Sourcing diethyl ether from China
Diethyl ether from China carries 4% UK duty, with no suspension or trade remedy recorded for its line. Before selling in Great Britain, the importer must ensure correct chemical classification, labelling and packaging. Specify purity, water and stabiliser against the intended use. Cambridge China Bridge sources diethyl ether.
Diethyl ether: 4% UK duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, diethyl ether under 2909 11 00 00 carried 4% duty for goods from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no tariff suspension. Heading 2909 covers ethers and related compounds; this guide covers diethyl ether specifically.
The tariff attaches an export control for waste to this line. Ask your customs broker to confirm its relevance to the transaction, particularly if material is spent solvent or waste rather than a saleable chemical. Do not treat this export-control entry as an import prohibition on new diethyl ether.
Confirm the substance, composition and commodity code before ordering. For other products within the heading, see the wider ethers guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diethyl ether | 2909 11 00 00 | 4% | None |
Specify purity, water and stabiliser
State the intended laboratory or process use, assay method, acceptable water content, related solvent impurities, acidity and residue after evaporation. Specify the stabiliser identity and content, or explicitly agree an unstabilised grade. Ask the factory for batch analysis covering peroxide content, manufacture date and recommended storage conditions.
Before placing imported chemicals on the Great Britain market, the importer must ensure correct labelling and packaging under the chemical classification rules. Confirm classification duties and the UK REACH position with HSE before importing; consult the wider ethers guide when preparing your questions.
The Home Office import authorisation chart lists ethyl ether in a group for which import authorisation is not required. Precursor documentation duties still apply to international trade: agree the commercial and customs documents before shipment and retain the required records.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 drums of diethyl ether under 2909 11 00 00, invoiced at £3,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,500. Duty at 4% is £220. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,720, so it is £1,144. Import taxes total £1,364; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £220 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity and assay: match the product name and batch number across the order, containers and certificate of analysis; arrange laboratory checks against the agreed purity and impurity specification.
Water and residue: compare the batch results with the agreed water, acidity and evaporation-residue limits rather than accepting a general laboratory-grade description.
Stabiliser and peroxide results: check that the declared stabiliser matches the order and that peroxide results identify the tested batch, method and test date.
Packaging and documents: check seals, container damage, hazard labels and the English safety data sheet. Match the batch and quantities to the shipment records. Plan checks using the quality inspection guide.
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What goes wrong
A purity figure alone can conceal a mismatch in water, stabiliser or residue. A supplier may offer a different grade without explaining the change, or provide a certificate that does not identify the shipped batch. Make these acceptance points explicit before approving production.
Missing batch records and inconsistent labels make arrival checks harder. Agree who reviews chemical compliance, who organises testing and who authorises release. Keep material with unresolved identity, packaging or analytical discrepancies out of use while the supplier and competent chemical adviser investigate.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on diethyl ether from China?
The supplied tariff record gives 4% for 2909 11 00 00, with no suspension, anti-dumping duty or countervailing duty recorded.
Do I need a precursor import authorisation for ethyl ether?
The Home Office chart says import authorisation is not required for its group. International precursor documentation and record-keeping duties still apply.
What should a diethyl ether specification include?
Agree purity, water, related impurities, acidity, evaporation residue, stabiliser and peroxide testing, with methods and acceptance limits suited to your use.
Is a factory certificate of analysis enough?
Check that it identifies the shipped batch and covers your agreed tests. Arrange independent verification where needed; a certificate alone does not resolve a grade or identity mismatch.