Sourcing copper pigment pastes from China

Duty and controls for copper pigment paste

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, non-aqueous copper pigment pastes for paint manufacture fall within heading 3212, under 3212 90 00 00, carrying 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. Only this supplied commodity line is relevant to the focused table.

The tariff attaches an ozone-depleting substance entry restriction, waste import control and waste export control. Give your customs broker the complete formulation and confirm the applicable declaration before shipping. If regulated ozone-depleting substances are present, resolve licensing before ordering. For waste imported into England under notification controls, the exporter must apply to the competent authority in China for consent; confirm the remaining requirements with your broker.

Confirm the commodity code using the composition, non-aqueous carrier, paste form and intended use in paint manufacture. Do not assume a dry powder or finished coating shares this classification. See the wider bronze pigment paste guide.

Specify copper content, carrier and metallic finish

Specify whether the pigment is copper or a copper alloy, its metal content, particle shape and size distribution, surface treatment, carrier composition and viscosity at an agreed test temperature. State the binder and solvent system into which the paste will be mixed. Approve a drawdown made with your own formulation, including its shade, metallic appearance, adhesion and response to overcoating.

For Great Britain, confirm with HSE the UK REACH registration position for each substance, including any coverage by the manufacturer's GB-based only representative. Confirm with HSE whether an English safety data sheet is required and what GB CLP classification requirements apply. Labelling and packaging must be correct before sale. Ask for formulation information sufficient to assess these duties, with testing and certification support where needed.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 400 kg of non-aqueous copper pigment paste; illustrative order, values are not quotations under 3212 90 00 00, invoiced at £6,800 free on board, with £700 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,500, so it is £1,500. 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: check the batch certificate against the agreed copper or alloy composition, metal content, carrier and surface treatment.

Appearance: compare a drawdown in your binder against the approved sample under consistent lighting, checking shade, sparkle and visible specks.

Dispersion: check viscosity using the agreed method, inspect settling and confirm the paste can be mixed back to a uniform condition without hard sediment.

Packing and paperwork: inspect seals, leaks, container condition and sampled net weights; match batch identifiers across containers, certificates, labels and the safety data sheet.

What goes wrong

A copper-coloured paste may contain a different alloy from the approved sample. A changed carrier can cause thickening, separation or poor compatibility with your binder. Agglomerates leave specks, hard settling prevents uniform mixing, and oxidation can dull the metallic finish. Compare production samples in the actual coating formulation before accepting the batch.

Leaking closures can lose carrier and change viscosity. A generic safety data sheet can describe a different solvent system from the supplied paste. Hold discrepant batches for investigation and agree corrective action before using or reselling them.

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.