International convention and customs procedures of Slovakia

International Conventions

Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
Member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Party to the Kyoto Protocol
Party to the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
Party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
Party to the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls For Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies
Party to the International Coffee Agreement

International Economic Cooperation

Slovakia is a member of the European Union. It is also a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) which has guaranteed, since 1 January 1993, the free movement of most goods between the European countries.
Multilateral and bilateral agreements with many countries.

Non Tariff Barriers

In accordance with its European Union membership since 1 May 2004, Slovakia applies the European Union trade policy such as antidumping or anti-subsidy measures. The European Union import regime is applied to Slovakia, especially in the sector of textile products. If Slovakia adopted the main part of the EU regulations on 1 May 2004, a transitional period has been defined for the country to transpose other EU rules.

The European Union has a rather liberal foreign trade policy, and having to obtain import licences is not common. However, you should make sure that importing a particular product does not call for an import licence.

There are some restrictions, especially on farm products, following the implementation of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy): the application of compensations on import and export of farm products, aimed at favoring the development of agriculture within the EU, implies a certain number of control and regulation systems for goods entering the EU territory.

When being introduced into Slovakia, some products must be 'CE' marked in application of the European Directives adopted on the basis of the New Approach since 1 May 2004. For further information on CE marking, please consult the Guide to the Implementation of Directives based on New Approach and Global Approach.

Customs Duties and Taxes on Imports

Transactions carried out within the EEA are free of duty.
The Common Customs Tariff (CCT) of the European Union applies to goods originating from outside Europe.
Average Customs duties are not high, 4.2% for manufactured goods for example. However, the sectors of textiles, articles of clothing (high duties and quotas) and agrifood (average duty of 17.3% and many tariff quotas, CAP) still have protective measures.

Customs Classification

The combined nomenclature of the European Community (EC) integrates the HS nomenclature or completes it with its own sub-titles with an 8 figure code number and its own legal notes created for Community needs. From a practical point of view, it is the TARIC code (composed of 10 figures) which allows the definition of the Customs duty rate and the Community regulations applicable when importing a product from a country which does not belong to the European Union. To find out the Customs duty on a product according to its country of origin, you should consult the TARIC database.

Import Procedures

Slovakia's import requirements are fully harmonised with EU law and its regulations. When introducing goods into Slovakia, exporters shall fill in a Declaration of Exchange of Goods or Intrastat declaration. When the country of origin of the goods exported to Slovakia is not part of the European Union, customs duties are calculated Ad valorem on the CIF value of the goods, in accordance with the Common Customs Tariff (CCT).

As part of the 'SAFE' standards set forth by the World Customs Organisation (WCO), the European Union has set up a new system of import controls, the 'Import Control System' (ICS), which aims to secure the flow of goods at the time of their entry into the customs territory of the EU. This control system, part of the Community Programme eCustoms, has been in effect since 1 January 2011. Since then, operators are required to pass an Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) to the customs of the country of entry, prior to the introduction of goods into the customs territory of the European Union.

A new system, the Union Customs Code (UCC), entered into force in October 2013 as part of the modernisation of customs.

For more information, please visit the Slovak Customs website.

Importing Samples

Commercial samples imported for a period of not more than 24 months are exempt from Customs duty.