Importing Machinery into the EU: Low Duties, but CE Compliance Is Non-Negotiable

Import guidance for buyers of Chinese machinery notes that most machinery lines carry EU duty rates below 3%, making imports attractive, but stresses that compliance with the Machinery Directive and CE marking is mandatory and that responsibility sits with the importer. Practical recommendations include verifying HS codes in the TARIC database, confirming that test reports come from accredited bodies rather than intermediaries, and planning now for upcoming changes to EU machinery rules. It also maps China’s main machinery manufacturing regions, including Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Henan, Guangdong and Shandong.