Chemical products n.e.c. (chapter 38): which countries import it
Chapter 38 groups miscellaneous chemical products: from graphite and rosin to plant-protection agents, industrial solvents and biodiesel. Global imports…
Published on 14 September 2026Updated on 27 September 2026
Chapter 38 groups miscellaneous chemical products: from graphite and rosin to plant-protection agents, industrial solvents and biodiesel. Global imports exceeded USD 227 billion in 2024. Spain ranks 14th among importers and competes in markets where Germany, China and the US lead. Tariffs and regulations vary by heading and destination.
Fact sheet
- Code
- 38
- Sector
- Health, Cosmetics and Chemicals
Main importing markets
USD · 2024| Country | Imports (USD) |
|---|---|
| China | 24,663,541,236 |
| Germany | 23,332,961,000 |
| United States | 22,147,509,725 |
| Netherlands | 13,721,679,952 |
| France | 12,693,586,085 |
| South Korea | 9,945,402,662 |
| Italy | 8,846,363,798 |
| Brazil | 8,774,582,874 |
| India | 8,674,684,529 |
| Mexico | 7,313,929,935 |
| Japan | 7,107,613,365 |
| United Kingdom | 6,945,963,574 |
| Canada | 6,839,508,419 |
| Spain | 6,741,978,771 |
| Belgium | 6,613,145,936 |
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 27 September 2026
Headings in this chapter
- Artificial graphite; colloidal or semi-colloidal graphite; preparations based on graphite or other carbon in the form of pastes, blocks, plates or other semi-manufacturesHeading 3801
- Activated carbon; activated natural mineral products; animal black, including spent animal blackHeading 3802
- Tall oil, whether or not refinedHeading 3803
- Residual lyes from the manufacture of wood pulp, whether or not concentrated, desugared or chemically treated, including lignin sulphonates, but excluding tall oil of heading no. 3803Heading 3804
- Gum, wood or sulphate turpentine, other terpenic oils; crude dipentene; sulphite turpentine, other crude para-cymene; pine oil containing alpha-terpineol as the main constituentHeading 3805
- Rosin and resin acids and derivatives thereof; rosin spirit and rosin oils; run gumsHeading 3806
- Wood tar; wood tar oils; wood creosote; wood naphtha; vegetable pitch; brewers' pitch and similar preparations based on rosin, resin acids or on vegetable pitchHeading 3807
- Insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, herbicides, anti-sprouting products, plant growth regulators, disinfectants and the like, put up in forms or packings for retail sale or as preparations or articlesHeading 3808
- Finishing agents, dye carriers to accelerate the dyeing, fixing of dyestuffs, other products and preparations, of a kind used in the textile, paper, leather or like industries, n.e.c. or includedHeading 3809
- Metal-pickling preparations; fluxes etc for soldering, brazing; welding powders, pastes of metal and other materials; preparations used as cores or coatings for welding electrodes or rodsHeading 3810
- Anti-knock preparations, oxidation and gum inhibitors, viscosity improvers, anti-corrosive preparations and the like, for mineral oils (including gasoline) or other liquids used for the same purposesHeading 3811
- Prepared rubber accelerators; compound plasticisers for rubber or plastics, n.e.c. or included; anti-oxidising preparations and other compound stabilisers for rubber or plasticsHeading 3812
- Preparations and charges for fire extinguishers; charged fire-extinguishing grenadesHeading 3813
- Organic composite solvents and thinners, not elsewhere specified or included; prepared paint or varnish removersHeading 3814
- Reaction initiators, reaction accelerators and catalytic preparations n.e.c. or includedHeading 3815
- Refractory cements, mortars, concretes and similar compositions, including dolomite ramming mix, other than products of heading 38.01Heading 3816
- Mixed alkylbenzenes and mixed alkylnaphthalenes, other than those of heading no. 2707 or 2902Heading 3817
- Chemical elements doped for use in electronics, in the form of discs, wafers or similar forms; chemical compounds doped for use in electronicsHeading 3818
- Hydraulic brake fluids and other prepared liquids for hydraulic transmission, not containing or containing less than 70% by weight of petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous mineralsHeading 3819
- Anti-freezing preparations and prepared de-icing fluidsHeading 3820
- Prepared culture media for the development or maintenance of micro-organisms (including viruses and the like) or of plant, human or animal cellsHeading 3821
- Reagents; diagnostic or laboratory reagents on a backing, prepared diagnostic or laboratory reagents whether or not on a backing, whether or not put up in the form of kits, other than those of heading 30.06; certified reference materialsHeading 3822
- Industrial monocarboxylic fatty acids; acid oils from refining; industrial fatty alcoholsHeading 3823
- Prepared binders for foundry moulds or cores; chemical products and preparations of the chemical or allied industries (including those consisting of mixtures of natural products), not elsewhere specified or includedHeading 3824
- Residual products of the chemical or allied industries, not elsewhere specified or included; municipal waste; sewage sludge; other residual products.Heading 3825
- Biodiesel and mixtures thereof; not containing or containing less than 70% by weight of petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous mineralsHeading 3826
- Mixtures containing halogenated derivatives of methane, ethane or propane, not elsewhere specified or includedHeading 3827
Trade fairs in this sector
What you need to know to export Chapter 38
Chapter 38 contains 27 separate headings with very different products, regulations and tariff rates. The chapter includes everything from activated carbon and wood tar to plant-protection agents, paint removers and biodiesel. Your tariff rate and compliance requirements depend entirely on which heading your product falls under, not on the chapter alone.
Questions about exporting Chapter 38
How do I know which heading my product belongs to?
Chapter 38 has 27 headings. Product classification is based on composition, physical form and intended use. The headings progress from graphite and carbon (3801–3802) through turpentine, rosin and tar (3803–3807), then plant-protection agents and industrial chemicals (3808–3825), and ending with biodiesel and halogenated compounds (3826–3827). Ask AEAT for a binding classification before you export if there is any doubt.
What certifications or licenses do Chapter 38 products need?
It depends on the heading and destination. Plant-protection agents require registration and compliance with pesticide rules in each market. Industrial chemicals must include a safety data sheet (SDS) in the destination language and comply with REACH if sold in the EU. Biodiesel must meet EN 14214. Some countries restrict or prohibit certain chemicals: check the destination's import regulations before you ship.
What are the main tariff barriers to Chapter 38 exports?
The EU applies 0% tariff on Chapter 38 products from Spain. Non-EU markets vary widely. China applies 6–25% depending on the heading. The US applies 0–10%. Other destinations may have higher rates or require certificates of origin to benefit from preferential tariffs. Verify the exact rate in Access2Markets for your product and destination country.
Which markets outside the EU offer the best opportunities?
China, the US and South Korea are the largest importers globally. However, regulatory barriers are high in all three: China requires local chemical registration for many products, the US has strict pesticide and industrial chemical rules, and South Korea applies non-tariff barriers. Emerging markets like Brazil, Mexico and India offer lower entry barriers but smaller volumes. Research the specific regulations for your heading and target market.
Do I need a chemical safety assessment to export Chapter 38 products?
Yes, in most cases. Safety data sheets (SDS) are mandatory for industrial chemicals shipped anywhere. If you export to the EU, REACH compliance is required. Plant-protection agents need registration in each destination country. Biodiesel must be tested for EN 14214 compliance. Work with your chemical supplier or a compliance consultant to prepare the required documentation before you export.
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