tariff lines 
Mexico Free – 5% General (MFN) 8 tariff lines · average 0.6% 
Brazil Free – 9% General (MFN) 7 tariff lines · average 5.7% 
Argentina Free – 9% General (MFN) 18 tariff lines · average 6.6% 
Peru Free General (MFN) 9 tariff lines 
New Zealand Free – 5% General (MFN) 14 tariff lines · average 0.7% 
Japan Free General (MFN) 7 tariff lines 
Taiwan Free – 3.5% General (MFN) 9 tariff lines · average 1.9% 
GCC 5% General (MFN) 42 tariff lines 
Switzerland Free General (MFN) 7 tariff lines 
Norway Free General (MFN) 9 tariff lines 
North Macedonia Free – 13% General (MFN) 12 tariff lines · average 6.4% 
Nigeria 5% – 20% General (MFN) 8 tariff lines · average 10% Headings 4
- 4501Natural cork, raw or simply prepared; waste cork; crushed, granulated or ground cork
- 4502Natural cork, debacked or roughly squared, or in rectangular (including square) blocks, plates, sheets or strip (including sharp-edged blanks for corks or stoppers)
- 4503Articles of natural cork
- 4504Agglomerated cork (with or without a binding substance) and articles of agglomerated cork
EU: imports by month
World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$106kUS$106k+US$2m+US$9m+> US$90m
Exports: 132
- Portugal: US$1.2bn
- Spain: US$365m
- France: US$94m
- China: US$90m
- Italy: US$50m
- Germany: US$32m
- United States: US$29m
- Poland: US$18m
- Morocco: US$14m
- Algeria: US$12m
- Tunisia: US$12m
- Saudi Arabia: US$12m
- United Kingdom: US$9m
- Switzerland: US$9m
- Türkiye: US$8m
- Denmark: US$7m
- Belgium: US$7m
- Netherlands: US$7m
- India: US$6m
- Bulgaria: US$6m
- Austria: US$5m
- Canada: US$5m
- Taiwan: US$4m
- Japan: US$4m
- Vietnam: US$4m
- Czechia: US$3m
- Chile: US$3m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$2m
- Ukraine: US$2m
- Mexico: US$2m
- Sweden: US$2m
- United Arab Emirates: US$2m
- Australia: US$2m
- Singapore: US$2m
- Thailand: US$1m
- Malaysia: US$1m
- Hungary: US$1m
- South Africa: US$1m
- Philippines: US$1m
- South Korea: US$1m
- Brazil: US$1m
- Russia: US$866k
- Romania: US$835k
- Slovenia: US$791k
- Slovakia: US$661k
- Finland: US$558k
- Egypt: US$558k
- Lithuania: US$528k
- Israel: US$423k
- Serbia: US$409k
- Croatia: US$318k
- Greece: US$263k
- Indonesia: US$242k
- Kuwait: US$234k
- Norway: US$226k
- Colombia: US$200k
- Argentina: US$174k
- Estonia: US$165k
- Paraguay: US$160k
- Pakistan: US$152k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$283kUS$283k+US$3m+US$15m+> US$101m
Imports: 201
- France: US$323m
- United States: US$289m
- Portugal: US$226m
- Spain: US$209m
- Italy: US$184m
- Germany: US$101m
- United Kingdom: US$69m
- Mexico: US$57m
- China: US$34m
- Saudi Arabia: US$26m
- Australia: US$25m
- Switzerland: US$24m
- Canada: US$22m
- Netherlands: US$20m
- Belgium: US$19m
- Belarus: US$18m
- Vietnam: US$16m
- Austria: US$15m
- Poland: US$15m
- Czechia: US$15m
- Türkiye: US$15m
- Argentina: US$15m
- Japan: US$14m
- South Africa: US$14m
- Chile: US$13m
- Georgia: US$12m
- Brazil: US$12m
- India: US$12m
- Romania: US$10m
- Slovakia: US$10m
- Greece: US$8m
- Ukraine: US$8m
- Israel: US$7m
- Denmark: US$7m
- Russia: US$7m
- Indonesia: US$6m
- Armenia: US$6m
- Hungary: US$6m
- Ireland: US$6m
- Moldova: US$6m
- United Arab Emirates: US$5m
- Peru: US$5m
- Thailand: US$4m
- South Korea: US$4m
- Kazakhstan: US$4m
- Bulgaria: US$4m
- Norway: US$4m
- Croatia: US$4m
- Taiwan: US$3m
- Sweden: US$3m
- Finland: US$3m
- New Zealand: US$3m
- Lithuania: US$3m
- Slovenia: US$2m
- Morocco: US$2m
- Serbia: US$2m
- Nigeria: US$2m
- Luxembourg: US$2m
- Singapore: US$2m
- Kuwait: US$2m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Portugal | US$1.2bn | 57.6% |
| 2 |  Spain | US$365m | 18.3% |
| 3 |  France | US$94m | 4.7% |
| 4 |  China | US$90m | 4.5% |
| 5 |  Italy | US$50m | 2.5% |
| 6 |  Germany | US$32m | 1.6% |
| 7 | United States | US$29m | 1.4% |
| 8 |  Poland | US$18m | 0.9% |
| 9 |  Morocco | US$14m | 0.7% |
| 10 |  Algeria | US$12m | 0.6% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | US$323m | 16.2% |
| 2 | United States | US$289m | 14.5% |
| 3 | Portugal | US$226m | 11.3% |
| 4 | Spain | US$209m | 10.4% |
| 5 | Italy | US$184m | 9.2% |
| 6 | Germany | US$101m | 5% |
| 7 | United Kingdom | US$69m | 3.4% |
| 8 | Mexico | US$57m | 2.8% |
| 9 | China | US$34m | 1.7% |
| 10 |  Saudi Arabia | US$26m | 1.3% |
In the UK Global Tariff, chapter 45 covers 13 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free. 12 of them are duty-free.
The EU Combined Nomenclature divides chapter 45 into 12 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 4.7% (average 3.5%). 3 of them are duty-free.
In the Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule, chapter 45 covers 14 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 15%. 1 of them is duty-free.
World trade in chapter 45 goods reached US$2bn in 2024, down 14.5% on 2023.
Portugal was the largest exporter with 57.6% of the total, ahead of Spain.
France imported the most (US$323m).
Chapter notes
Note
1. This chapter does not cover:
(a) footwear or parts of footwear of Chapter 64;
(b) headgear or parts of headgear of Chapter 65; or
(c) articles of Chapter 95 (for example, toys, games, sports requisites).
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for cork and articles of cork?
Cork and articles of cork make up HS chapter 45, in section IX of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on cork and articles of cork in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 45 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 cork and articles of cork in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 45 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 0% to 4.7%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most cork and articles of cork?
Portugal, with US$1.2bn in 2024 (57.6% of world exports).