Trading with China, week after week
Tariffs, certifications, import rules: what changes for goods shipped from China, country by country, with the official sources.
43 news items
- États-Unis · Droits de douane
US and China cut tariffs on $30 billion of goods
Following a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington on 26 September 2026, the two countries announced a mutual cut in tariffs on roughly $30 billion of trade. No detailed, line-by-line tariff schedule had been published as of that date.
Read the article - Afrique du Sud · Droits antidumping
South Africa: final anti-dumping duties on Chinese steel (up to 57.8%)
The International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) concluded its anti-dumping investigation on 18 September 2026 into corrosion-resistant steel coil imported from China, setting final duties ranging from 8.21% to 57.84% depending on the exporter. The measure follows a complaint by South African producers ArcelorMittal South Africa and SAFAL Steel.
Read the article - Ghana · Normes
Ghana: pre-shipment inspection for used vehicles from October
From 1 October 2026, the Ghana Standards Authority is requiring a conformity certificate issued before shipment for every used vehicle imported. Vehicles older than 15 years will be refused entry, regardless of origin.
Read the article - Turquie · Droits de douane
Turkey: WTO rules 40% tariff on Chinese vehicles unlawful
On 28 July 2026, a WTO dispute settlement panel ruled in China's favour against Turkey over its additional 40% tariff applied since July 2024 to vehicles imported from China. The ruling does not require Turkey to immediately withdraw the measure, which remains in force as of 27 September 2026.
Read the article - Pérou · Accord Chine
Peru ratifies upgrade of its free trade agreement with China
Lima completed its internal procedures in late July 2026 to ratify the protocol upgrading the Peru-China free trade agreement, signed in 2024. The text has yet to formally enter into force, but it already modernises the customs and digital framework between the two countries.
Read the article - Australie · Biosécurité
Australia raises import biosecurity charges from 1 July 2026
Since 1 July 2026, Australia's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) has raised the biosecurity cost recovery charges applied to each Full Import Declaration, to 48 Australian dollars for air freight and 71 Australian dollars for sea freight. Processing fees for the declaration itself are also increasing.
Read the article - Kazakhstan · Douane en ligne
Eurasian Union sets dedicated customs regime for e-commerce
The Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission has approved a new chapter of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Customs Code creating a specific regime for cross-border online trade, with entry into force announced for 1 July 2026. Kazakhstan, the last of the five member states to ratify the text, did so in December 2025, while Armenia, also a member of the union, will be subject to it on the same terms.
Read the article - Kenya · Droits de douane
Kenya raises EAC customs duties on furniture, nappies and bags
The East African Community Council of Ministers has raised, effective 1 July 2026, customs duties on several categories of consumer goods commonly imported from Asia into Kenya. Furniture rises from 35% to 45%, and baby nappies and handbags from 25% to 35%.
Read the article - Ouganda · Droits de douane
Uganda: new EAC duties on oils, biscuits, sausages and nappies
From 1 July 2026, Uganda is applying expanded customs duties, between 36% and 60%, on a wider list of products classified as sensitive, such as cooking oils, butter, biscuits and sausages. PVC items and baby nappies see their duty rise from 25% to 35%.
Read the article - Rwanda · Droits de douane
Rwanda exempts electric and hybrid buses from customs duty
Since 1 July 2026, Rwanda has applied a zero customs duty on electric and hybrid buses as well as on smart cards, as part of the EAC's annual revision of its common external tariff. Conversely, aluminium utensils see their customs duty rise from 25% to 35%.
Read the article - Tanzanie · Droits de douane
Tanzania: EAC tariff cut on African print fabric, buses exempted
Under the 2026/2027 revision of the EAC common external tariff, which took effect on 1 July 2026, Tanzania secured a cut in the customs duty on African print fabric, from 50% to 35%, and a suspension of duties on buses with more than 25 seats and on smart cards.
Read the article - Vietnam · Douane
Vietnam: new customs penalty regime takes effect 1 July 2026
Decree 169/2026/ND-CP, in force since 1 July 2026, replaces Vietnam's previous customs penalty regime and broadens the cases exempt from fines for declaration errors with no tax impact. It simultaneously tightens certain obligations, notably for Authorised Economic Operators.
Read the article - États-Unis · Douane
United States: the $800 de minimis exemption no longer applies to China
The $800 customs exemption that spared small shipments from duties and formal declaration was suspended for China and Hong Kong as early as May 2025, then for the rest of the world, before a rule of 24 June 2026 formalised an indefinite suspension for shipments arriving by any mode other than the international postal network. Every commercial shipment, regardless of value, must now be formally declared to customs and pay the normal duties.
Read the article - Chine · Contrôle des exportations
China tightens rare earth export controls targeting US companies
In June 2026, China added around ten US entities, including rare earth and magnet producers, to its export control list, banning, with immediate effect from 22 June 2026, Chinese exports of dual-use products to these entities. This measure adds to a licensing system in place since April 2025 that already restricts Chinese exports of seven rare earth elements.
Read the article - Indonésie · Procédures douanières
Indonesia: Permendag 18/2026 revises surveyor reports and import approval
Enacted on 4 June 2026, regulation Permendag No. 18/2026 amends Indonesia's procedures for surveyor reports, import approval validation and the handling of port cargo holds, building on Permendag 16/2025 on import policy.
Read the article - Côte d'Ivoire · Logistique
Ivory Coast: OIC launches SYSANEV to forecast import costs
The Ivorian Shippers' Council brought into service, on 19 May 2026, a platform called SYSANEV that lets importers estimate their logistics costs before the goods arrive. The tool aims to give better visibility over actual transport and clearance costs.
Read the article - Brésil · Fiscalité import
Brazil cuts tax on small imported parcels from May 2026
Since 12 May 2026, Brazil has applied new taxation rules for international parcels under the Remessa Conforme programme: purchases up to $50 are once again exempt from the federal import tax. Above that threshold, a 60% rate applies, with a more generous allowance than before for certified platforms.
Read the article - Madagascar · Commerce extérieur
Madagascar gets duty-free access to 100% of tariff lines into China
Since 1 May 2026, the Chinese customs exemption already applicable to almost all Malagasy products has become part of the new regime extended to 53 African countries, reported by the Malagasy press on 9 May 2026. Products of Malagasy origin can now access the Chinese market free of import duty, subject to compliance with rules of origin and Chinese standards.
Read the article - Zambie · Commerce extérieur
Zambia named among major beneficiaries of China's zero-tariff regime
Since 1 May 2026, China has applied a zero tariff on 100% of its tariff lines for goods imported from 53 African countries with diplomatic relations with it. The pan-African business press names Zambia among the main African exporting countries to China affected by this measure.
Read the article - Afrique du Sud · Accord commercial
South Africa: China opens its market, SARS issues origin certificates
Since 1 May 2026, China has applied a two-year zero-tariff regime on goods of South African origin entering its territory. The South African Revenue Service (SARS) put in place, from 1 June 2026, the certificate-of-origin scheme allowing South African exporters to benefit from it, including retroactively.
Read the article - Angola · Commerce extérieur
Angola: China scraps customs duties on Angolan products (May 2026)
Since 1 May 2026, China has applied a zero customs tariff on goods imported from the 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, including Angola. Only Eswatini, which diplomatically recognises Taiwan, is excluded from this measure.
Read the article - Chine · Remboursement de TVA à l'export
China ends export VAT rebate on solar, batteries to follow in 2027
Since 1 April 2026, China no longer refunds export VAT on photovoltaic products (wafers, cells, modules and several raw materials). For batteries, the rate has fallen from 9% to 6% until 31 December 2026, before being removed entirely from 1 January 2027.
Read the article - Chine · Fiscalité export
China: export VAT rebate scrapped for 271 product categories
Since 1 April 2026, China has removed the export VAT rebate for 249 product categories and cut the battery rebate from 9% to 6%. The measure hits PVC, glass, ceramics, photovoltaic cells and e-cigarettes in particular, and mechanically raises the ex-factory price for any buyer, in Asia-Pacific as elsewhere.
Read the article - Mozambique · Commerce extérieur
Mozambique saved 140 million yuan in 2025 under China's zero-tariff regime
China's ambassador to Mozambique, Zheng Xuan, said on 31 March 2026 that China's zero-tariff regime, applicable to Mozambique since December 2024, had allowed the country to save around 140 million yuan (about $20 million) on its exports to China in 2025. This regime has since been extended, from 1 May 2026, to a total of 53 African countries.
Read the article - Djibouti · Zone franche
Djibouti's international free trade zone hosts 513 firms in 2026
In the first quarter of 2026, Djibouti's international free trade zone (DIFTZ) had 513 companies established, up 22% year on year, with a land occupancy rate of 70%. Chinese companies hold 356,000 m² of long-term leased land there, or 36% of the total.
Read the article - Nigeria · Douane
Nigeria moves SONCAP and import permits onto single window
Since 27 March 2026, Nigeria's SONCAP and import permits can only be processed through the National Single Window (NSW) platform. The change aims for 24-hour clearance and removes the separate channels accredited bodies previously used.
Read the article - Colombie · Droits de douane
Colombia raises customs duty on Chinese steel to 35%
Since March 2026, Colombia has applied a 35% customs duty on fourteen steel and metal-mechanical product subheadings originating from countries with no trade agreement with it, including China. Bogota justifies the measure as protecting its steel industry, prompting a formal protest from the Chinese embassy.
Read the article - RDC · Douane numérique
DR Congo: electronic document bundle now mandatory nationwide
An inter-ministerial circular of 17 December 2025 requires the foreign trade document bundle to be transmitted exclusively electronically, from the fully integrated single window (GUICE) to customs (DGDA). Rollout, which began in Kinshasa, is to be extended across the whole of Congolese territory by 18 February 2026.
Read the article - Bénin · Niger · Transit
Benin-Niger: border still shut, freight rerouted via Kamba corridor
The direct border between Benin and Niger, closed since 2023, still has no confirmed reopening date as of 27 September 2026. An alternative corridor via Nigeria, reopened on 9 February 2026 to clear around 1,600 stranded trucks, remains the workaround route used for freight between the two countries.
Read the article - Ouzbékistan · Modernisation douanière
Uzbekistan: new parcel-receipt rules and customs reform under way in 2026
Since 8 February 2026, parcels addressed to individuals in Uzbekistan are automatically notified via personal EPIGU accounts and the E-TIJORAT app, with ten days to confirm or decline receipt. This change is part of the "Customs of New Uzbekistan 2030" strategy, which provides for a new VAT offsetting measure for low-risk operators from 1 October 2026.
Read the article - Turquie · E-commerce
Turkey ends fast-track clearance for small parcels from China
Since 1 February 2026, e-commerce parcels from China no longer benefit from the accelerated customs regime, regardless of their value. Turkey's Ministry of Trade announced the measure on 7 January 2026, following the rise of direct-to-consumer platforms such as AliExpress and Temu.
Read the article - Éthiopie · Douane et devises
Ethiopia makes indicative customs prices mandatory for letters of credit
Since 27 January 2026, Ethiopian banks must use the Customs Commission's indicative prices to open a letter of credit or issue an import permit. The measure is part of the exchange-rate reform begun in July 2024 and of Ethiopia's WTO accession negotiations, which entered a phase seen as decisive in late April 2026.
Read the article - Canada · Droits de douane
Canada cuts tariff on Chinese electric vehicles to 6.1% under quota
On 16 January 2026, Canada announced a deal with China bringing its 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles down to the most-favoured-nation rate of 6.1%, within an annual quota. In return, China is cutting its duties on several Canadian agricultural products.
Read the article - Mexique · Droits de douane
Mexico: customs duties up to 50% on Chinese products from January 2026
A decree published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on 29 December 2025 raises, from 1 January 2026, customs duties on around 1,463 tariff lines imported from countries with no free trade agreement with Mexico, including China, with rates ranging from 5% to 50% depending on the product.
Read the article - Algérie · Réglementation import
Algeria requires prior authorisation for importing services and goods
Since 1 January 2026, any standalone import of services into Algeria must obtain prior authorisation from the Ministry of Foreign Trade even before bank domiciliation. This rule adds to an import declaration system already tightened since July 2025.
Read the article - Arabie saoudite · Certification
Saudi Arabia updates SABER tariff codes from 1 January 2026
SASO notified on 18 November 2025 an update to the tariff codes used in SABER, the mandatory conformity certification platform for importing into Saudi Arabia. The change has been effective since 1 January 2026.
Read the article - Égypte · Douane
Egypt makes electronic ACI registration mandatory for air freight
Since 1 January 2026, every air shipment to Egypt must go through the ACI system and receive an ACID number before reaching the border. This requirement, already applied to sea freight since 2021, had been postponed several times.
Read the article - Équateur · Accord Chine
Ecuador applies a fresh cut in customs duties on Chinese products
Since 1 January 2026, a new phase in the tariff dismantling under the Ecuador-China free trade agreement, in force since May 2024, has cut customs duties on dozens of categories of Chinese products, from toys to machinery, steel and plastics. The agreement provides for the gradual removal of duties on 99.6% of tariff lines, over periods of up to twenty years for sensitive products.
Read the article - Indonésie · Import
Indonesia issues new list of prohibited imports from 1 January 2026
Regulation Permendag No. 47/2025, in force since 1 January 2026, repeals Indonesia's previous rules on prohibited imports and replaces them with a more explicit list. No exemption is provided for a newly established company.
Read the article - Mali · Burkina Faso · Niger · Douane
Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger: AES common customs levy stays in force
Since late March 2025, and still as of 27 September 2026, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger apply a common customs levy of 0.5% on goods imported from countries outside their alliance. This levy is added on top of existing national customs duties and funds the operations of their confederation, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Read the article - Panama · Relations Chine
Panama does not renew its Chinese Belt and Road deal in 2026
Panama formally notified its withdrawal from China's Belt and Road Initiative in 2025, an agreement signed in 2017 for a term automatically renewable every three years. The agreement was up for renewal in 2026 and was not renewed, against a backdrop of US pressure over the Panama Canal.
Read the article - Royaume-Uni · Frontière carbone
UK confirms carbon border mechanism (CBAM) for January 2027
On 30 October 2024, HM Revenue and Customs and the UK Treasury published the government's response to the consultation on the future UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), confirming it will take effect on 1 January 2027 for aluminium, cement, fertilisers, hydrogen, iron and steel. As of 27 September 2026, this date has not been postponed, and the current year is one of preparation for any UK importer of these products, including of Chinese origin.
Read the article - Suisse · Douane et numérisation
Switzerland: customs law overhaul adopted, in force expected 2027-2028
The Swiss National Council adopted on 6 March 2024 a full revision of the Customs Act, splitting it into a Customs Duty Act and a new act on enforcement and assessment by the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS). The referendum deadline ran until October 2025 without leading to a vote, but practitioners in the Swiss customs sector no longer expect the new text to take effect before 2027 or 2028.
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