HS 3204 · Dyes, paints and inks
Synthetic dyes and pigments
Data last updated 18 October 2026 · schedule data 2026.10.2
In short
The EU's duty on Mercosur synthetic dyes is up to 5.2% today and reaches zero by 2030; Brazil's duty on EU synthetic dyes is up to 12.7% today and reaches zero by 2036 (1 of 22 lines is excluded).
Rates at a glance
Into the EU from Mercosur
10 tariff linesPreferential duty 2026
4.8–5.2%
Duty-free on all phased lines by
2030
Agreement base rate
6–6.5%
Applied MFN rate today
6–6.5%
Into Brazil from the EU
22 tariff linesPreferential duty 2026
0–12.7%
Duty-free on all phased lines by
2036
Agreement base rate
2–14%
Applied MFN rate today
0–12.6%
Work out the duty on your shipment
Opens the calculator with heading 3204 and the corridor filled in.
About this product
Synthetic dyes and pigments are phased out by the EU within a few years. Mercosur phases out its duties mostly over a long schedule, with one line excluded. Dyes go into textiles, plastics and printing inks, so the cut feeds into other industries.
How the duty falls, year by year
Highest and lowest ad valorem duty each year over the lines on a path to zero. Excluded and quota-only lines keep their duty and aren't included.
Into the EU from Mercosur
| Year | Ad valorem duty | Lines duty-free |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4.8–5.2% | 0 / 10 |
| 2027 | 3.6–3.9% | 0 / 10 |
| 2028 | 2.4–2.6% | 0 / 10 |
| 2029 | 1.2–1.3% | 0 / 10 |
| 2030 | 0% | 10 / 10 |
Into Brazil from the EU
| Year | Ad valorem duty | Lines duty-free |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0–12.7% | 3 / 22 |
| 2027 | 0–11.4% | 3 / 22 |
| 2028 | 0–10.1% | 3 / 22 |
| 2029 | 0–8.9% | 3 / 22 |
| 2030 | 0–7.6% | 5 / 22 |
| 2031 | 0–6.3% | 5 / 22 |
| 2032 | 0–5% | 5 / 22 |
| 2033 | 0–3.8% | 5 / 22 |
| 2034 | 0–2.5% | 5 / 22 |
| 2035 | 0–1.2% | 5 / 22 |
| 2036 | 0% | 21 / 22 |
Lines by staging category
The staging category sets the speed of the cut: 0 is duty-free from entry into force, 4 to 15 are the years to zero, E is excluded and letter codes are quotas or special treatments.
Mercosur → EU
- 4× 10
EU → Mercosur
- 10× 17
- 4× 4
- E× 1
Tariff-rate quotas
No tariff-rate quota applies to this heading.
Rates in each Mercosur country
Each member has its own base rate and applied MFN rate. The preference is cut from the base rate, or from the applied rate where that's lower (Art. 2.4(7) of the agreement), so the current rate can differ by country.
| Country | Base rate | Applied MFN | Preferential 2026 | Zero by | Applied-rate source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 2–14% | 0–12.6%4 lines have no single published rate | 0–12.7% | 2036 | Brazil applied import duty, Res. Gecex 272/2021 Annexes II, V, VI, IX (MDIC), as of 5 October 2026 |
| Argentina | 2–14% | 0–12.6%4 lines have no single published rate | 0–12.7% | 2036 | Argentina applied import duty (DIE), ARCA Arancel Integrado, as of 18 October 2026 |
| Uruguay | 0–14% | 0–12.6%4 lines have no single published rate | 0–12.7% | 2036 | Uruguay applied import duty (Arancel Nacional, MEF), as of 10 February 2025Manual snapshotOlder than 180 days |
| Paraguay | 0–14% | 0–12.6%4 lines have no single published rate | 0–12.7% | 2036 | Paraguay applied import duty (Arancel Nacional Vigente, MEF), as of 4 November 2025Manual snapshotOlder than 180 days |
All tariff lines
Line descriptions are the English text of the schedules (CN 2013 for the EU, NCM 2012 for Mercosur).
Into the EU from Mercosur: 10 lines
| Code | Description | Staging | Base | Applied MFN | 2026 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3204 11 00 | Synthetic organic disperse dyes; preparations based on synthetic organic disperse dyes of a kind used to dye fabrics or produce colorant preparations (excl. preparations of heading 3207, 3208, 3209, 3210, 3213 and 3215) | 4 | 6.5% | 6.5% | 5.2% | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3204 12 00 | Synthetic organic acid dyes, whether or not metallised, and synthetic organic mordant dyes; preparations based on synthetic organic acid or mordant dyes of a kind used to dye fabrics or produce colorant preparations (excl. preparations of heading 3207, 3208, 3209, 3210, 3213 and 3215) | 4 | 6.5% | 0 % [additional code 2500] / 6.5 % / 6.5 % [additional code 2501] | 5.2% | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3204 13 00 | Basic synthetic organic dyes; preparations based on basic synthetic organic dyes of a kind used to dye fabrics or produce colorant preparations (excl. preparations of heading 3207, 3208, 3209, 3210, 3213 and 3215) | 4 | 6.5% | 0 % [additional code 2500] / 6.5 % / 6.5 % [additional code 2501] | 5.2% | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3204 14 00 | Direct synthetic organic dyes; preparations based on direct synthetic organic dyes of a kind used to dye fabrics or produce colorant preparations (excl. preparations of heading 3207, 3208, 3209, 3210, 3213 and 3215) | 4 | 6.5% | 6.5% | 5.2% | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3204 15 00 | Synthetic organic vat dyes, incl. those usable in that state as pigments; preparations based on synthetic organic vat dyes of a kind used to dye fabrics or produce colorant preparations (excl. preparations of heading 3207, 3208, 3209, 3210, 3213 and 3215) | 4 | 6.5% | 6.5% | 5.2% | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3204 16 00 | Synthetic organic reactive dyes; preparations based on synthetic organic reactive dyes of a kind used to dye fabrics or produce colorant preparations (excl. preparations of heading 3207, 3208, 3209, 3210, 3213 and 3215) | 4 | 6.5% | 6.5% | 5.2% | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3204 17 00 | Synthetic organic pigments; preparations based on synthetic organic pigments of a kind used to dye fabrics or produce colorant preparations (excl. preparations of heading 3207, 3208, 3209, 3210, 3213 and 3215) | 4 | 6.5% | 6.5% | 5.2% | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3204 19 00 | Synthetic organic colouring matter (excl. disperse dyes, acid dyes, mordant dyes, basic dyes, direct dyes, vat dyes and reactive dyes and organic pigments); preparations of the kind used for colouring any materials or for the production of prepared colours, based thereon (excl. preparations in heading 3207, 3208, 3209, 3210, 3212, 3213 and 3215); mixtures of colouring matter in subheading 3204.11 to 3204.19 | 4 | 6.5% | 6.5% | 5.2% | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3204 20 00 | Synthetic organic products of a kind used as fluorescent brightening agents, whether or not chemically defined | 4 | 6% | 6% | 4.8% | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3204 90 00 | Synthetic organic products of a kind used as luminophores, whether or not chemically defined | 4 | 6.5% | 0 % [additional code 2500] / 6.5 % / 6.5 % [additional code 2501] | 5.2% | Freefrom 2030 |
Into Brazil from the EU: 22 lines
| Code | Description | Staging | Base | Applied MFN | 2026 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3204 11 00 | Disperse dyes and its preparations | 10 | 12% | 10.8% | 9.8% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 12 10 | Acid dyes, whether or not premetallized, and its preparations | 10 | 14% | 12.6% | 11.4% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 12 20 | Mordant dyes and its preparations | 10 | 12% | 10.8% | 9.8% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 13 00 | Basic dyes and its preparations | 10 | 14% | 12.6% | 11.4% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 14 00 | Direct dyes and its preparations | 10 | 14% | 12.6% | 11.4% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 15 10 | Indigo blue dye, according to colour index 73000 | 10 | 14% | Free | Free | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 15 20 | Dibenzanthrone dye | 4 | 2% | Free | Free | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3204 15 30 | 12, 12-dimethoxybenzanttrone dye | 4 | 2% | Free | Free | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3204 15 90 | Other dyes and its preparations | 10 | 14% | 12.6% | 11.4% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 16 00 | Other reagents dye and its preparations | 10 | 14% | 12.6% | 11.4% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 17 00 | Pigments and its preparations | E | 14% | 12.6% | 12.6% | 12.6% |
| 3204 19 11 | Carotenoids | 4 | 2% | – | 1.6% | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3204 19 12 | Preparations containing beta-carotene, etc. to colour food | 4 | 2% | – | 1.6% | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3204 19 13 | Other preparations to colour food | 10 | 12% | – | 10.9% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 19 19 | Other carotenoid-based preparations | 10 | 14% | – | 12.7% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 19 20 | Dyes soluble in solvent (solvent dyes) | 10 | 14% | 12.6% | 11.4% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 19 30 | Azo dyes | 10 | 14% | 12.6% | 11.4% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 19 90 | Other colouring matter organic synthetic and its preparations | 10 | 14% | 12.6% | 11.4% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 20 11 | Derivatives of 4,4-bis-(1,3,5) triazinyl-6- aminostilbene-2,2-disulfonic acid | 10 | 14% | 12.6% | 11.4% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 20 19 | Other stilbene derived used as fluorescent brightening agents | 10 | 14% | 12.6% | 11.4% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 20 90 | Other synthetic organic products used as fluorescent brightening agents | 10 | 14% | 12.6% | 11.4% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3204 90 00 | Other synthetic organic colouring matter, etc. | 10 | 14% | 12.6% | 11.4% | Freefrom 2036 |
Related products
Data and method
Worked out with the calculator's engine from the agreement schedules (Annex 2-A) and the applied-rate files, for agreement year 2026. Mercosur → EU figures assume Brazilian origin, which only matters for the few origin-specific quotas; EU → Mercosur figures are for Brazil unless the country table says otherwise.
- EU TARIC via Swedish Customs Tariff File Distribution (TF), 16 October 2026
- Brazil applied import duty, Res. Gecex 272/2021 Annexes II, V, VI, IX (MDIC), 5 October 2026
- Argentina applied import duty (DIE), ARCA Arancel Integrado, 18 October 2026
- Uruguay applied import duty (Arancel Nacional, MEF), 10 February 2025 · Manual snapshot · Older than 180 days
- Paraguay applied import duty (Arancel Nacional Vigente, MEF), 4 November 2025 · Manual snapshot · Older than 180 days
Estimates only, not legal or customs advice. Check the official schedules before relying on a rate.