What is the duty to pay on the value of services such as engineering, development, artwork or design developed in the EU, exported to a third country and then imported e.g. within clothes, bicycles back to the EU?

The product which has been produced outside the EU on the basis of an engineering project or any kind of design (e.g. clothes designed in the EU but produced in a third country) developed in the EU, is not charged with a duty for the value of services rendered in the EU. This is upon condition that such a design, engineering or development project was necessary for the production of the product. The duty is charged on the basis of the customs value of the imported product, excluding the value of the service produced in the EU. If such services were rendered outside the EU, the customs value of the goods would have to include the value of those services (See article 71 (1) (b) (iv) of the Union Customs Code).

For further details on the calculation of the customs value in such cases, please contact your customs office or see the European Customs Valuation Compendium.