CN code 870821 covers safety seat belts intended for motor vehicles under headings 8701 to 8705. Seat belts are the primary passive safety element of a vehicle, designed to restrain the occupant in a seated position during a collision. This code classifies complete seat belt assemblies, including webbing, buckles, retractors, pyrotechnic pretensioners, and force limiters. The code encompasses both three-point belts used in passenger cars and multi-point harnesses for sports and special vehicles. Importing seat belts is subject to stringent regulatory requirements as they constitute a critical safety component. Duty rates must be verified in the TARIC or ISZTAR system. Seat belts must hold type approval in accordance with UNECE Regulation No. 16 governing uniform provisions for safety belts and restraint systems.

Seat belts imported into the EU must hold mandatory type approval in accordance with UNECE Regulation No. 16, confirming compliance with requirements for strength, energy absorption, and resistance to operational conditions. The E-mark designation on the seat belt is required for both OEM and aftermarket parts. Pyrotechnic pretensioners built into seat belts are additionally subject to ADR dangerous goods transport regulations, which affects import procedures and logistics. EU Regulation 2019/2144 mandates that new vehicles be equipped with unfastened seat belt reminders for all seating positions. Importing seat belts requires documentation confirming type approval, strength test reports, and a declaration of conformity. Counterfeit or non-approved seat belts are subject to seizure at the EU customs border and subsequent destruction.

The seat belt market is evolving towards increasingly advanced protection systems. Modern belts integrate multi-stage pyrotechnic pretensioners that adjust tensioning force according to collision intensity and occupant position. Load-limiting belts reduce chest loading during accidents. Manufacturers are developing belts with airbags built into the webbing (airbag belts), which increase the contact surface area with the occupant's body. Active belt systems warn the driver about unfastened belts and automatically pretension the webbing before a collision based on vehicle sensor data. Importing seat belts from Asian countries requires particular verification of approval authenticity, as products with counterfeit E-mark designations appear on the market. European seat belt manufacturers such as Autoliv and ZF dominate the OEM market, while the aftermarket segment remains more diversified across multiple suppliers.