Sourcing iodobenzaldehydes from China

Duty and the shared tariff line

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 2913 covers halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives of products of heading 2912. Its supplied lines all carry 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no listed suspensions. For unmixed iodobenzaldehydes, use 2913 00 00 90, described as “Other”, as the candidate code.

The tariff attaches “Export control - Waste”. This is labelled as an export control. Environment Agency guidance for England says waste shipment controls apply only when the material is waste. Ask your customs broker to confirm the attached measure's relevance to your China shipment, particularly for recovered or rejected material.

The table shows product variants sharing the same tariff line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. Confirm the exact substance, composition and commodity code before shipment. For the wider heading, see the bromobenzaldehydes guide.

Specify the iodobenzaldehyde isomer

Write the full chemical identity and structural formula into the purchase specification. Distinguish ortho, meta and para material, and state whether you want an unmixed substance or a solution. Agree assay method, acceptable related substances, water content, residual solvents and the appearance expected for that specific isomer.

Request batch-specific analysis supported by chromatograms and identity testing against an agreed reference. Agree packaging compatibility, closure seals and storage conditions using the supplier's safety data sheet. Before supply in Great Britain, ensure correct labelling and packaging. Review UK REACH registration responsibilities for the purchasing entity: registration is per substance, per legal entity.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 kg of unmixed para-iodobenzaldehyde under 2913 00 00 90, invoiced at £3,500 free on board, with £980 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,480. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,480, so it is £896. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the isomer name and structural formula across the order, container labels, analysis certificate and retained sample.

Analysis: check the batch chromatogram, assay basis, related substances, water and residual solvents against the agreed specification.

Containers: inspect seals, closures and outer packaging for leakage, damage or contamination before accepting the delivery.

Traceability: reconcile batch references and net contents with the packing list, and retain a sample for comparison if the process trial fails.

What goes wrong

A high assay does not establish the correct positional isomer. A supplier can provide apparently acceptable purity data while the identity evidence is incomplete. Another problem is treating chromatographic area purity as equivalent to the agreed assay without checking water or residual solvents.

A generic analysis certificate can conceal differences between the approved sample and the delivered batch. Hold material with unexplained identity, appearance or analysis differences apart from accepted stock while investigating. Agree the sampling and testing scope through testing and certification.

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.