Definition of Terms
· Prohibited items – items whose import into the country is prohibited.
· Items admitted conditionally – items whose importation into the country is allowed with the term if a document issued by the relevant authorities of the exporting country is presented.
· Items admitted without conditions – items whose import into the country is allowed.
Detailed information on the HS codes and their titles can be found on the Revenue Service web-page (http://www.rs.ge/4509) or at the following address: http://www.foreign-trade.com/reference/hscode.htm
For easy search for a desired item, you can use the “ctrl+F” combination. A search field will appear in the right upper corner where you can write the title of the item. Pressing the “Enter” button will highlight the search word provided by you throughout the text in a different color.
The below information is based upon the official source of Ethiopia
Part I:
List of articles prohibited as imports (or in transit) or admitted conditionally
Section I Live animals; animal products
Chapter 1 Live animals
Heading HS Code ÿ Prohibited articles
01.01–06 All live animals except bees, leeches, silk worms and song birds.
ÿ Articles admitted conditionally
Parasites, insect pests.
Chapter 2 Meat and edible meat offal
Heading HS Code ÿ Articles admitted conditionally
02.01–10 All meat and offal.
Chapter 3 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates
Nil.
Chapter 4 Dairy produce; birds' eggs; natural honey; edible products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or included
Nil.
Chapter 5 Products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or included
Nil.
Section II Vegetable products
Chapter 6 Live trees and other plants; bulbs, roots and the like; cut flowers and ornamental foliage
Heading HS Code ÿ Prohibited articles
06.01–02 Live plants contaminated by parasites and considered to be dangerous to crops.
ÿ Articles admitted conditionally
Tree seeds and other seeds and grains.
Chapter 7 Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers
Heading HS Code ÿ Prohibited articles
07.01–14 Contaminated by parasites and considered to be dangerous.
ÿ Articles admitted conditionally
Vegetables.
Chapter 8 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons
Heading HS Code ÿ Prohibited articles
08.01–14 Contaminated by parasites and considered to be dangerous.
ÿ Articles admitted conditionally
Fresh fruits.
Chapter 9 Coffee, tea, maté and spices
Nil.
Chapter 10 Cereals
Nil.
Chapter 11 Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten
Nil.
Chapter 12 Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder
Heading HS Code ÿ Articles admitted conditionally
12.11 Medicinal plants.
Chapter 13 Lac; gums, resins and other vegetable saps and extracts
Nil.
Chapter 14 Vegetable plaiting materials; vegetable products not elsewhere specified or included
Nil.
Section III Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products; prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes
Chapter 15 (Sole chapter)
Heading HS Code ÿ Articles admitted conditionally
15.01–22 Fats, oils and waxes.
Section IV Prepared foodstuffs; beverages, spirits and vinegar; tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes
Chapter 16 Preparations of meat, of fish or of crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates
Heading HS Code ÿ Articles admitted conditionally
16.01–05 Foods.
Chapter 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery
Nil.
Chapter 18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations
Nil.
Chapter 19 Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or milk; pastrycooks' products
Nil.
Chapter 20 Preparations of vegetables, fruits, nuts or other parts of plants
Nil.
Chapter 21 Miscellaneous edible preparations
Nil.
Chapter 22 Beverages, spirits and vinegar
Heading HS Code ÿ Articles admitted conditionally
22.01–09 Beverages.
Chapter 23 Residues and waste from the food industries; prepared animal fodder
Nil.
Chapter 24 Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes
Heading HS Code ÿ Articles admitted conditionally
24.01–03 Tobacco.
Section V Mineral products
Chapter 25 Salt; sulphur; earths and stone; plastering materials; lime and cement
Nil.
Chapter 26 Ores, slag and ash
Nil.
Chapter 27 Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes
Nil.
Section VI Products of the chemical or allied industries
Chapter 28 Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals, of radioactive elements or of isotopes
Nil.
Chapter 29 Organic chemicals
Nil.
Chapter 30 Pharmaceutical products
Heading HS Code ÿ Articles admitted conditionally
30.01–06 Medicaments.
Chapter 31 Fertilisers
Nil.
Chapter 32 Tanning or dyeing extracts; tannins and their derivatives; dyes, pigments and other colouring matter; paints and varnishes; putty and other mastics; inks
Nil.
Chapter 33 Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations
Nil.
Chapter 34 Soap, organic surface-active agents, washing preparations, lubricating preparations, artificial waxes, prepared waxes; polishing or scouring preparations,candles and similar articles, modelling pastes, "dental waxes" and dental preparations with a basis of plaster
Nil.
Chapter 35 Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues; enzymes
Nil.
Chapter 36 Explosives; pyrotechnic products; matches; pyrophoric alloys; certain combustible preparations
Heading HS Code ÿ Articles admitted conditionally
36.05 Matches and lighters.
Chapter 37 Photographic or cinematographic products
Heading HS Code ÿ Prohibited articles
37.05–06 Articles bearing indecent or obscene impressions, photographs or engravings.
Chapter 38 Miscellaneous chemical products
Nil.
Section VII Plastics and articles thereof; rubber and articles thereof
Chapter 39 Plastics and articles thereof
Nil.
Chapter 40 Rubber and articles thereof
Nil.
Section VIII Raw hides and skins, leather, furskins and articles thereof; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut(other than silk-worm gut)
Chapter 41 Raw hides and skins (other than furskins) and leather
Nil.
Chapter 42 Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers;
articles of animal gut (other than silk-worm gut)
Nil.
Chapter 43 Furskins and artificial fur; manufactures thereof
Nil.
Section IX Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal; cork and articles of cork; manufactures of straw, of esparto or of other plaiting materials; basketware andwickerwork
Chapter 44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal
Nil.
Chapter 45 Cork and articles of cork
Nil.
Chapter 46 Manufactures of straw, of esparto or of other plaiting materials; basketware and wickerwork
Nil.
Section X Pulp of wood or of other fibrous cellulose material; waste and scrap of paper or paperboard;
paper and paperboard and articles thereof
Chapter 47 Pulp of wood or of other fibrous cellulose material; waste and scrap of paper or paperboard
Nil.
Chapter 48 Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard
Nil.
Chapter 49 Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans
Nil.
Section XI Textiles and textile articles
Chapter 50 Silk
Nil.
Chapter 51 Wool, fine or coarse animal hair; horsehair yarn and woven fabric
Nil.
Chapter 52 Cotton
Nil.
Chapter 53 Other vegetable textile fibres, paper yarn and woven fabrics of paper yarn
Nil.
Chapter 54 Man-made filaments
Nil.
Chapter 55 Man-made staple fibres
Nil.
Chapter 56 Wadding, felt and non-wovens; special yarns; twine, cordage, ropes and cables and articles thereof
Nil.
Chapter 57 Carpets and other textile floor coverings
Nil.
Chapter 58 Special woven fabrics; tufted textile fabrics; lace; tapestries; trimmings; embroidery
Nil.
Chapter 59 Impregnated, coated, covered or laminated textile fabrics; textile articles of a kind suitable for industrial use
Nil.
Chapter 60 Knitted or crocheted fabrics
Nil.
Chapter 61 Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted
Nil.
Chapter 62 Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted
Nil.
Chapter 63 Other made-up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags
Heading HS Code ÿ Articles admitted conditionally
63.01–02 Worn clothing.
Section XII Footwear, headgear, umbrellas, sun umbrellas, walking-sticks, seat-sticks, whips, riding- crops and parts thereof; prepared feathers and articles madetherewith; artificial flowers; articles of human hair
Chapter 64 Footwear, gaiters and the like; parts of such articles
Nil.
Chapter 65 Headgear and parts thereof
Nil.
Chapter 66 Umbrellas, sun umbrellas, walking-sticks, seat-sticks, whips, riding-crops and parts thereof
Nil.
Chapter 67 Prepared feathers and down and articles made of feathers or of down; artificial flowers;
articles of human hair
Nil.
Section XIII Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials; ceramic products;
glass and glassware
Chapter 68 Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials
Nil.
Chapter 69 Ceramic products
Nil.
Chapter 70 Glass and glassware
Nil.
Section XIV Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, precious metals, metals clad with precious metal and articles thereof; imitation jewellery; coin
Chapter 71 (Sole chapter)
Nil.
Section XV Base metals and articles of base metal
Chapter 72 Iron and steel
Nil.
Chapter 73 Articles of iron and steel
Nil.
Chapter 74 Copper and articles thereof
Nil.
Chapter 75 Nickel and articles thereof
Nil.
Chapter 76 Aluminium and articles thereof
Nil.
Chapter 77 (Reserved for possible future use in the harmonized system)
Nil.
Chapter 78 Lead and articles thereof
Nil.
Chapter 79 Zinc and articles thereof
Nil.
Chapter 80 Tin and articles thereof
Nil.
Chapter 81 Other base metals; cermets; articles thereof
Nil.
Chapter 82 Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal
Nil.
Chapter 83 Miscellaneous articles of base metal
Nil.
Section XVI Machinery and mechanical appliances; electrical equipment; parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles
Chapter 84 Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof
Nil.
Chapter 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers; television image and sound recorders and reproducers andparts and accessories of such articles
Nil.
Section XVII Vehicles, aircraft, vessels and associated transport equipment
Chapter 86 Railway or tramway locomotives, rolling-stock and parts thereof; railway or tramway track fixtures and fittings and parts thereof; mechanical (includingelectro-mechanical) traffic signalling equipment of all kinds
Nil.
Chapter 87 Vehicles, other than railway or tramway rolling-stock, and parts and accessories thereof
Nil.
Chapter 88 Aircraft, spacecraft and parts thereof
Nil.
Chapter 89 Ships, boats and floating structures
Nil.
Section XVIII Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; clocks and watches; musical instruments; parts and accessories thereof
Chapter 90 Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof
Nil.
Chapter 91 Clocks and watches and parts thereof
Nil.
Chapter 92 Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles
Nil.
Section XIX Arms and ammunition; parts and accessories thereof
Chapter 93 (Sole chapter)
Heading HS Code ÿ Prohibited articles
93.01–07 Weapons and explosives.
Section XX Miscellaneous manufactured articles
Chapter 94 Furniture, bedding, mattresses, mattress supports, cushions and similar stuffed furnishings; lamps and lighting fittings not elsewhere specified or included; illuminated signs, illuminated name-plates and the like; prefabricated buildings
Nil.
Chapter 95 Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and accessories thereof
Nil.
Chapter 96 Miscellaneous manufactured articles
Nil.
Section XXI Works of art, collectors' pieces and antiques
Chapter 97 (Sole chapter)
Nil.
Part II:
Conditions of admission of articles imported or in transit
2.1 Animals and animal products
2.1.1 Meat and edible meat offal
Live bees, leeches, silk-worms, parasites and insect pests shall be enclosed in boxes so con- structed as to avoid any danger.
Provided it is not prohibited by special provisions of the health authorities, importation under all customs regimes may be permitted subject to current hygiene regulations, namely:
– satisfactory hygiene and health inspection carried out by a veterinary inspector;
– submission of a hygiene or health certificate;
– customs clearance at an authorized office.
2.2 Plants and plant products
2.2.1 Edible vegetables and certain roots and bulbs
2.2.2 Edible fruit or nuts, peel of citrus fruit or melons
2.2.3 Medicinal plants
2.3 Anti-parasite products for agricultural use
2.4 Beverages, alcoholic fluids
Shall be examined by an official responsible for plant protection. Must be accompanied by a phyto- sanitary certificate.
Must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate and inspected by an official of the plant protec- tion service as they pass through Customs.
Must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate and inspected by an official of the plant protec- tion service as they pass through Customs.
Must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate.
Must be accompanied by a certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture.
Shall be inspected by an official from the Ministry of Health.
2.5 Tobacco Shall be inspected by an official from the Tobacco Monopoly.
2.7 Narcotics Opium, morphine and other narcotic substances dispatched for scientific or medical purposes by and to institutions duly authorized to send and receive them.
2.8 Pharmaceutical products
2.9 Chemical matches and prepared matchwood
Are subject to prior authorization from the Ministry of Health. Are subject to prior authorization by the Tobacco Monopoly.
Part III:
Special provisions, Customs and other
3.1 Drawing up of customs declarations
3.2 Need to insert invoices
3.3 Need to attest to the origin of the goods
3.4 Miscellaneous customs provisions
3.5 Provisions on infringements
Customs declarations must contain all the information necessary for the application of duties. Spe- cifically, they must state:
– the names and addresses of the sender and the addressee;
– the countries of origin and destination;
– a description of the goods, their net weight and value;
– the gross weight;
– the situation of the goods in respect of Customs regulations – whether they are gifts, samples, returned goods, etc;
– sender's signature.
Unless abuse is suspected, the Customs administration exempts from the requirement to produce invoice consignments that are non-commercial in nature, irrespective of value, and commercial consignments of a total value of 250 Birr or less.
No need to attest to the origin of goods.
Items of a non-commercial nature (gift articles) are exempt from payment of taxes if their value does not exceed 36 dollars (180 Birr).
Sample items which are imported in such a way that they cannot be used are exempt from payment of taxes.
Importation of certain foreign goods of a value of more than 50 dollars (250 Birr) may be subject to production of a bank permit.
Under internal legislation, the Post Office may take any necessary action on any prohibited postal articles. However, the Post Office of origin shall be informed in case of seizure or destruction.