Chapter
Chapter 49: Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans
11 headings make up chapter 49, part of section X, pulp of wood or of other fibrous cellulosic material; recovered (waste and scrap) paper or paperboard; paper and paperboard and articles thereof.
Duty rates compared
UK Free Third-country duty 23 tariff lines 
EU Free Third-country duty 21 tariff lines 
Türkiye Free Third-country duty 28 tariff lines 
USA Free General (MFN) 29 tariff lines 
Canada Free General (MFN) 38 tariff lines 
Mexico Free – 35% General (MFN) 52 tariff lines · average 10.1% 
Brazil Free – 16% General (MFN) 22 tariff lines · average 6.3% 
Argentina Free – 16% General (MFN) 116 tariff lines · average 6.7% 
Peru Free – 6% General (MFN) 25 tariff lines · average 2.9% 
New Zealand Free General (MFN) 40 tariff lines 
Japan Free General (MFN) 20 tariff lines 
Taiwan Free General (MFN) 30 tariff lines 
GCC Free – 5% General (MFN) 124 tariff lines · average 1.8% 
Switzerland Free General (MFN) 18 tariff lines 
Norway Free General (MFN) 32 tariff lines 
North Macedonia Free – 10% General (MFN) 25 tariff lines · average 1.6% 
Nigeria Free – 20% General (MFN) 21 tariff lines · average 7.6% Headings 11
- 4901Printed books, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter, whether or not in single sheets
- 4902Newspapers, journals and periodicals, whether or not illustrated or containing advertising material
- 4903Children's picture, drawing or colouring books
- 4904Music, printed or in manuscript, whether or not bound or illustrated
- 4905Maps and hydrographic or similar charts of all kinds, including atlases, wall maps, topographical plans and globes, printed
- 4906Plans and drawings for architectural, engineering, industrial, commercial, topographical or similar purposes, being originals drawn by hand; handwritten texts; photographic reproductions on sensitised paper and carbon copies of the foregoing
- 4907Unused postage, revenue or similar stamps of current or new issue in the country in which they have, or will have, a recognised face value; stamp-impressed paper; banknotes; cheque forms; stock, share or bond certificates and similar documents of title
- 4908Transfers (decalcomanias)
- 4909Printed or illustrated postcards; printed cards bearing personal greetings, messages or announcements, whether or not illustrated, with or without envelopes or trimmings
- 4910Calendars of any kind, printed, including calendar blocks
- 4911Other printed matter, including printed pictures and photographs
EU: imports by month
World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$1mUS$1m+US$40m+US$336m+> US$1.3bn
Exports: 224
- China: US$6.1bn
- United States: US$3.7bn
- Germany: US$3.5bn
- United Kingdom: US$2.8bn
- France: US$1.6bn
- Poland: US$1.5bn
- Italy: US$1.3bn
- Netherlands: US$1bn
- Canada: US$863m
- Spain: US$863m
- Belgium: US$797m
- Mexico: US$737m
- Czechia: US$712m
- India: US$475m
- Austria: US$422m
- Malaysia: US$421m
- Japan: US$419m
- South Korea: US$410m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$403m
- Switzerland: US$372m
- Singapore: US$345m
- Malta: US$337m
- Taiwan: US$336m
- Vietnam: US$256m
- Hungary: US$239m
- Slovakia: US$226m
- Australia: US$213m
- Sweden: US$210m
- Türkiye: US$210m
- Denmark: US$197m
- Slovenia: US$180m
- Greece: US$169m
- Latvia: US$159m
- Ireland: US$152m
- Lithuania: US$139m
- United Arab Emirates: US$137m
- Russia: US$137m
- Israel: US$128m
- Romania: US$114m
- Bulgaria: US$111m
- Portugal: US$101m
- South Africa: US$99m
- Bahamas: US$95m
- Brazil: US$93m
- Morocco: US$76m
- Estonia: US$73m
- Serbia: US$67m
- Croatia: US$61m
- Colombia: US$59m
- Thailand: US$59m
- Indonesia: US$54m
- Norway: US$51m
- Egypt: US$45m
- Sri Lanka: US$45m
- Finland: US$45m
- Peru: US$40m
- Guatemala: US$39m
- Bosnia & Herzegovina: US$35m
- Lebanon: US$32m
- El Salvador: US$29m
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$17mUS$17m+US$86m+US$301m+> US$1.2bn
Imports: 224
- United States: US$5.7bn
- Germany: US$2.9bn
- France: US$1.9bn
- Canada: US$1.9bn
- United Kingdom: US$1.6bn
- Netherlands: US$1.3bn
- Switzerland: US$1.2bn
- China: US$1bn
- Austria: US$899m
- Belgium: US$795m
- Mexico: US$703m
- Poland: US$680m
- Spain: US$667m
- Australia: US$625m
- Italy: US$600m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$526m
- Japan: US$495m
- Czechia: US$469m
- Ireland: US$368m
- Denmark: US$333m
- Philippines: US$305m
- Vietnam: US$302m
- Singapore: US$301m
- Sweden: US$300m
- Norway: US$274m
- South Korea: US$272m
- India: US$270m
- Argentina: US$238m
- Nigeria: US$229m
- United Arab Emirates: US$218m
- Portugal: US$218m
- Indonesia: US$207m
- Malaysia: US$204m
- Hungary: US$195m
- Thailand: US$183m
- Saudi Arabia: US$177m
- Slovakia: US$168m
- Brazil: US$167m
- Taiwan: US$164m
- Romania: US$163m
- Morocco: US$163m
- South Africa: US$140m
- New Zealand: US$133m
- Türkiye: US$126m
- Finland: US$122m
- Chile: US$119m
- Greece: US$107m
- Peru: US$103m
- Colombia: US$100m
- Guatemala: US$96m
- Slovenia: US$93m
- Luxembourg: US$92m
- Israel: US$91m
- Egypt: US$91m
- Kenya: US$90m
- Dominican Republic: US$86m
- Russia: US$82m
- Ghana: US$80m
- Mozambique: US$76m
- Angola: US$75m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China | US$6.1bn | 17.9% |
| 2 | United States | US$3.7bn | 11% |
| 3 |  Germany | US$3.5bn | 10.3% |
| 4 | United Kingdom | US$2.8bn | 8.2% |
| 5 |  France | US$1.6bn | 4.8% |
| 6 |  Poland | US$1.5bn | 4.5% |
| 7 |  Italy | US$1.3bn | 3.7% |
| 8 |  Netherlands | US$1bn | 3% |
| 9 | Canada | US$863m | 2.5% |
| 10 |  Spain | US$863m | 2.5% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | US$5.7bn | 16.7% |
| 2 | Germany | US$2.9bn | 8.4% |
| 3 | France | US$1.9bn | 5.7% |
| 4 | Canada | US$1.9bn | 5.6% |
| 5 | United Kingdom | US$1.6bn | 4.8% |
| 6 | Netherlands | US$1.3bn | 3.8% |
| 7 | Switzerland | US$1.2bn | 3.6% |
| 8 | China | US$1bn | 3% |
| 9 |  Austria | US$899m | 2.6% |
| 10 |  Belgium | US$795m | 2.3% |
In the UK Global Tariff, chapter 49 covers 23 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free. 18 of them are duty-free.
The EU Combined Nomenclature divides chapter 49 into 21 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule, chapter 49 covers 28 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
World trade in chapter 49 goods reached US$34.1bn in 2024, down 0.3% on 2023.
China was the largest exporter with 17.9% of the total, ahead of the United States.
The United States imported the most (US$5.7bn).
Chapter notes
Notes
1. This chapter does not cover:
(a) photographic negatives or positives on transparent bases (Chapter 37);
(b) maps, plans or globes, in relief, whether or not printed (heading 9023);
(c) playing cards or other goods of Chapter 95; or
(d) original engravings, prints or lithographs (heading 9702), postage or revenue stamps, stamp-postmarks, first-day covers, postal stationery or the like of heading 9704, antiques of an age exceeding 100 years or other articles of Chapter 97.
2. For the purposes of Chapter 49, the term ‘printed’ also means reproduced by means of a duplicating machine, produced under the control of an automatic data-processing machine, embossed, photographed, photocopied, thermocopied or typewritten.
3. Newspapers, journals and periodicals which are bound otherwise than in paper, and sets of newspapers, journals or periodicals comprising more than one number under a single cover are to be classified in heading 4901, whether or not containing advertising material.
4. Heading 4901 also covers:
(a) a collection of printed reproductions of, for example, works of art or drawings, with a relative text, put up with numbered pages in a form suitable for binding into one or more volumes;
(b) a pictorial supplement accompanying, and subsidiary to, a bound volume; and
(c) printed parts of books or booklets, in the form of assembled or separate sheets or signatures, constituting the whole or a part of a complete work and designed for binding.
However, printed pictures or illustrations not bearing a text, whether in the form of signatures or separate sheets, fall in heading 4911.
5. Subject to note 3 to this chapter, heading 4901 does not cover publications which are essentially devoted to advertising (for example, brochures, pamphlets, leaflets, trade catalogues, yearbooks published by trade associations, tourist propaganda). Such publications are to be classified in heading 4911.
6. For the purposes of heading 4903, the expression ‘children's picture books’ means books for children in which the pictures form the principal interest and the text is subsidiary.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans?
Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans make up HS chapter 49, in section X of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on printed books, newspapers, pictures and other… in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 49 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 printed books, newspapers, pictures and other… in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 49 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 printed books, newspapers, pictures and other…?
China, with US$6.1bn in 2024 (17.9% of world exports).