Customs duty from Germany to China: Import Duty Guide

Key Takeaways

• There’s no EU-China free trade agreement - the proposed Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) has been frozen since the European Parliament’s May 2021 vote, with no ratification path as of August 2026.
• Germany-origin goods pay China’s standard MFN tariff, with no preferential rate available.
• China’s imports from Germany reached roughly $94.8 billion in 2024.
• China was Germany’s single largest overall trading partner in 2025 (combining both directions), even without any preferential trade agreement in place.
• New friction emerged in early 2026 around the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism entering its definitive phase, with Beijing warning of possible countermeasures.

Germany-China Trade at a Glance

China’s imports from Germany reached roughly $94.8 billion in 2024 (UN Comtrade). Despite the absence of any trade agreement, China was Germany’s single largest overall trading partner in 2025, combining both import and export flows (Destatis, Germany’s Federal Statistical Office, February 2026; CGTN) - a scale of relationship built entirely on standard MFN terms rather than any preferential deal.

Is There a Trade Deal Between Germany and China?

No, and Germany trades under the same EU-wide policy as any other member state, since the EU negotiates trade policy centrally. The EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) was agreed in principle in December 2020, but the European Parliament voted to freeze consideration of it on 20 May 2021 in response to Chinese counter-sanctions on several MEPs, and it remains frozen with no ratification path as of this writing (China Briefing; European Parliament Legislative Train Schedule). New friction emerged in early 2026 around the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) entering its definitive, financial-obligations phase, with Beijing signaling possible countermeasures on affected industrial goods (Foreign Affairs Forum, February 2026).

How Much Will You Pay Importing from Germany to China?

With no preferential agreement in place, German-origin goods pay China’s standard MFN tariff - the “FTA available” answer is no throughout. Standard China-side mechanics otherwise apply: orders under the postal regime pay a bundled 13/20/50% tax on declared goods value (waived if the tax owed is RMB 50 or less, capped at RMB 2,000 per shipment), while CBEC-qualifying orders pay 0% duty plus VAT and consumption tax at 70% of the standard rate, within RMB 5,000 per-transaction and RMB 26,000 per-year limits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Germany have any preferential trade deal with China?

No. A proposed investment agreement was frozen by the European Parliament in 2021 over a sanctions dispute and remains unratified - German goods pay China’s standard MFN tariff, the same as any country without a trade agreement with China.

Is Germany-China trade significant despite having no trade agreement?

Very much so - China was Germany’s largest overall trading partner in 2025, a relationship built entirely on standard terms rather than any preferential arrangement.

What is CBAM, and is it relevant to this lane?

The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is a carbon-pricing charge on certain industrial imports into the EU (not China) - but its 2026 implementation has created diplomatic friction with China that could affect the broader EU-China trade relationship, including potential Chinese countermeasures.

What does Germany mainly export to China?

Machinery, vehicles and vehicle parts, and electrical equipment dominate Germany’s exports to China, reflecting its advanced manufacturing and automotive sectors.