Germany, as an EU member, uses the EU Customs Union's ATLAS system (Automatisiertes Tarif- und Lokales Zoll-Abwicklungs-System) for electronic customs declarations. EU Common Customs Tariff rates apply. Germany's Hamburg and Bremen ports are major European gateways.
EU Customs System in Germany
- ATLAS — Germany's electronic customs declaration system
- Connected to EU's ICS2 for entry summary declarations
- Single Administrative Document (SAD) as import declaration
- Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status for trusted companies
- Key ports: Hamburg (3rd largest EU port), Bremen/Bremerhaven
EU Import Duty on Germany Imports
The EU Common Customs Tariff applies across all EU member states including Germany:
- Most industrial goods: 0–6.5%
- Agricultural goods: variable, often higher (CAP protection)
- GSP for developing countries: 0% or reduced
- EU-UK TCA: 0% on qualifying UK-origin goods
- Import VAT (Einfuhrumsatzsteuer): 19% (7% for some food and books)
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Frequently asked questions
Germany uses ATLAS (Automatisiertes Tarif- und Lokales Zoll-Abwicklungs-System), the German customs electronic declaration system, integrated with the EU's ICS2 system.
19% standard rate (Einfuhrumsatzsteuer). Reduced 7% rate for essential food, books. VAT-registered businesses can recover as input tax.