Animal, vegetable or microbial fats, oils and their fractions; boiled, oxidised, dehydrated or otherwise chemically modified, excluding those of heading no. 1516, inedible mixtures or preparations of fats, oils or their fractions, n.e.c. in chapter 15 (heading 1518): importing markets

Fact sheet

Code

1518

Chapter

15 · Animal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils and their cleavage products; prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes

Subheadings

1

What to know before exporting heading 1518

Heading 1518 sits in Chapter 15 of the Harmonised System. It groups fats, oils and their fractions that have been chemically modified by boiling, oxidation or dehydration, and inedible mixtures or preparations of fats and oils not classified elsewhere in the chapter. Products already covered by heading 1516 are excluded.

The table of importing markets shows two large buyers well ahead of the rest: the Netherlands and the United States, each above USD 2.5 billion in 2025. Singapore follows with more than USD 1.6 billion. Spain appears fourth, so for an exporter based in Spain it is also a domestic market for competing and complementary supply.

Several of the largest importers are European Union members: the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, France, Finland, Italy, Portugal and Austria. For a company exporting from Spain, shipments to these countries move within the EU single market and do not pay customs duties. Customs duties apply only to destinations outside the EU, such as the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, the United Kingdom or South Korea.

The figures are imports declared by each country from the whole world, not purchases from Spain. A high total shows the size of demand, not how much of it is open to a Spanish supplier. Importing volumes can include re-exports and transit through trading hubs, so a large importer is not always the final consumer.

Correct classification comes first. The heading has one subheading in this fact sheet, but national tariff schedules split it further, and the duty, any trade agreement preference and the documents required depend on the exact code of the destination country. For exports from Spain to non-EU markets, check the applicable duty and rules of origin in Access2Markets, and for intra-EU shipments consult TARIC for the code and any specific measures.

Because the heading includes inedible mixtures and chemically modified products, the end use matters. Whether a product is destined for food, technical or industrial use can change the classification and the sanitary or product requirements at destination. Confirm the intended use with the importer and with the customs authority of the destination before quoting.

Frequently asked questions