Includes information on average tariff rates and types that U.S. firms should be aware of when exporting to the market.
  • Denmark has historically maintained a no-barrier policy and is often in the lead in the international fight against non-tariff barriers. Denmark is a member of the European Union, and has the best record of all EU countries regarding implementation of Single Market directives.  Denmark applies no unilateral trade barriers against the United States.  The EU’s common external duty tariffs apply to all products entering from non-EU countries, including the United States.  Duties typically vary from 5.0% to 14% on industrial goods.  Once goods have cleared customs in one EU country, they may circulate freely within the Union.  A Value-Added-Tax (VAT) of 25% is applied on a non-discriminatory basis to all goods (and almost all services) sold in Denmark, whether imported or locally-produced.
  • As a consequence of Denmark’s membership in the EU, certain agricultural products imported from non-EU countries are governed by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).  Duties on these items ‑‑ which include cereal grains, rice, milk and milk products, beef and veal, olive oil and sugar ‑‑ are supplemented with a system of variable levies or other charges. The purpose of these is to equalize prices of imported commodities with those produced within the EU.   
  • When products enter the EU, they need to be declared to customs according to their classification in the Combined Nomenclature (CN). The CN document is updated and published every year, and the latest version can be found on the European Commission's website.
  • U.S. exports to the European Union enjoy an average tariff of just three percent.  All the same, U.S. exporters should consult “The Integrated Tariff of the Community”, referred to as TARIC (Tarif Intégré de la Communauté), to identify the various rules which apply to specific products being imported into the customs territory of the EU. To determine if a license is required for a particular product, check the TARIC.
  • The TARIC can be searched by country of origin, Harmonized System (HS) Code, and product description on the interactive website of the Directorate-General for Taxation and the Customs Union. The online TARIC is updated daily.
  • Key Link: TARIC

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.