Swiss Customs Tariff (Tares) · Swiss tariff number · HS 3205.00
3205.00.00: Colour lakes; preparations as specified in Note 3 to this Chapter based on colour lakes
✓ Can be used in a customs declaration Data: Swiss Customs Tariff (Tares), in force from 24 October 2026 · checked on 24 October 2026
What you pay
Importing into Switzerland
Customs duty only: import VAT, other taxes and trade defence duties of this country are not covered here, and the duty calculator works only with the EU, Türkiye, US and UK tariffs.
Same subheading in other tariffs
3205.00 Colour lakes; preparations as specified in note 3 to this chapter based on colour lakes
UK Free Third-country duty 3 tariff lines 
EU 6.5% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Türkiye 6.5% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
USA Free – 6.5% General (MFN) 4 tariff lines · average 4.9% 
Canada Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Mexico Free – 5% General (MFN) 2 tariff lines · average 2.5% 
Brazil 10.8% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Argentina 10.8% General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
Peru 6% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
New Zealand Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Japan 4.4% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Taiwan 5% General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
GCC 5% General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
Norway Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
North Macedonia 6% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Nigeria 10% General (MFN) 1 tariff line Binding rulings for similar goods
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.
- N284315 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification, Marking, and Country of Origin of “Food Coloring Dye Lakes” from India
- 600016127 HMRC
Pigment mixture preparation based on aluminium lake with other diluents such as secondary colourants, a polymer and a plasticiser. It is used for the colour coating of pharmaceutical and dietary supplement oral dose tablets. The product's primary colourant is an aluminium lake. The polymer is used…
Legal notes
Notes
1. This chapter does not cover:
(a) separate chemically defined elements or compounds (except those of heading 3203 or 3204, inorganic products of a kind used as luminophores (heading 3206), glass obtained from fused quartz or other fused silica in the forms provided for in heading 3207, and also dyes and other colouring matter put up in forms or packings for retail sale of heading 3212);
(b) tannates or other tannin derivatives of products of headings 2936 to 2939, 2941 or 3501 to 3504; or
(c) mastics of asphalt or other bituminous mastics (heading 2715).
2. Heading 3204 includes mixtures of stabilised diazonium salts and couplers for the production of azo dyes.
3. Headings 3203, 3204, 3205 and 3206 apply also to preparations based on colouring matter (including, in the case of heading 3206, colouring pigments of heading 2530 or Chapter 28, metal flakes and metal powders), of a kind used for colouring any material or used as ingredients in the manufacture of colouring preparations. The headings do not apply, however, to pigments dispersed in non-aqueous media, in liquid or paste form, of a kind used in the manufacture of paints, including enamels (heading 3212), or to other preparations of headings 3207, 3208, 3209, 3210, 3212, 3213 or 3215.
4. Heading 3208 includes solutions (other than collodions) consisting of any of the products specified in headings 3901 to 3913 in volatile organic solvents when the weight of the solvent exceeds 50 % of the weight of the solution.
5. The expression ‘colouring matter’ in this chapter does not include products of a kind used as extenders in oil paints, whether or not they are also suitable for colouring distempers.
6. The expression ‘stamping foils’ in heading 3212 applies only to thin sheets of a kind used for printing, for example, book covers or hat bands, and consisting of:
(a) metallic powder (including powder of precious metal) or pigment, agglomerated with glue, gelatin or other binder; or
(b) metal (including precious metal) or pigment, deposited on a supporting sheet of any material.
In the Swiss Customs Tariff (Tares), 3205.00.00 is one of 1 line under subheading 3205.00, colour lakes.
The normal tariff rate is free.
For the same subheading, the UK duty is free, the EU duty is 6.5%, the Türkiye duty is 6.5%, the US duty is 0%–6.5%, the Canada duty is free, the Mexico duty is 0%–5%, the Brazil duty is 10.8%, the Argentina duty is 10.8%, the Peru duty is 6%, the New Zealand duty is free, the Japan duty is 4.4%, the Taiwan duty is 5%, the GCC duty is 5%, the Norway duty is free, the North Macedonia duty is 6% and the Nigeria duty is 10%.
Switzerland imported goods of subheading 3205.00 worth US$616k in 2024.
Questions and answers
What is the Switzerland import duty for Swiss tariff number 3205.00.00?
The normal tariff rate in the Swiss Customs Tariff (Tares) is free. This page shows the rate as published by the national source and, where the source publishes them, preferential rates: choose the country of origin to see them. Trade defence duties and VAT are not covered.