Glycerol, crude; glycerol waters and glycerol lyes (heading 1520): importing markets
HS heading 1520 covers crude glycerol, glycerol waters and glycerol lyes. In 2024, China was the largest importer by value among the reporting countries,…
Published on 11 November 2026Updated on 11 November 2026
HS heading 1520 covers crude glycerol, glycerol waters and glycerol lyes. In 2024, China was the largest importer by value among the reporting countries, at about 483 million USD, well ahead of India and Germany. For a company exporting from Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark are the EU destinations to look at first.
Source: UN ComtradeData for 2024Verified on 11 November 2026
Fact sheet
- Code
- 1520
- Chapter
- 15 · Animal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils and their cleavage products; prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes
- Subheadings
- 3
Main importing markets
USD · 2024| Country | Imports (USD) |
|---|---|
| China | 483,350,792 |
| India | 127,570,123 |
| Germany | 88,228,508 |
| Netherlands | 85,679,146 |
| Malaysia | 50,616,900 |
| Türkiye | 37,543,477 |
| United States | 28,522,878 |
| Denmark | 28,458,631 |
| Italy | 27,830,801 |
| Belgium | 21,873,445 |
| Thailand | 19,047,428 |
| Mexico | 17,004,908 |
| Czechia | 14,688,286 |
| France | 12,301,555 |
| Pakistan | 8,935,125 |
Imports declared by each country from the world. Countries report with a delay: the period is the latest with consolidated data.
Source: UN ComtradeData for 2024Verified on 11 November 2026
What to know before exporting HS 1520
Heading 1520 sits in Chapter 15 of the Harmonized System and has three subheadings. It groups crude glycerol, glycerol waters and glycerol lyes. Refined glycerol is not part of this heading, so the first check is that your product is classified here and not elsewhere.
Classification decides everything that follows. Duties, documents and controls attach to the subheading, not to the four-digit heading. Confirm the exact code with your customs agent or through a binding tariff information request before quoting.
The demand map is concentrated. In 2024, China imported about 483 million USD, more than three times India, the second market at about 128 million USD. Germany (about 88 million USD) and the Netherlands (about 86 million USD) follow, and both are inside the EU single market.
For a company exporting from Spain, sales to Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Belgium, Czechia or France are intra-EU shipments. They carry no customs duty, but they do require correct invoicing, VAT treatment and intra-EU statistical declarations. Your tax adviser or the AEAT confirms the treatment for each operation.
Sales to China, India, Malaysia, Türkiye, Thailand, Mexico, Pakistan or the United States are exports outside the EU. The duty depends on the subheading and on whether a trade agreement between the EU and the destination applies. It can be checked per country and per code in Access2Markets.
Import requirements for chemical and fat-derived products, such as registrations, quality certificates or customs licences, are set by each destination country. They are not the same across the markets in the table. Check them with the importer and with the destination customs authority before shipping a first order.
The table shows what each country declared importing from the whole world, not what it buys from Spain. Use it to rank markets by size, and then check actual trade flows from Spain in UN Comtrade or Eurostat before choosing priorities.
Source: UN ComtradeData for 2024Verified on 11 November 2026
Frequently asked questions
What products fall under HS 1520?
HS 1520 covers crude glycerol, glycerol waters and glycerol lyes. It belongs to Chapter 15, which deals with fats and oils and their cleavage products. The heading has three subheadings, so the full code for customs purposes has more digits than 1520.
Which countries import the most crude glycerol?
In 2024, among the countries reporting to UN Comtrade, China led by value with about 483 million USD, followed by India (about 128 million USD), Germany (about 88 million USD) and the Netherlands (about 86 million USD). Figures are imports declared from the world, in USD.
Do I pay customs duty when exporting HS 1520 from Spain to Germany?
No customs duty applies, because Spain and Germany are both in the EU customs union. The shipment is still an intra-EU supply and must be invoiced and declared correctly for VAT and statistical purposes.
How do I find the duty for exporting HS 1520 outside the EU?
The duty depends on the destination, the full subheading and any trade agreement in force with the EU. Enter your product code and the destination country in Access2Markets, which shows tariffs, rules of origin and requirements for exports from the EU.
Does the import table show what each country buys from Spain?
No. It shows total imports declared by each country from all origins in 2024. To see how much a market buys specifically from Spain, query bilateral trade data in UN Comtrade or Eurostat for the same code.
Source: UN ComtradeData for 2024Verified on 11 November 2026
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