The Long Cycle Notes

What is the EU anti-dumping duty on candles from China in 2026?

By Jeffrey Chen · Published 2026-11-03

Candles, tapers and the like made in China pay a definitive EU anti-dumping duty of 56.7% to 60.3%, in force since 27 January 2026 under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/157. Most importers should plan on 58.1% for listed cooperating producers or 60.3% for all others. The normal EU duty on CN 3406 00 00 is 0%, so candles made in other countries do not carry this duty.

Why buyers are asking this now

The investigation is over and the duty is final. The Commission opened the case on 19 December 2024, made imports subject to registration in March 2025 and imposed a provisional duty in August 2025. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/157, adopted on 23 January 2026 and published on 26 January, replaced it with a definitive duty from 27 January 2026.

The Commission found that China's share of EU candle consumption rose from 13% to 22% over the period it examined. For anyone planning 2027 holiday and everyday candle programs for Europe, the duty now belongs in the first version of the cost sheet.

The duty rates under Regulation (EU) 2026/157

The rate is charged on the net, free-at-Union-frontier price before duty.

Who made the candles in China	Definitive duty	TARIC additional code
Sampled producer group 1	56.7%	89UK, 89UI
Sampled producer 2	60.3%	89UJ
Other cooperating companies listed in the Annex	58.1%	See Annex
All other imports from China	60.3%	8999

The practical range is narrow. Choosing a different Chinese producer moves the rate by less than four percentage points, so it does not change the decision about whether China is the right origin for a European candle program.

What the duty covers

The measure covers candles, tapers and the like under CN code 3406 00 00 that originate in China. The Commission rejected the argument that handmade decorative candles are a different product, noting that EU producers make them too. It also rejected the argument that its product control numbers could not capture differences between candle types; those numbers compare like with like on characteristics such as container type, color and scent.

So there is no easy carve-out for "premium", "artisan" or "decorative". If the item is a candle under 3406, assume it is in scope and confirm the classification with your customs broker. A filled candle in a decorative vessel needs particular care, because the classification of the finished set decides which code applies.

What applies to candles from other origins

Origin	Normal EU duty (CN 3406 00 00)	Anti-dumping duty
China	0%	56.7% to 60.3%
Vietnam	0%	None listed in TARIC on 3 November 2026
Taiwan	0%	None listed in TARIC on 3 November 2026

Glass and ceramic vessels bought empty for filling in Europe are a different question. They fall under other codes with their own duties, and ceramic items made in China can carry a separate EU anti-dumping duty. See our EU and UK duty tracker.

Origin is decided by where it is made, not where it ships from

The Commission warned in the regulation that a change in trade patterns after the duty can lead to an anti-circumvention investigation under Article 13 of the basic anti-dumping regulation. Shipping a Chinese-made candle through another port does not change its origin.

Our position is plain. We do not transship. What we ship from Vietnam is made in Vietnam, and every shipment travels with a Certificate of Origin.

What we see on the factory floor

We run candle programs in Vietnam in glass and ceramic vessels, and China remains a core base for us. Our view is the same as for ceramics: put each item where it is strongest. For a European candle line, this duty pushes many items toward a second origin, but capability, lead time and quality still decide where each one belongs.

In Vietnam, a candle program in glass or ceramic vessels typically starts at 3,000 pieces per style, and pillar candles made in existing molds at 1,000. A first order of glass candles takes about 90 days and a repeat about 70; ceramic vessels add about a month. That timing matters more than the duty for many buyers: a European holiday line has to be costed, sampled and approved early enough for the second origin to deliver on time.

European buyers are already weighing this. At a European discount retailer's supplier conference in Vietnam in April 2026, the questions we heard were about landed cost, country of origin, execution risk and speed to market, not factory price alone.

What to check before you place the order

• The live rate. Check TARIC for CN 3406 00 00 with the country of origin and the additional code before each order.
• The invoice declaration. If you rely on a company rate, make sure the invoice carries the signed declaration in Article 1(3), word for word, naming the actual producer.
• Origin documents. For candles made outside China, ask for a Certificate of Origin and evidence that the candle is genuinely made in that country.
• Classification of sets. Confirm how gift sets and filled vessels are classified before you cost them.
• Product rules. Duty is only one part of market entry. Scented candles also need checks under the EU General Product Safety Regulation and CLP labelling rules.

Sources (accessed 2026-11-03): Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/157, Articles 1, 2 and 4 and recitals (28) to (33), (111), (192) and (194); Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1732; Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/511; Regulation (EU) 2016/1036, Articles 11(2) and 13; TARIC, code 3406 00 00, reference date 3 November 2026.

Planning a European candle program? See private label home fragrance, read when Vietnam is the right origin, or start a conversation.

At a glance: MOQ, sampling and testing for home fragrance; HTS and CN codes for these products.

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