GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 22, 2026
customs tariffs
Customs officers, importers, and trade policy makers work with customs tariffs daily: they are duty rates set by governments and levied on goods crossing a border, predominantly on imports and occasionally on exports.
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Source: https://www.wcoomd.org/en/topics/nomenclature/overview/what-is-the-harmonized-system.aspx
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Customs officers, importers, and trade policy makers work with customs tariffs daily: they are duty rates set by governments and levied on goods crossing a border, predominantly on imports and occasionally on exports. Structured around commodity codes based on the international Harmonized System (HS), they form the principal instrument of border protection and trade policy. The correct tariff classification determines the duty rate payable, any applicable quotas, and eligibility for preferential treatment under free trade agreements. Beyond revenue generation, governments deploy tariffs as economic policy tools – for instance, to shield domestic industries or to apply trade defence instruments such as anti-dumping duties. They are distinct from non-tariff barriers such as import licences or technical standards, which restrict trade through means other than direct taxation.
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