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Europe

Europe

Europe is a large, mature vehicle-import region that combines one harmonised customs area with several separate national frameworks. The European Union applies a single Common Customs Tariff: passenger cars from China clear at 10% ad valorem duty on the CIF value, then pay import VAT set by each member state — 19% in Germany, 20% in France, 21% in Spain and 23% in Poland — plus national registration or excise taxes where they apply. New vehicles must hold EU Whole Vehicle Type Approval; where the manufacturer issues no Certificate of Conformity, individual approval is carried out nationally. Since October 2024, new China-origin battery-electric cars have also faced dedicated EU countervailing duties, whose rates and scope are set by the EU's current published notice. Outside the EU, Moldova, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania each run their own tariff, excise and technical-entry rules. The whole region drives on the right, so left-hand-drive vehicles are required. Every figure here is indicative; confirm with the destination customs before shipping.

What are the rules for importing a car from China to Europe?
  • Age limit: The EU customs and type-approval framework sets no Union-wide age limit on imported used passenger cars; individual member states apply their own emission, roadworthiness and registration rules instead. Among the non-EU markets covered here, Moldova and Albania generally cap private used imports at around 10 years, while Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina set minimum emission standards rather than a single age figure. New cars face no age limit.
  • Import duty & taxes: Passenger cars from China enter the EU under the Common Customs Tariff at 10% ad valorem duty on the CIF value. Import VAT is then set by each member state — 19% in Germany, 20% in France, 21% in Spain and 23% in Poland — charged on the CIF value plus duty, and national registration or excise taxes may apply on top. New China-origin battery-electric cars may also carry EU countervailing duties, which follow the EU's current published notice.
  • Authority & certification: Inside the EU, customs clearance runs under the Union Customs Code through each member state's electronic system, and technical compliance is confirmed by EU Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA) or a manufacturer's Certificate of Conformity (CoC); without a CoC, individual approval is issued nationally (for example TÜV/DEKRA in Germany, DREAL in France, TDT in Poland). Outside the EU, Moldova, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania each apply their own customs and technical-approval rules, generally aligned with UN/ECE or EU standards.

Our experience in this region

EZ Auto's team has 15–20 years of experience in China's car export business, working from our base in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China. We are not a European company and do not claim a local European office: we serve European importers directly from China, with the same order-based, document-complete model we use in every market. Vehicles reach Europe either by sea from Chinese ports to major European gateways such as Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Barcelona and Gdańsk, or overland on the China–Europe rail service through terminals such as Małaszewicze. We do not rely on transshipment shortcuts; every car is sourced directly in China, inspected before payment, and shipped with full export documents. A typical order runs in seven steps: you confirm the model, specification and quantity; we source and verify availability in China; you approve the unit and we sign the contract; inspection takes place before payment; export clearance and booking are arranged in China; the vehicle leaves a Chinese port or rail terminal and we send you the shipping documents; you clear customs on arrival with your local broker. Payment terms, delivery windows and inspection scope are agreed in the contract for each order. Our role ends at the port of entry; import clearance, national approval and inland delivery are handled locally, with our document support throughout.

Countries covered

Albania

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Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Germany

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Spain

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France

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Moldova

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Poland

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Serbia

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Sources: European Commission (ec.europa.eu) — customs, Common Customs Tariff and vehicle type-approval pages — and the national customs and vehicle authorities of the countries covered, including Germany (zoll.de), France (douane.gouv.fr), Poland (gov.pl), Spain (agenciatributaria.es), and the customs services of Moldova, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania. Last reviewed 2026-10. Duty rates, VAT, countervailing measures, age rules and emission standards are revised periodically — treat every figure here as indicative and confirm the position in force at the time of shipment with the destination customs authority.

45-country import policy quick reference →

Import guides

Import process: where shipments stallChina export ports by marketImport glossary: terms that decide a shipmentZOFRI Iquique: legal route for used cars

FAQ

What certification does a China-built car need to enter Europe?
Inside the EU, a vehicle must hold EU Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA); where the manufacturer supplies no European Certificate of Conformity (CoC), an individual approval is carried out by the national authority — for example TÜV or DEKRA in Germany, DREAL in France and TDT in Poland. Outside the EU, Moldova, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania each run their own technical-entry approval, generally aligned with UN/ECE or EU standards. We prepare the China-side export documents; national approval is arranged on arrival.
How are duty and VAT calculated on a car imported into the EU?
EU customs applies the Common Customs Tariff — 10% ad valorem duty on the CIF value for passenger cars from China — and the member state then charges import VAT on the CIF value plus duty (19% in Germany, 20% in France, 21% in Spain, 23% in Poland). National registration or excise taxes may add further cost. New China-origin battery-electric cars may also carry EU countervailing duties, which follow the EU's current published notice. The final amount depends on the vehicle, its HS code and the member state.
Are there extra duties on Chinese electric cars?
Since October 2024 the EU has applied dedicated countervailing duties on new China-origin battery-electric passenger cars, set per manufacturer and time-limited. Rates, scope and expiry are revised, so we do not publish fixed numbers — always confirm against the EU's current published regulation before purchase. Used vehicles are generally outside that measure.

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