UK Global Tariff · commodity code · HS 8544.70
8544 70 00 10: Single mode optical fibre cables, made up of one or more individually sheathed fibres, with protective casing, whether or not containing electric conductors; excluding cables in which all the optical fibres are individually fitted with operational connectors at one or both extremities and plastic insulated cables for submarine use containing a copper or aluminium conductor in which fibres are contained in metal module(s)
Optical fibre cables
✓ Can be used in a customs declaration Data: UK Global Tariff · checked on 24 October 2026
- 8544 Insulated (including enamelled or anodised) wire, cable (including coaxial cable) and other insulated electric conductors, whether or not fitted with connectors; optical fibre cables, made up of individually sheathed fibres, whether or not assembled with electric conductors or fitted with connectors
- 8544 70 00 00 Optical fibre cables
- 8544 70 00 10 Single mode optical fibre cables, made up of one or more individually sheathed fibres, with protective casing, whether or not containing electric conductors; excluding cables in which all the optical fibres are individually fitted with operational connectors at one or both extremities and plastic insulated cables for submarine use containing a copper or aluminium conductor in which fibres are contained in metal module(s)
What you pay
Importing into UK
Additional duties and import rules
Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.
Additional duties and charges 5
- Anti-dumping dutyDefinitive anti-dumping duty
- Applies to goods from
- China
- In force
- until 23 October 2028
- Legal act
- Taxation Notice: 2023/022
- Documents
- D008 Invoice with a signed declaration
Rates for named exporters (3)
Company Rate Non sampled, cooperating exporters/producers: Suzhou Furukawa Power Optic Cable Co.,Ltd Shanghai Wanbao Optical Technologies Co. Ltd Ningbo Geyida Cable Technology Co.,Ltd XDK Communication Equipment Huizhou Co., Ltd Jiangsu Fasten Optical Cable Co., Ltd Hengtong Optic-Electric co. Ltd ZheJiang JinYuan WanBao Optical Fiber Co. Ltd FibreHome Telecommunication Technologies Co Lt 8C30 23% with D008, otherwise 46.2% SDG Group: Shenzhen SDG Information Co. Ltd Shenzhen SDGI Optical Network Technologies Co. Ltd 8C31 23% with D008, otherwise 46.2% All other overseas exporters (residual amount) 8C32 46.2% - Countervailing dutyDefinitive countervailing duty
- Applies to goods from
- China
- In force
- until 23 October 2028
- Legal act
- Taxation Notice: 2023/023
- Documents
- D008 Invoice with a signed declaration
Rates for named exporters (3)
Company Rate Non sampled, cooperating exporters/producers: Suzhou Furukawa Power Optic Cable Co.,Ltd Shanghai Wanbao Optical Technologies Co. Ltd Ningbo Geyida Cable Technology Co.,Ltd XDK Communication Equipment Huizhou Co., Ltd Jiangsu Fasten Optical Cable Co., Ltd Hengtong Optic-Electric co. Ltd ZheJiang JinYuan WanBao Optical Fiber Co. Ltd FibreHome Telecommunication Technologies Co Lt 8C30 10.62% with D008, otherwise 11.79% SDG Group: Shenzhen SDG Information Co. Ltd Shenzhen SDGI Optical Network Technologies Co. Ltd 8C31 10.62% with D008, otherwise 11.79% All other overseas exporters (residual amount) 8C32 11.79% - Additional dutyAdditional duties 35%
- Applies to goods from
- Belarus, Russia
- Legal act
- 2022 No. 376
- Documents
- 9008
- Duty suspensionSuspension - goods for certain categories of ships, boats and other vessels and for drilling or production platforms Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- 2020 No. 1431
- Documents
- C990 End use authorisation ships and platforms (Column 8c, Annex A of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446)
- Duty suspensionAirworthiness tariff suspension Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- S.I. 2018/1249
- Documents
- C119 Authorised Release Certificate — EASA Form 1 (Appendix I to Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012), or equivalent certificate
Import requirements 3
- Prohibition or restrictionImport prohibition
- Applies to goods from
- North Korea
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/411
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Belarus, Russia, Syria, Ukraine
- Legal act
- 2022 No. 748, S.I. 2019/792, S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9024
- 9032
- 9025
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
- Import controlImport control on restricted goods and technologies
- Applies to goods from
- Iran, Libya, North Korea, Russia
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/461, S.I. 2019/411, 2020 No. 1665, S.I. 2019/855
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | Free |
| DCTS Comprehensive | Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 moreAfghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo - Kinshasa, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia | Free |
| European Union (including code " EU") | Free | |
| DCTS Enhanced | Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville and 13 moreAlgeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville, Cook Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu | Free |
| CARIFORUM | Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize and 10 moreAntigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago | Free |
| OCTs (Overseas Countries and Territories) | Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands and 7 moreAnguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, St Helena, Turks & Caicos Islands | Free |
| Central America | Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama | Free |
| SADC EPA | Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia | Free |
| Eastern and Southern Africa States | Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe | Free |
| CPTPP | Brunei, Malaysia | Free |
| UK–Andorra agreement | Andorra | Free |
| UK–Albania agreement | Albania | Free |
| UK–Australia agreement | Australia | Free |
| UK–Canada agreement | Canada | Free |
| UK–Switzerland agreement | Switzerland | Free |
| UK–Côte d’Ivoire agreement | Côte d’Ivoire | Free |
| UK–Chile agreement | Chile | Free |
| UK–Cameroon agreement | Cameroon | Free |
| UK–Colombia agreement | Colombia | Free |
| UK–Ceuta & Melilla agreement | Ceuta & Melilla | Free |
| UK–Ecuador agreement | Ecuador | Free |
| UK–Egypt agreement | Egypt | Free |
| UK–Fiji agreement | Fiji | Free |
| UK–Faroe Islands agreement | Faroe Islands | Free |
| UK–Georgia agreement | Georgia | Free |
| UK–Ghana agreement | Ghana | Free |
| DCTS Standard | Indonesia | Free |
| UK–Israel agreement | Israel | Free |
| UK–India agreement | India | Free |
| UK–Iceland agreement | Iceland | Free |
| UK–Jordan agreement | Jordan | Free |
| UK–Japan agreement | Japan | Free |
| UK–Kenya agreement | Kenya | Free |
| UK–South Korea agreement | South Korea | Free |
| UK–Lebanon agreement | Lebanon | Free |
| UK–Liechtenstein agreement | Liechtenstein | Free |
| UK–Morocco agreement | Morocco | Free |
| UK–Moldova agreement | Moldova | Free |
| UK–North Macedonia agreement | North Macedonia | Free |
| UK–Mexico agreement | Mexico | Free |
| UK–Norway agreement | Norway | Free |
| UK–New Zealand agreement | New Zealand | Free |
| UK–Peru agreement | Peru | Free |
| UK–Papua New Guinea agreement | Papua New Guinea | Free |
| UK–Palestinian Territories agreement | Palestinian Territories | Free |
| UK–Serbia agreement | Serbia | Free |
| UK–Solomon Islands agreement | Solomon Islands | Free |
| UK–Singapore agreement | Singapore | Free |
| UK–San Marino agreement | San Marino | Free |
| UK–Tunisia agreement | Tunisia | Free |
| UK–Türkiye agreement | Türkiye | Free |
| UK–Ukraine agreement | Ukraine | Free |
| UK–Vietnam agreement | Vietnam | Free |
| UK–Samoa agreement | Samoa | Free |
| UK–Kosovo agreement | Kosovo | Free |
| UK–South Africa agreement | South Africa | Free |
Footnotes
TN200 The export of these items may be controlled under the Export Control Order 2008 as amended…
TN211 The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 impose trade restrictions on certain goo…
TN701 According to the Council Regulation (EU) No 692/2014 (OJ L183, p. 9), as retained in UK La…
The prohibition shall not apply in respect of:
(a) the execution until 26 September 2014, of trade contracts concluded before 25 June 2014, or of ancillary contracts necessary for the execution of such contracts, provided that the natural or legal persons, entity or body seeking to perform the contract have notified, at least 10 working days in advance, the activity or transaction to the competent authority of the Member State in which they are established.
(b) goods originating in Crimea or Sevastopol which have been made available to the Ukrainian authorities for examination, for which compliance with the conditions conferring entitlement to preferential origin has been verified and for which a certificate of origin has been issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 and Regulation (EU) No 374/2014, as retained in UK Law, or in accordance with the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement
TN702 According to the Council Regulation (EU) No 1351/2014 (OJ L365, p. 46), the export of good…
(a) to any natural or legal person, entity or body in Crimea or Sevastopol, or
(b) for use in Crimea or Sevastopol.
The prohibitions shall be without prejudice to the execution until 21 March 2015 of an obligation arising from a contract concluded before 20 December 2014, or by ancillary contracts necessary for the execution of such contracts, provided that the competent authority has been informed at least five working days in advance.
When related to the use in Crimea or Sevastopol, the prohibitions do not apply where there are no reasonable grounds to determine that the goods and technology or the services are to be used in Crimea or Sevastopol.
UK: imports by month · HS 8544.70
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 China | £89m | 25% | +12.3% |
 Poland | £46.2m | 13% | -40.9% |
 United States | £37.9m | 10.6% | +6.1% |
 Czechia | £23.6m | 6.6% | +184.9% |
 India | £22.5m | 6.3% | -29.1% |
 Morocco | £13.5m | 3.8% | -21.6% |
 Germany | £10.9m | 3.1% | -35.7% |
 Vietnam | £9m | 2.5% | +29.8% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
8544.70 Insulated: optical fibre cables
EU Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Türkiye Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line USA Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Canada Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Mexico 35% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Brazil Free – 20% Third-country duty 4 tariff lines · average 15% 
Argentina Free – 12.6% Third-country duty 16 tariff lines · average 11.8% 
Peru Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
New Zealand Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Japan Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Taiwan Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
GCC Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Switzerland Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Norway Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
North Macedonia Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Nigeria 5% Third-country duty 1 tariff line UK lines: 8544.70
- 8544 70 00 10Single mode optical fibre cables, made up of one or more individually sheathed fibres, with protective casing, whether or not containing electric conductors; excluding cables in which all the optical fibres are individually fitted with operational connectors at one or both extremities and plastic insulated cables for submarine use containing a copper or aluminium conductor in which fibres are contained in metal module(s)
- 8544 70 00 91Cables equal to or above 500 metres in length in which all the optical fibres are individually fitted with operational connectors at one or both extremities, excluding plastic insulated cables for submarine use containing a copper or aluminium conductor in which fibres are contained in metal module(s)
- 8544 70 00 99Insulated: optical fibre cables, other, other
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.
- N362917 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of a pre-install cable set from the Netherlands
- N357655 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification, country of origin, and eligibility of the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement (UKFTA) of fiber optic cables
- N356840 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification and eligibility of the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement (UKFTA) of fiber optic cables
- N344044 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of an optical fiber cable from Japan
- 600015156 HMRC
Optical fibre cables used in telecommunications for the transmission of data and signals, intended for standard outdoor installation or installation in ducts. The goods are made of individually sheathed optical fibres, including conventional single-mode optical fibres and hollow-core optical…
- 600015057 HMRC
Optical fibre cables used in telecommunications for the transmission of data and signals, based on the propagation of optical signals within optical fibres rather than the transmission of electrical signals through metallic conductors. The goods are made of individually sheathed optical fibres,…
- 600012861 HMRC
Single Mode fibre optic cables. A Single Mode cable made from Bare Fibres, Aramid Yarn, and DCA pellets. Made by firstly preheating the optical fibres, coating, and colouring to protect the bare fibres and ensure their mechanical and physical properties. Then, a layer of protective material such…
15 rulings in total for this code
Legal notes
Commodity code 8544 70 00 10 is a line of the UK Global Tariff under HS subheading 8544.70 (insulated: optical fibre cables).
The third-country duty is free.
174 countries pay no duty in the UK thanks to trade agreements and preference schemes such as DCTS Comprehensive and European Union, against a standard rate of Free.
In the UK, additional duty of 35% applies on top of the customs duty to goods from Belarus and Russia.
Imports of optical fibre cables (HS 8544.70) into the UK came to £355.7m between September 2025 and August 2026 (down 5% on the year before); China supplied 25%, followed by Poland.
For the same subheading, the EU duty is free, the Türkiye duty is free, the US duty is free, the Canada duty is free, the Mexico duty is 35%, the Brazil duty is 0%–20%, the Argentina duty is 0%–12.6%, the Peru duty is free, the New Zealand duty is free, the Japan duty is free, the Taiwan duty is free, the GCC duty is free, the Switzerland duty is free, the Norway duty is free, the North Macedonia duty is free and the Nigeria duty is 5%.
The UK imported goods of subheading 8544.70 worth US$449m in 2024; the largest supplier was Poland.
Questions and answers
What is the UK import duty for commodity code 8544 70 00 10?
The third-country duty in the UK Global Tariff is free. Preferential rates for goods from agreement countries, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which countries get a lower rate on 8544 70 00 10?
174 countries have a preferential rate on this line, 174 of them at 0%, under DCTS Comprehensive, European Union and DCTS Enhanced and other arrangements. The rate applies only to goods that meet the rules of origin of the agreement, with proof of origin. Choose the country of origin on this page to see its rate.
Do anti-dumping or other extra duties apply to 8544 70 00 10?
Additional duty of 35% on goods from Belarus and Russia. These are charged on top of the customs duty.
Where does the UK import these goods from?
For subheading 8544.70 as a whole, the largest supplier in 2024 was Poland (US$110m), followed by China.
Typical products
Everyday names, not part of the legal text.