Export/ Import (EU)🇪🇺🇨🇳

Export from the EU

Many of the trade problems which European exporters face are not just the traditional import tariffs or quotas but discriminatory or disproportionate regulations or standards.

Removing these barriers is part of the EU’s strategy to boost exports and promote growth and jobs in Europe.

The Market Access Strategy addresses these issues and its two main instruments are:

• the Market Access Partnership
• the Market Access Database

When EU exports are affected by trade defence measures

The European Commission monitors and assists EU industries when non-EU countries take trade defence measures against EU exporters.

The Commission also plays a more direct role in anti-subsidy and safeguard investigations when EU subsidies are involved and the EU as a whole is targeted.

• Investigations conducted by non-EU countries against EU exporters

https://ec.europa.eu/trade/import-and-export-rules/export-from-eu/

Import into the EU

Helping companies to bring their products onto the European market

The EU supports businesses wanting to import into the EU by providing clear facts on the rules and requirements for importing into the EU. 

The information here is aimed at helping both European firms wanting to import products to the EU and exporters from outside the EU who want to export their products to the EU.

• The Trade Helpdesk for exporting to the EU provides comprehensive information for trade partner countries on how to access the EU market and benefit from preferential trade agreements.
• The EU Tariff section provides information on EU tariffs and other measures applied to all products imported into the EU.

The EU has a number of trade agreements with its partner countries and also sees trade as important for development.

To help exporters seize these opportunities, the Trade Helpdesk provides:

• Information on EU and Member States’
  • import requirements
  • internal taxes on products
• Information on import tariffs and other import measures
• Information on EU preferential conditions for imports from trade partner countries
• Trade data for the EU and its individual Member States
• Links to other authorities and international organisations involved in trade promotion and the practical aspects of trade
• The possibility to ask for information about your own particular situation and product(s)
• A “What’s New” section with import related news.

EU action when imports are not fair

The EU applies trade defence measures such as anti-dumping measures, anti-subsidy measures or safeguards when EU industry is harmed by dumped or subsided imports.

• The latest information on current trade defence cases
• The official publications on trade defence cases
• What are trade defence rules and what are anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard measures?
• Are you a small or medium business affected by trade defence rules?
• How to lodge a complaint:
  • anti-dumping complaints
  • anti-subsidy complaints
  • Safeguard complaints
• How to request a refund:
  • anti-dumping refunds
  • anti-subsidy refunds

Integrated System for Managing Licences (SIGL)

The Integrated System for Managing Exports ad Import Licences, or SIGL (for Système Intégré de Gestion de Licences) provides information on quota levels applied in the European Union for imports of clothing, footwear, steel and wood products.

The information on the SIGL website gives the results of the Commission’s management of the quotas at any given point in time.

Monitoring of imports of bananas from Peru, Columbia, Ecuador and Central-American countries

In the trade agreements with the above mentioned countries, the EU has negotiated a Banana Stabilisation Mechanism by which preferences may be temporarily removed if imports reached a given level. The EU also agreed that the imports of bananas into the EU would be monitored.

• Bananas import monitoring report
• More information on the EU banana market

Facts about EU imports

• EU import tariffs are amongst the lowest in the world.
• The EU market is the most open to developing countries. Fuels excluded, the EU imports more from LDCs than the US, Canada, Japan and China put together.
• It is not just exports that are essential to economic growth and job creation but increasingly also imports. Two-thirds of EU imports are raw materials, intermediary goods and components needed for our companies’ production processes. The share of foreign imports in the EU’s exports has increased by more than half since 1995, to reach 13%.

https://ec.europa.eu/trade/import-and-export-rules/import-into-eu/