Legally importing into the EU from China requires three things: a correct customs declaration with the right HS code, payment of duties and VAT on entry, and — for most electronics, toys, devices and anything with electrical components — CE marking backed by proper technical documentation. Skip any of these and your shipment sits in customs, racking up storage fees by the day. None of this is complicated, but it has to be prepared before the container ships, not after.
When goods arrive at an EU port (Rotterdam, Hamburg, or Genoa for Italy-bound cargo) or airport, your freight forwarder files a customs declaration including the product's HS code, customs value, country of origin, and any certificates required for that product category. Customs then routes the shipment through a green channel (no inspection), yellow (document check), or red (physical inspection). Products missing CE marking or with incomplete technical files almost always land in the red channel, stretching clearance from 1-2 days to 2-3 weeks.
Import duties range from roughly 0% to 12% depending on the product's HS code (consumer electronics often 0-4%, textiles 8-12%, plastic goods around 6.5%). Duty is calculated on the CIF value (goods cost plus insurance plus freight to the EU border), not just the supplier's price. Import VAT (22% in Italy, varying by EU member state) is then charged on CIF value plus duty. On a $10,000 shipment with $2,000 in freight, a 4% duty and 22% VAT add roughly $3,400 in landed costs before you even calculate margin.
| Cost item | Calculated on | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Import duty | CIF value | 0% - 12% |
| Import VAT | CIF + duty | ~20-22% (EU average) |
| Broker/customs fees | Flat per shipment | $85 - $270 |
| Physical inspection (if flagged) | Flat, red channel only | $110 - $430 |
CE marking isn't a certificate you buy — it's a self-declaration by the manufacturer (or the importer, when the manufacturer is outside the EU) confirming the product meets the applicable EU directives: Low Voltage, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), Machinery, Toy Safety, or the Radio Equipment Directive for wireless devices. To make that declaration valid you need three things: the EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC), a technical file, and — for most categories — a test report from an accredited lab. If you're the first to bring a private-label product into the EU, you legally become the "manufacturer" under EU law, which means the responsibility for having these documents ready sits with you, not with your Chinese supplier.
CE is the marking, but specific standards sit behind it and must be tested and documented:
The most frequent one is trusting the CE certificate the Chinese factory hands over without checking it — many are generic, expired, or issued for a different product variant. The second is declaring a "convenient" HS code to pay lower duty: customs cross-checks the code against the goods description, and a mismatch triggers an assessment plus penalty. The third is not having the technical file ready when requested — CE marking without supporting documentation is, legally, the same as having no CE marking at all.
Sourcewithme's DDP Logistics service already bundles duties, VAT and customs clearance into the agreed price, so goods land in Italy or the US ready for warehouse pickup with no surprises on the invoice. Alongside that, the Quality Control service verifies at the factory that test reports and technical documentation actually match the shipped product — not just the sample shown during negotiation — which is exactly the check that prevents discovering the gap once the container is already stuck at the port.
If you want to know what it would actually cost to import your product, duties and certification included, request a free feasibility study on the contact page.
FAQ
With complete documentation and a green or yellow channel routing, clearance typically takes 1-3 business days. If the shipment is flagged for physical inspection or documentation is missing, it can stretch to 2-3 weeks.
Whoever first imports the product into the EU without a European manufacturer of record legally becomes responsible for conformity, meaning CE marking, the Declaration of Conformity and the technical file must be secured by the importer, not just promised by the supplier.
No, it should always be verified: many supplier-provided certificates are generic, cover a different product variant, or lack an up-to-date test report. Check that the model number, tested standard, and date exactly match the ordered product.
It depends on the product category: duties typically range from 0% to 12% of CIF value, plus roughly 20-22% VAT calculated on CIF plus duty. On an average shipment, total landed tax costs often fall between 15% and 30% of the goods' value.
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