HS 3901 · Plastics
Polyethylene
Data last updated 18 October 2026 · schedule data 2026.10.2
In short
The EU's duty on Mercosur polyethylene is up to 5.2% today and reaches zero by 2030; Brazil's duty on EU polyethylene is up to 12.7% today and reaches zero by 2036 (7 of 15 lines are excluded).
Rates at a glance
Into the EU from Mercosur
7 tariff linesPreferential duty 2026
0–5.2%
Duty-free on all phased lines by
2030
Agreement base rate
0–6.5%
Applied MFN rate today
0–6.5%
Into Brazil from the EU
15 tariff linesPreferential duty 2026
0–20%
Duty-free on all phased lines by
2036
Agreement base rate
2–14%
Applied MFN rate today
0–20%
Work out the duty on your shipment
Opens the calculator with heading 3901 and the corridor filled in.
About this product
Polyethylene in primary forms is phased out by the EU within a few years, and a couple of lines are free from the start. Mercosur excludes about half its lines and phases out the rest. Brazil has a large polyethylene industry of its own.
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 | 0–5.2% | 2 / 7 |
| 2027 | 0–3.9% | 2 / 7 |
| 2028 | 0–2.6% | 2 / 7 |
| 2029 | 0–1.3% | 2 / 7 |
| 2030 | 0% | 7 / 7 |
Into Brazil from the EU
| Year | Ad valorem duty | Lines duty-free |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0–12.7% | 5 / 15 |
| 2027 | 0–11.4% | 5 / 15 |
| 2028 | 0–10.1% | 5 / 15 |
| 2029 | 0–8.9% | 5 / 15 |
| 2030 | 0–7.6% | 5 / 15 |
| 2031 | 0–6.3% | 5 / 15 |
| 2032 | 0–5% | 5 / 15 |
| 2033 | 0–3.8% | 5 / 15 |
| 2034 | 0–2.5% | 5 / 15 |
| 2035 | 0–1.2% | 5 / 15 |
| 2036 | 0% | 8 / 15 |
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× 5
- 0× 2
EU → Mercosur
- E× 7
- 4× 5
- 10× 3
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% | 0–20%3 lines have no single published rate | 0–20% | 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%3 lines have no single published rate | 0–14% | 2036 | Argentina applied import duty (DIE), ARCA Arancel Integrado, as of 18 October 2026 |
| Uruguay | 0–14% | 0–12.6%3 lines have no single published rate | 0–12.6% | 2036 | Uruguay applied import duty (Arancel Nacional, MEF), as of 10 February 2025Manual snapshotOlder than 180 days |
| Paraguay | 0–14% | 0–12.6%3 lines have no single published rate | 0–14% | 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: 7 lines
| Code | Description | Staging | Base | Applied MFN | 2026 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3901 10 10 | Linear polyethylene with a specific gravity of < 0,94, in primary forms | 4 | 6.5% | 6.5% | 5.2% | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3901 10 90 | Polyethylene with a specific gravity of < 0,94, in primary forms (excl. linear polyethylene) | 4 | 6.5% | 6.5% | 5.2% | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3901 20 10 | Polyethylene in blocks of irregular shape, lumps, powders, granules, flakes and similar bulk forms, of a specific gravity of ≥ 0,958 at 23°C, containing ≤ 50 mg/kg of aluminium, ≤ 2 mg/kg of calcium, of chromium, of iron, of nickel and of titanium each and ≤ 8 mg/kg of vanadium, for the manufacture of chlorosulphonated polyethylene | 0 | Free | – | Free | Free |
| 3901 20 90 | Polyethylene with a specific gravity of ≥ 0,94, in primary forms (excl. polyethylene in blocks of irregular shape, lumps, powders, granules, flakes and similar bulk forms, of a specific gravity of ≥ 0,958 at 23°C, containing ≤ 50mg/kg of aluminium, ≤= 2 mg/kg of calcium, of chromium, of iron, of nickel and of titanium each and ≤ 8 mg/kg of vanadium, for the manufacture of chlorosulphonated polyethylene) | 4 | 6.5% | 6.5% | 5.2% | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3901 30 00 | Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, in primary forms | 4 | 6.5% | 6.5% | 5.2% | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3901 90 30 | Ionomer resin consisting of a salt of a terpolymer of ethylene with isobutyl acrylate and methacrylic acid, in primary forms, and A-B-A block copolymer of ethylene of polystyrene, ethylene-butylene copolymer and polystyrene, containing by weight ≤ 35 %of styrene, in blocks of irregular shape, lumps, powders, granules, flakes and similar bulk forms | 0 | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| 3901 90 90 | Polymers of ethylene, in primary forms (excl. polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, ionomer resin consisting of a salt of a terpolymer of ethylene with isobutyl acrylate and methacrylic acid and A-B-A block copolymer of ethylene of polystyrene, ethylene-butylene copolymer and polystyrene, containing by weight ≤ 35 %of styrene, in blocks of irregular shape, lumps, powders, granules, flakes and similar bulk forms) | 4 | 6.5% | – | 5.2% | Freefrom 2030 |
Into Brazil from the EU: 15 lines
| Code | Description | Staging | Base | Applied MFN | 2026 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3901 10 10 | Polyethylene linear, density < 0,94, in primary forms | E | 14% | – | 14% | 14% |
| 3901 10 91 | Polyethylene containing fillers, density < 0,94, in primary forms | E | 14% | – | 14% | 14% |
| 3901 10 92 | Polyethylene not containing fillers, density < 0,94, primary forms | E | 14% | – | 14% | 14% |
| 3901 20 11 | Polyethylene containing fillers, vulcanized density > 1,3, in primary forms | 4 | 2% | Free | Free | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3901 20 19 | Other polyethylene containing fillers density ≥ 0,94, in primary forms | E | 14% | 12.6% | 12.6% | 12.6% |
| 3901 20 21 | Polyethylene not containing fillers, vulcanized density > 1,3, in primary forms | 4 | 2% | Free | Free | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3901 20 29 | Other polyethylene not containing fillers, density ≥ 0,94, primary forms | E | 14% | 20% | 20% | 20% |
| 3901 30 10 | Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, in liquids, pastes | E | 14% | 12.6% | 12.6% | 12.6% |
| 3901 30 90 | Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, in other primary forms | 10 | 14% | 20% | 12.7% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3901 90 10 | Ethylene copolymers/acrylic acid, in primary forms | 10 | 14% | 12.6% | 11.4% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3901 90 20 | Ethylene copolymers/monomers etc. in primary forms | 10 | 14% | 12.6% | 11.4% | Freefrom 2036 |
| 3901 90 30 | Polyethylene chlorosulphonate, in primary forms | 4 | 2% | Free | Free | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3901 90 40 | Chlorinated polyethylene, in primary forms | 4 | 2% | Free | Free | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3901 90 50 | Ethylene polymers-methacrylic acid, with ethylene ≥ 60% | 4 | 2% | Free | Free | Freefrom 2030 |
| 3901 90 90 | Other polymeric ethylene, in primary forms | E | 14% | 12.6% | 12.6% | 12.6% |
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.