Global Trade Regulation and Tariff Summary

You can identify your core Harmonized System (HS) code by referencing the World Customs Organization tariff database or your domestic customs authority's ruling portal. For highly specialized products, submitting a formal binding ruling request to customs guarantees the legally accepted classification. Matching your product's material composition and function to the exact general rules of interpretation prevents costly misclassification penalties.

A tariff is a direct financial tax or duty levied by a government on imported goods, calculated as a percentage of the product's value or as a flat rate per unit. A non-tariff barrier is an administrative, technical, or regulatory restriction, such as a quota, sanitary inspection, or packaging standard, that restricts trade without imposing a direct tax. Both must be cleared for successful customs entry, but non-tariff barriers require physical and administrative compliance rather than just financial payment.

FTAs lower import costs by reducing or entirely eliminating customs duties on goods traded between member nations. To benefit, your goods must meet specific "rules of origin" proving they were sufficiently manufactured or processed within the treaty countries. You must also obtain and file a valid Certificate of Origin during the customs entry process to claim these preferential rates.

Anti-dumping duties are heavy protective tariffs imposed by governments on foreign imports that are priced below fair market value or below the cost of production. These duties are designed to protect domestic industries from unfair competition and can increase import costs by over one hundred percent. If your product is subject to an active anti-dumping order, you must pay this additional percentage upon customs entry, regardless of standard tariff rates.