European Union tariff, chapter 90: Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof
Last updated
Key facts
- National lines
- 255
- Subheadings
- 143
- Import VAT/GST in the European Union
- VAT 21%
- De minimis in the European Union
- Flat €3 duty up to €150; tax always charged
- Tariff
- European Union
- Chapter
- 90: Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof
Summary
The European Union tariff has 255 national lines in HS chapter 90 (optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof), under 143 subheadings in 32 headings.
Subheadings with European Union lines
The European Union tariff has 255 national lines in HS chapter 90 (optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof), under 143 subheadings in 32 headings.
Subheadings 101 to 143 of 143, page 2 of 2.
90.25 Hydrometers and similar floating instruments, thermometers, pyrometers, barometers, hygrometers and psychrometers, recording or not, and any combination of these instruments
90.26 Instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking the flow, level, pressure or other variables of liquids or gases (for example, flow meters, level gauges, manometers, heat meters), excluding instruments and apparatus of heading 9014, 9015, 9028 or 9032
90.27 Instruments and apparatus for physical or chemical analysis (for example, polarimeters, refractometers, spectrometers, gas or smoke analysis apparatus); instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking viscosity, porosity, expansion, surface tension or the like; instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking quantities of heat, sound or light (including exposure meters); microtomes
- 9027.10Gas or smoke analysis apparatus2 lines
- 9027.20Chromatographs and electrophoresis instruments1 line
- 9027.30Spectrometers, spectrophotometers and spectrographs using optical radiations (UV, visible, IR)1 line
- 9027.50Other instruments and apparatus using optical radiations (UV, visible, IR)1 line
- 9027.81Other instruments and apparatus: Mass spectrometers1 line
- 9027.89Other instruments and apparatus: Other3 lines
- 9027.90Microtomes; parts and accessories1 line
90.28 Gas, liquid or electricity supply or production meters, including calibrating meters therefor
90.29 Revolution counters, production counters, taximeters, milometers, pedometers and the like; speed indicators and tachometers, other than those of heading 9014 or 9015; stroboscopes
90.30 Oscilloscopes, spectrum analysers and other instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking electrical quantities, excluding meters of heading 9028; instruments and apparatus for measuring or detecting alpha, beta, gamma, X-ray, cosmic or other ionising radiation
- 9030.10Instruments and apparatus for measuring or detecting ionising radiations1 line
- 9030.20Oscilloscopes and oscillographs1 line
- 9030.31Other instruments and apparatus, for measuring or checking voltage, current, resistance or power (other than those for measuring or checking semiconductor wafers or devices): Multimeters without a recording device2 lines
- 9030.32Other instruments and apparatus, for measuring or checking voltage, current, resistance or power (other than those for measuring or checking semiconductor wafers or devices): Multimeters with a recording device1 line
- 9030.33Other instruments and apparatus, for measuring or checking voltage, current, resistance or power (other than those for measuring or checking semiconductor wafers or devices): Other, without a recording device3 lines
- 9030.39Other instruments and apparatus, for measuring or checking voltage, current, resistance or power (other than those for measuring or checking semiconductor wafers or devices): Other, with a recording device1 line
- 9030.40Other instruments and apparatus, specially designed for telecommunications (for example, cross-talk meters, gain measuring instruments, distortion factor meters, psophometers)1 line
- 9030.82Other instruments and apparatus: For measuring or checking semiconductor wafers or devices (including integrated circuits)1 line
- 9030.84Other instruments and apparatus: Other, with a recording device1 line
- 9030.89Other instruments and apparatus: Other1 line
- 9030.90Parts and accessories1 line
90.31 Measuring or checking instruments, appliances and machines, not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter; profile projectors
- 9031.10Machines for balancing mechanical parts1 line
- 9031.20Test benches1 line
- 9031.41Other optical instruments and appliances: For inspecting semiconductor wafers or devices (including integrated circuits) or for inspecting photomasks or reticles used in manufacturing semiconductor devices (including integrated circuits)1 line
- 9031.49Other optical instruments and appliances: Other2 lines
- 9031.80Other instruments, appliances and machines2 lines
- 9031.90Parts and accessories1 line
90.32 Automatic regulating or controlling instruments and apparatus
90.33 Parts and accessories (not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter) for machines, appliances, instruments or apparatus of Chapter 90
- 9033.00Parts and accessories (not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter) for machines, appliances, instruments or apparatus of Chapter 902 lines
Import VAT and de minimis in the European Union
The European Union charges VAT on imports at a standard rate of 21%.
From 1 July 2026 until 1 July 2028, consignments sold to buyers in the European Union worth up to €150 pay a flat customs duty of €3 per tariff classification in the consignment instead of the tariff rate. Import tax is charged whatever the value.
In other countries
National tariff lines under chapter 90 are live on border.bot for the United States (411 lines, also used by 1 other country).
- United States411 lines, used by 1 other country
Frequently asked questions
How many national tariff lines does the European Union tariff have in HS chapter 90?
The European Union tariff has 255 national lines in HS chapter 90 (optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof), under 143 subheadings in 32 headings.
Sources and updates
The tariff lines for the European Union come from border.bot release 1, read from the publisher’s files, and have been live since 11 October 2026.
The duty rates for the European Union come from border.bot release 1, read from the publisher’s files, and have been live since 11 October 2026.
The trade programmes for the European Union come from border.bot release 1, read from the publisher’s files, and have been live since 11 October 2026.
The import taxes for the European Union come from border.bot release 1, imported from a file, and have been live since 9 October 2026.
The de minimis thresholds for the European Union come from border.bot release 2, entered by border.bot, and have been live since 11 October 2026.
This page was last updated on 11 October 2026.
Guidance from published tariff data, not a binding ruling. For a decision customs must follow, apply to the destination’s customs authority for a binding tariff ruling.