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76032000
ALUMINIUM AND ARTICLES THEREOFAluminium powders and flakes

Powders of lamellar structure; flakes

Standard EU duty
5%
VAT
23%
Additional duties / sanctions
0 rules
Docs required
54 docs
X060X061X062X063X064X065+48
Standard rates
Applies toTypeRateConditionsRegulation
ERGA OMNESThird country duty5%-R1832/02
Preferences
ERGA OMNES 0%AD 0%AL 0%BA 0%CA 0%CAMER 0%CARI 0%CH 0%CI 0%CL 0%CM 0%CO 0%DZ 0%EBA 0%EC 0%EEA 0%EG 0%EH 0%ESA 0%EUCA 0%FJ 0%FO 0%GB 0%GB 0%GE 0%GH 0%GSP 1.5%GSP+ 0%IL 0%JO 0%JP 0%KE 0%KR 0%LB 0%LOMB 0%MA 0%MD 0%ME 0%MK 0%MX 0%NZ 0%PE 0%PG 0%PS 0%SADC EPA 0%SB 0%SG 0%SM 0%SWITZ 0%SY 0%TN 0%TR 0%UA 0%VN 0%WS 0%XC 0%XK 0%XL 0%XS 0%ZA 1.5%
Notes
CD333The autonomous Common Customs Tariff duties laid down in Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 for parts, components and other goods of a kind to be incorporated in or used for aircraft and parts thereof in the course of their manufacture, repair, maintenance, rebuilding, modification or conversion is suspended.In order to benefit from the suspension, the declarant shall present to the customs authorities an Authorised Release Certificate — EASA Form 1, as set out in Appendix I to Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012, or an equivalent certificate.The certificates which are deemed to be equivalent to Authorised Release Certificates are listed in Annex II to the Regulation (EU) 2018/1517.
CD303The relief from or reduction of customs duties shall be subject to the specific request expressed by the declarant in box 44 "Additional information/Documents produced/Certificates and authorisations", of the Single Administrative Document (SAD)
TM904Preferences granted under the agreement between the European Union and Morocco in force from 19 July 2019.As of 3 October 2025, products originating in Western Sahara subject to controls by the customs authorities of the Kingdom of Morocco shall benefit from trade preferences under the terms of the new Agreement in the form of exchange of letters between the EU and Morocco, The European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco have agreed to allow those products to be identified by reference to the region of origin to be included in the proof of origin and as provided for in Protocol 4.In view of the application of these measures, the origin certificates codes U179 and U180 must be declared.The country code to be entered in the origin declaration when these proofs of origin are used is “EH”.
CD727Eligibility to benefit from this preference is subject to the presentation of an origin declaration stating the European Union origin of the goods, in the context of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
CD845Subject to the presentation of a proof of origin containing the following statement in English: "Origin quotas – Product originating in accordance with Annex ORIG-2A"
CD906The list of non-eligible locations and their postal codes is available at the following address: http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/customs/technical-arrangement_postal-codes.pdf
CD500Eligibility to benefit from this preference is subject to the presentation of a proof of origin stating the community origin of the goods, in the context of the agreement between the European Union and the Swiss Confederation.
5

Binding Tariff Information

BTI classification examples

CZgold00-04/01

Lamellar aluminium powder for airbag initiators

aluminiumGRI 1GRI 2bGRI 3bGRI 6
DEgold498/24-1

Aluminium alloy powder (AlSi10Mg)

aluminiumGRI 1GRI 6
DEgold754/23-1

Fine aluminium powder for thermal compounds

aluminiumGRI 1GRI 6
DEgold932/24-1

Aluminium alloy powder for additive manufacturing

aluminiumGRI 1GRI 6
DEgold489/24-1

Silver-coated aluminium powder

aluminiumGRI 1GRI 6

BTI (Binding Tariff Information) is an official EU customs decision confirming the classification of goods. Valid for 3 years, binding across all EU member states.

Classification and characteristics of lamellar aluminium powder - 7603 20

Subheading 7603 20 of the Combined Nomenclature covers aluminium powders of lamellar structure, commercially known as aluminium paste or aluminium flake powder. The lamellar (flake) particle structure distinguishes this product from spherical powders classified in 7603 10. Flakes are produced by wet or dry milling of aluminium granules or cast material in ball mills or attritors. The platelet-shaped particles have a high surface-area-to-mass ratio, metallic lustre, and the ability to form protective and decorative coatings in paints. Aluminium paste is a suspension of flake powder in an organic solvent or water-based carrier - it is a key pigment in decorative paints, automotive coatings, protective lacquers and printing inks requiring a metallic effect. Dry aluminium flake powder is used in powder coatings, pyrotechnic compositions, plastics and aerated concrete. Classification requires assessment of particle morphology confirmed by a technical datasheet specifying particle shape (D50 value, aspect ratio). The importer should distinguish lamellar powder (7603 20) from spherical powder (7603 10) and from aluminium pastes with high aluminium content where the overall composition and form determine classification. A supplier-issued technical datasheet with SEM particle analysis supports correct classification.

Import requirements, REACH and CBAM for subheading 7603 20

Importation of lamellar aluminium powders under subheading 7603 20 into the European Union requires a customs declaration with the correct CN code and the importer's EORI number. Required import documentation includes a commercial invoice with technical parameters (particle size, Al content, carrier type for pastes), transport document, Safety Data Sheet (SDS) compliant with CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 and REACH, technical specification, and proof of origin when applying for preferential duty rates. Since 1 January 2026 aluminium and aluminium products from CN chapter 76 are subject to the full CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) obligation under Regulation (EU) 2023/956. The importer of lamellar aluminium powders must be registered as an authorised CBAM declarant, file quarterly CBAM declarations reporting embedded emissions, and purchase the corresponding number of CBAM certificates. Aluminium paste and aluminium powders are chemical substances subject to REACH Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 - the importer should verify registration in the ECHA database and any restrictions under Annex XVII. An up-to-date SDS must be provided to industrial customers before the first delivery. Current MFN and preferential duty rates are available in the European Commission TARIC database.

Trade defence measures for aluminium powders - subheading 7603 20

Lamellar aluminium powders imported from China under subheading 7603 20 may be subject to EU anti-dumping (AD) measures. The importer must verify the current status of AD measures for the specific CN code and country of origin in the TARIC database before executing the import. Aluminium products from CN chapter 76 may also be covered by EU safeguard measures in the form of tariff rate quotas (TRQ) - the importer should check whether an active quarterly TRQ is in place for this subheading and its current utilisation rate. Imports of aluminium products from Russia and Belarus may be subject to restrictions or prohibitions under successive EU sanctions packages. Preferential duty rates under EU free trade agreements (CETA with Canada, JEFTA with Japan, agreements with Vietnam, South Korea, Ukraine and others) can significantly reduce the customs burden, provided the rules of origin are met and a valid EUR.1 certificate, invoice declaration or REX entry is presented. CBAM certificate costs must be included in the total landed-cost calculation. All current trade defence measures are available in the TARIC system on the European Commission website.

Tariff classification of aluminium powders of lamellar structure (CN 7603 20)

CN code 7603 20 of the Combined Nomenclature classifies aluminium powders of lamellar structure within Chapter 76 of the EU customs tariff for aluminium. Classification depends on the degree of processing (unwrought aluminium, semi-finished products, finished articles), alloy composition (unalloyed aluminium, alloy series 1000-7000) and product form (ingots, bars, sheets, foil, tubes, profiles). Note 1 to Chapter 76 defines aluminium alloys by minimum aluminium content. Aluminium imports are subject to standard TARIC duty rates and potential anti-dumping duties for selected countries of.

Frequently asked questions

Is aluminium paste under subheading 7603 20 subject to CBAM from 2026?
Yes. Since 1 January 2026, Regulation (EU) 2023/956 extended the full CBAM obligation to aluminium and aluminium products in CN chapter 76. Importers of aluminium paste and lamellar flake powders classified under 7603 20 must register as authorised CBAM declarants, file quarterly embedded-emissions declarations and purchase CBAM certificates. Embedded emissions cover the carbon footprint from primary or secondary aluminium production used to manufacture the powder. Failure to comply with CBAM obligations is subject to financial penalties.
How to distinguish lamellar aluminium powder (7603 20) from spherical powder (7603 10)?
The key criterion is particle morphology confirmed by the technical datasheet or SEM analysis. Lamellar particles have a high aspect ratio - they are distinctly thin and wide, giving metallic lustre and mirror-like effects in paints. Spherical particles have a regular round shape. In practice, aluminium paste and metallic paint powder contain lamellar particles and are classified in 7603 20. The importer should attach the manufacturer's technical datasheet describing particle morphology and granulometry to the customs documentation.
What REACH requirements apply to importing aluminium powders into the EU?
Aluminium and aluminium powders are chemical substances subject to REACH Regulation (EC) 1907/2006. An importer outside the EU becomes legally responsible for substance registration unless an Only Representative (OR) is appointed by the non-EU manufacturer. The importer should verify the substance registration in the ECHA database and check for any restrictions under Annex XVII to REACH. Aluminium paste, as a chemical mixture, also requires a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) compliant with CLP, to be provided to industrial customers before the first delivery.
How to obtain a BTI ruling for aluminium powders of lamellar structure (CN 7603 20)?
A Binding Tariff Information (BTI) ruling for CN code 7603 20 is obtained by submitting an application to the national customs authority. The application must include a detailed product description, samples, photographs and technical documentation..