Finished clothing enters the EU and the UK at 12 percent duty unless the country it was made in has a trade preference, and in 2026 most of the big apparel exporters do. Turkey, Pakistan, Vietnam and Bangladesh all ship in at 0 percent under different schemes. China and Thailand pay the full 12 percent. India pays 12 percent into the EU and 0 percent into the UK. The table below is the cheat sheet; the notes after it are where the money is actually made or lost.
Duty on clothing by country, EU and UK
| Made in | Into the EU | Into the UK |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | 0% (EU-Turkey Customs Union) | 0% (UK-Turkey Free Trade Agreement) |
| Pakistan | 0% (GSP+) | 0% (DCTS Enhanced Preferences) |
| Vietnam | 0% on most lines (EVFTA, last lines reach 0% in 2027) | 0% on most lines (UKVFTA, same schedule) |
| Bangladesh | 0% (Everything But Arms, kept through a transition to November 2029) | 0% (DCTS Comprehensive Preferences) |
| India | 12% (MFN; EU-India agreement not yet applied) | 0% (UK-India trade agreement, in force since 15 July 2026) |
| China | 12% (MFN) | 12% (UK Global Tariff) |
| Thailand | 12% (MFN, no GSP) | 12% (UK Global Tariff) |
Why 12 percent is the number that matters
Twelve percent is the standard EU and UK rate for the bulk of finished garments: t-shirts, jeans, hoodies, jackets, dresses. A few lines sit lower, but for a brand buying cut-and-sew apparel, 12 percent is the planning number. On a 4 euro garment that is 48 cents a piece. On a 20,000-piece season it is 9,600 euros that a Turkish or Pakistani supplier does not have to beat and a Chinese one does. Put that on the comparison sheet before you compare unit prices.
The preference is only yours if the origin paperwork is right
Here is where buyers lose money. A preference is claimed at the border with proof of origin, and each scheme has its own. The Customs Union with Turkey uses an A.TR movement certificate. GSP+ and the UK's DCTS use a REX or origin declaration by a registered exporter. The EVFTA and UKVFTA use an EUR.1 or an origin statement, and they add a fabric-forward rule: the fabric has to be knitted or woven in Vietnam, the EU or a listed partner country. A Vietnamese garment sewn from Chinese fabric does not qualify and pays the full 12 percent. Ask the supplier which document they will issue and whether the fabric meets the rule before you award the order, and make the duty saving conditional on it in the purchase order.
On Lalaaji, you post one RFQ and verified factories in Turkey, Pakistan, Vietnam and China quote it. Ask in the brief which origin document they will provide, and compare landed prices rather than unit prices. Post an RFQ.
VAT sits on top of the duty
Duty is charged on the customs value, which for most shipments means the price of the goods plus freight and insurance to the EU border. Then VAT is charged on top of that total, at the rate of the country of import (21 percent in the Netherlands, 19 percent in Germany, 20 percent in the UK). VAT is usually reclaimable for a registered business, duty never is. So a 12 percent duty is a real cost and the VAT is a cash-flow cost, and a spreadsheet that mixes them up will mislead you on every supplier comparison you make.
What changes next
Three dates are worth a note in the diary. Bangladesh leaves least-developed-country status in November 2026 and its EU duty-free access runs three more years, to November 2029, after which it moves to standard GSP with duty on most apparel. The last Vietnamese apparel lines under the EVFTA reach 0 percent in 2027. And the EU-India agreement, signed in January 2026 and not expected to apply before 2027, removes the 12 percent on most Indian garments from the day it takes effect. None of these change a quote this season, but all three change where you place orders in three years.
For the full calculation, with freight and lead time beside the duty, read landed cost for apparel into the EU. To decide where a given product should be made once the duty is known, see Vietnam vs Turkey vs Pakistan vs China: where to make your product. The Vietnamese origin rule in detail is in EVFTA rules of origin for garments, and the Pakistani scheme in how Pakistani manufacturers can win European buyers.
Compare quotes from factories in every column of that table with one brief. Post an RFQ on Lalaaji.
Your questions answered
What is the EU import duty on clothing?
The standard EU rate for most finished garments in HS chapters 61 and 62 is 12 percent of the customs value. The UK Global Tariff is also 12 percent for most apparel. Countries with a trade preference, such as Turkey, Pakistan, Vietnam and Bangladesh, ship in at 0 percent.
Which countries export clothing to the EU duty-free in 2026?
Turkey under the Customs Union, Pakistan under GSP+, Vietnam under the EVFTA on most lines, and Bangladesh under Everything But Arms through a transition to November 2029. China, Thailand and India pay 12 percent into the EU.
Is VAT charged on top of import duty?
Yes. Duty is charged on the customs value, then VAT at the importing country's rate is charged on goods plus duty. VAT is usually reclaimable by a registered business; duty is not.
