Sourcing ethylene carbonate from China
Ethylene carbonate from China has a 6% base UK duty, suspended to 0% for qualifying unmixed material with purity by weight of 99% or more. The suspension excludes mixtures. A Great Britain importer must establish the UK REACH registration route where required. Cambridge China Bridge sources ethylene carbonate.
Ethylene carbonate: 6% base duty, with a suspension
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 November 2026, heading 2920 covers esters of other inorganic acids of non-metals and their salts. Ethylene carbonate with purity by weight of 99% or more falls under 2920 90 10 45. Its duty for goods from China is 6%, with an autonomous suspension to 0%. The supplied facts show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty for this line. The suspension excludes mixtures, preparations and products containing different components.
The tariff attaches export controls on dangerous chemicals and waste. Ask your customs broker to confirm their relevance to the intended transaction. HSE says substances absent from the GB prior informed consent list have no notification obligations under that scheme. For shipments into England, waste shipment controls apply only when the material is waste; confirm the requirements separately if buying recovered material whose waste status is uncertain.
Confirm the commodity code using the substance identity, purity and composition. Do not assume a formulated electrolyte qualifies for the pure-substance suspension. The table includes a residual line to check for lower-purity ethylene carbonate and related electrolyte solvents, rather than interchangeable grades. See the dimethyl carbonate guide for wider heading context.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethylene carbonate, purity by weight of 99% or more | 2920 90 10 45 | 6% | None |
| Other carbonic esters: check for ethylene carbonate below 99% purity | 2920 90 10 90 | 6% | None |
| Related electrolyte solvent: dimethyl carbonate | 2920 90 10 40 | 6% | None |
| Related electrolyte solvent: ethyl methyl carbonate, purity of 98% or more | 2920 90 10 33 | 6% | None |
Specify ethylene carbonate by batch and intended use
Specify the substance identity, intended process, assay, water content, acidity, colour and metal impurity limits. Agree the test methods and require actual batch results on the certificate of analysis. For battery use, assess the impurity profile against your process specification rather than accepting a battery-grade label alone.
Agree sealed packaging, moisture protection, storage conditions and sampling arrangements. Confirm the applicable UK REACH registration route with HSE, including whether any proposed only-representative arrangement covers your imports. Confirm whether a safety data sheet is required and when it should be provided. Chemicals must be correctly labelled and packaged before being placed on the Great Britain market.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 15 tonnes of unmixed ethylene carbonate below 99% purity, subject to confirmation of classification; FOB and freight values are illustrative. under 2920 90 10 90, invoiced at £21,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £23,500. Duty at 6% is £1,410. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £24,910, so it is £4,982. Import taxes total £6,392; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,410 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: match the purchase specification, container labels and batch certificate to ethylene carbonate rather than a carbonate blend.
Laboratory: independently check assay, water, acidity and metals against the agreed limits, retaining a sample for comparison on arrival.
Packaging: check seals, closures, leakage and signs of moisture exposure; compare packing conditions with the agreed storage instructions.
Documents: check batch traceability, the English safety data sheet and the UK REACH route. Use the quality inspection guide to agree the inspection scope.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
What goes wrong
A batch can meet the headline assay while failing the buyer's moisture or metal limits. Poor seals can undermine the condition established by the factory sample. Hold material that fails the agreed arrival tests and compare retained samples before accepting a supplier's explanation.
Another failure is treating a blended electrolyte or lower-purity material as the suspended ethylene carbonate line. Match the declaration to the supplied composition and batch evidence. Agree who resolves disputed test results and who authorises release into your process.
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 ethylene carbonate from China?
The base duty is 6%. Under 2920 90 10 45, qualifying unmixed ethylene carbonate with purity by weight of 99% or more has a 0% suspension. The suspension excludes mixtures.
Do I need UK REACH registration for ethylene carbonate?
For Great Britain, confirm applicable UK REACH registration responsibilities and any proposed only-representative coverage with HSE. Establish the applicable route before ordering.
What should I test in battery-grade ethylene carbonate?
Check assay, water, acidity and metal impurities using agreed methods. Compare actual batch results with your process limits and independently test an arrival sample.
Does an ethylene carbonate blend get the same duty suspension?
The suspension excludes mixtures and preparations. Confirm the blend's composition and commodity code separately before using the pure ethylene carbonate rate.