Czech Republic?Equipment import?The core pain points of customs clearance

According to data from the Czech Customs Administration in 2025, the average customs clearance time for machinery products increased by 2.7 working days year-on-year, primarily due to the implementation of the new EU regulation "Machinery Directive 2024/32/EU." The rejection rate for China's exports to the Czech Republic, such as CNC machine tools and packaging machinery, due to incomplete technical documentation, rose to 18.3%, an increase of 5 percentage points compared to the previous year.

Breakdown of the Entire Customs Clearance Process

Phase 1: Pre-declaration Preparation (30 Days Prior to Import)

• Document Preparation:
  • ?Certificate of Origin?The book must include an EUR-MED statement in EU format.
  • Technical documents must comply with the new EN 60204-1:2024 standard for machinery safety.
• Tariff Pre-assessment:
  • Please note the addition of subheading 8486.4045 in the HS code confirmation.
  • The VAT rate for electromechanical products remains at 21%, but there is a 0.5% fluctuation range for the consumption tax.

Key Policy Updates for 2025

Czech Customs to be implemented from March 2025Three-phase inspection mechanismFor products that require the addition of inhibitors or stabilizers, relevant instructions should be provided to ensure the stability of the chemical products during transportation and storage.

• Phase One: Preliminary Review of Electronic Documents (to be completed within 48 hours)
• Phase 2: Non-invasive Scanning (Applicable to Equipment >10 Tons)
• Phase 3: On-site Verification of Technical Parameters (Sampling Rate Increased to 12%)

Practical Cases of Risk Control

A Suzhou-based automation equipment manufacturer encountered customs clearance obstacles when exporting an assembly line worth 3.8 million euros to Prague:

• The crux of the issue: The EMC test report in the CE certification has not been updated to the 2024 version.
• Solution:
  • Enable temporary admission with ATA Carnet.
  • Expedited testing through EU-designated laboratories
  • Ultimately, approximately €68,000 in demurrage fees was saved.

Optimization Strategy for Customs Clearance Costs

By comparing the customs clearance data for 2024-2025, we recommend:

• Select the mixed tariff scheme:
  • The main body of the equipment is declared under general trade.
  • Supporting tools are to be handled as temporary import/export.
• Leveraging the China-Czech Republic AEO Mutual Recognition:
  • The inspection rate is reduced by 40%.
  • The maximum guarantee amount can be reduced by up to 70%.

Special Scenario Handling Guidelines

Special requirements for used equipment imports:

• Must provide documentation proving equipment service years
• The energy consumption test report must include the 28 EU indicators.
• It is recommended to conduct customs pre-classification in advance (approximately 15 working days required).

By establishing a standardized customs clearance document management system, a Shenzhen-based machinery export company reduced the average customs clearance time in the Czech market from 23 days to 14 days, while cutting annual logistics costs by 19%. It is recommended that enterprises implement a tripartite customs clearance support system encompassing pre-clearance review, dynamic compliance monitoring, and emergency response mechanisms.