What is the tolerance threshold under the EU-SADC EPA?

The general tolerance is 15% of the ex-works value of the finished product.

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EU-SADC EPA - HS 8538-8540

Name: EU Trade Statistics - HS 8538-8540 - EU-SADC EPA
Creator: Eurostat
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

EU-Southern African Development Community EPA · Origin of Goods

1 rulesTolerance: 15%2016

To qualify for the EU-SADC EPA preferential rate on HS 8538-8540, products must satisfy the origin rule of type maximum non-originating materials (MaxNOM). A tolerance of 15% of the ex-works value applies.

8538-8540Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and re producers, and parts and accessories of such articles

MaxNOM

Manufacture in which: - all the materials used are classified within a heading other than that of the product - the value of all the materials used does not exceed 40% of the ex-works price of the product.

40% ex-works

OR - alternative rule

MaxNOM

Manufacture in which the value of all the materials used does not exceed 30% of the ex-works price of the product.

30% ex-works

8538-8540Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and re producers, and parts and accessories of such articles

MaxNOM

40% ex-works

OR - alternative rule

MaxNOM

Manufacture in which the value of all the materials used does not exceed 30% of the ex-works price of the product.

30% ex-works

Preference utilization in the EU

Share of imports claiming a preferential rate (source: Eurostat COMEXT)

86%FTA

2026

86%69 k€

2025

99%416 k€

2024

100%670 k€

2023

100%681 k€

2022

100%16 k€

Source: Eurostat COMEXT DATA_PREFERENCES - EU27 aggregate. Updated monthly.

EU Trade Data (COMEXT)

Jan 2022 – Mar 2026

Full analysis

The EU imported 14.5 Md€ (Jan 2022 – Mar 2026) for this HS code, with China as the main supplier.

EU Imports

14.5 Md€

EU Exports

29.1 Md€

Balance

14.6 Md€

Top supplying countries (extra-EU)

1.China

32%4.7 Md€

2.Switzerland

12%1.7 Md€

3.United States

8%1.1 Md€

4.India

6%859 M€

8538-8540Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and re producers, and parts and accessories of such articles

MaxNOM

40% ex-works

OR - alternative rule

MaxNOM

Manufacture in which the value of all the materials used does not exceed 30% of the ex-works price of the product.

30% ex-works

8538-8540Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and re producers, and parts and accessories of such articles

MaxNOM

40% ex-works

OR - alternative rule

MaxNOM

Manufacture in which the value of all the materials used does not exceed 30% of the ex-works price of the product.

30% ex-works

Preference utilization in the EU

EU Trade Data (COMEXT)

Related pages

EU Trade Data (COMEXT)

Preference utilization in the EU