Spain: Buying and Selling
International convention and customs procedures of Spain
- International Conventions
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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 International Coffee Agreement
- International Economic Cooperation
- Spain is a member of the following international economic organisations: IMF, European Union, ICC, Central American Integration System (SICA) (observer), WTO, Latin American Integration Association (LAIA) (observer), OECD, European Economic Area, among others. For the full list of economic and other international organisations in which participates Spain click here. International organisation membership of Spain is also outlined here.
- Non Tariff Barriers
- Spain applies the community regulations valid in the entire European Union.
There are a certain number of restrictions for agricultural products ensuing from the application of CAP (Common Agricultural Policy).
Besides, for health reasons, the presence of GMO must be systematically specified on the packages.
It is forbidden to import hormone-fed beef.
The BSE crisis (the "mad cow's" disease) prompted the authorities to strengthen phytosanitary measures to ensure the quality of meat entering and moving on the territory of the Union. The principle of precaution is henceforth preferred to a greater extent: in case of doubt, the import is forbidden until proof of harmlessness of the products is established. - Customs Duties and Taxes on Imports
- Import duty and taxes are due for goods imported to Spain from outside of the European Union - whether by a private individual or a corporate entity. Spain is party to the European Union’s Common Customs Tariff, therefore preferential rates apply to imports from countries which the EU has signed agreements with. Duties range from 0-17%, with the general tariff averaging 4.2%. However, foodstuffs, textiles and clothing still experience some protection measures (quotas, higher tariffs, etc.). Some imports are subject to anti-dumping duties.
- Customs Classification
- Spain uses the harmonised system.
- Import Procedures
- As Spain is part of the EU countries, a common commercial policy is adopted to import/export most products. The Agencia Tributaria manages the Spanish customs service. It is responsible for the administration of customs procedures in Spain, the collection of taxes and VAT, work for the economic development of Spain, the control of illegal trade and are facilitators of real trade.
The official model for written declarations to customs is the Single Administrative Document (SAD). The SAD serves as the EU importer's declaration. It encompasses both customs duties and VAT and is valid in all EU Member States.
As part of the "SAFE" standards advocated 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 force 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. The EU recently introduced a new import control system called ICS2 to implement the EU customs pre-arrival security and safety programme.
Non-agricultural goods entering EU territory must adhere to customs formalities (ENS). This declaration must be carried out by the person bringing the goods to the territory. The Summary Declaration can be made electronically or on a form provided by the customs authorities. The deadline for lodging the ENS depends on the mode of transport carrying the goods.
Since July 1, 2009, all companies established outside of the EU are required to have an EORI number if they wish to lodge a customs declaration or an Entry/Exit Summary declaration. Once a company has received an EORI number, it can use it for exports to any of the 27 EU Member States.
Goods in transit only need a single EU transit document.
Inward processing is free of customs treatment. This procedure allows raw material (non-Union good) to enter temporarily without customs fees if it will be processed (or repaired) and re-export the finished products out of the EU territory. In this case, the importer gives a guarantee (from an insurance company or bank) equal to the amount of customs duties that would have been due on the imported raw material. This guarantee will be reimbursed when the final product is exported. This process also applies to goods planned to be re-exported. Only goods sold in the EU market are eligible to import duty and taxes.
For outward processing, duties and taxes apply only to the value added during the process. Only firms located in Spain or in the EU may take advantage of this measure.
The EU plans to introduce a new import control system called ICS2 that will start on 15 March 2021 to implement the EU customs pre-arrival security and safety programme.
For more information, please visit the website of the EU on customs policy. - Importing Samples
- Business executives entering with commercial samples must carry a letter from their company certifying their status, an identification document of the samples and a certificate that the samples are not for sale. The ATA book can be used. As a signatory to the International Convention to Facilitate the Importation of Commercial Samples and Advertising Matter, Spain admit samples of negligible value duty free.
To go further, check out our service Import Controls and Export Controls.
- For Further Information
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Agencia Tributaria
Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce
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Latest Update: July 2024