Since 2011, the EU and South Korea trade agreement has eliminated customs duties on nearly all products. It has also removed many other obstacles to exporting EU products, such as automobiles, pharmaceuticals, electronics and chemicals. Many services between the EU and South Korea have also been opened up for investors and for businesses to trade.
Since 2011, the EU-South Korea trade agreement has eliminated customs duties on nearly all products (98.7%), including fisheries and agricultural products. It has also removed non-tariff barriers (NTB) to the exports of key EU products to South Korea, such as automobiles, pharmaceuticals, electronics and chemicals. Not the least, services markets in both the EU and South Korea have largely opened to businesses and investors from each other.
In the first five years of the agreement, EU exports to South Korea increased by 55%, European companies saved €2.8 billion in reduced customs duties, and trade in goods between the EU and South Korea reached a record level of over €90 billion.
If your company is registered in an EU Member State and you have acquired a valid customs declaration – and where necessary, an export licence – you can export under this agreement.
The EU-South Korea free trade agreement eliminates 98.7% of tariffs on trade in goods.
Here are some of the benefits for EU exporters
Find the tariff rate applicable to your product in My Trade Assistant.
In order to qualify for preferential treatment, your product will need to satisfy the rules of origin under the agreement. Please check the interactive “Rules of Origin Self Assessment tool (ROSA)” in My Trade Assistant to assess whether your product fulfils the rules of origin and find out how to prepare the correct documents.
General information about the rules of origin and the origin procedures can be found in this section.
Origin is the 'economic nationality' of traded goods. If you are new to the topic, you can find an introduction to the main concepts in the goods section.
Rules of origin
Rules of origin are set out in the Protocol concerning the definition of ‘originating products’ and method of administrative cooperation of the EU-South Korea free trade agreement (OJ L127, 14.5.2011, p. 1,344).
For your product to qualify for the lower or zero preferential tariff under the EU-South Korea free trade agreement, it must originate in the EU or South Korea. A product is considered to originate in the EU or in South Korea if it is
See Annex IIa for alternative product-specific rules for certain products.
Examples of the main types of product specific rules in EU trade agreements
The product also needs to fulfil all other applicable requirements specified in the Chapter (for example insufficient working or processing, the direct transport rule). There are also some additional flexibilities that that will help you comply with product specific rules (for example tolerance or cumulation).
Additional flexibility is foreseen to help you comply with product specific rules, such as tolerance or cumulation.
The tolerance rule allows producers to use non-originating materials worth up to 10% of the ex-works price that are normally prohibited by the product-specific rule
The agreement also allows for bilateral cumulation. Materials originating in South Korea can be counted as originating in the EU when used in the manufacture of a product in the EU and vice versa.
Your product must also meet all other applicable requirements of the Protocol (such as insufficient working or processing, or the direct transport rule).
Originating products must be transported from the EU to South Korea (and vice-versa) without being further processed in a third country.
Trans-shipment or temporary warehousing in a third country is allowed, if the products remain under customs surveillance and do not undergo operations other than
Evidence of the direct transport must be brought to the customs authorities of the importing country.
Under the EU-Korea free trade agreement, it is possible to get a refund on duties previously paid on non-originating materials used to produce a product that is exported under a preferential tariff.
A special mechanism is included to address potential increase in foreign sourcing by Korean manufacturers.
Origin procedures
Exporters and importers have to follow the origin procedures. The procedures are set out in Section B of the Protocol on Rules of Origin of the agreement. They clarify, for example, how
Section B of the Protocol on rules of origin of the agreement sets out the origin procedures related to a claim for preferential tariff and the verification by customs authorities.
Importers can claim preferential tariff treatment based on an origin declaration provided by the exporter.
No proof of origin is required when the total value of the products does not exceed
Exporters can self-declare that their product originates in the EU or South Korea by filling an origin declaration. The declaration can be filled out
The origin declaration cannot be issued by an authorised body and a EUR.1 form will not be accepted as a proof of origin.
The customs authorities of the exporting country may authorise any exporter who exports products under the trade agreement to make origin declarations for products regardless of their value. The exporter must provide sufficient guarantees to the customs authorities that the originating status of the products and the fulfillment of all the other requirements of the agreement (Protocol) can be verified. The customs authorities can withdraw the approved exporter status in the event of any abuse.
The customs authorities may verify whether a product imported is indeed originating or fulfils other origin requirements. The EU-South Korea Free Trade Agreement is based on the following principles
The EU and South Korea now cooperate on technical regulations, setting standards and conformity assessments to make it easier for you to trade internationally. This will ensure that you do not waste money and/or time on duplicate or multiple procedures.
You will need to follow these rules so that your products can be evaluated for conformity with the necessary technical standards.
The EU-South Korea trade agreement includes four sector-specific rules on
You can now benefit from better recognition of international standards and approval procedures for products in the electronics industry. This will help you enter global supply chains and grow your business.
Before the agreement, EU exporters of consumer electronics and household appliances to South Korea were required to carry out duplicative and expensive testing and certification procedures in South Korea to sell their products. Now, however, you are able to enjoy an improved regulatory environment for your products.
The EU-South Korea trade agreement reduces differences between requirements for European and South Korean products by adopting the same international standards. The relevant international standards bodies for this sector include
It eliminates the need for certification by an independent organisation.
On electrical safety, South Korea has the option to continue requesting third-party certification for a limited list of 53 items, if it can justify that they pose a risk to human health and safety. These are set out in the trade agreement under Annex 2-B, Appendix 2-B-3.
You can find more information on exporting electrical and electronics equipment here.
The specific electrical and electronics products covered by the agreement and their related provisions can be found in Annex 2-B Electronics and its Appendixes.
Under the EU-South Korea free trade agreement, all rules relating to pharmaceutical products and medical devices must be published at an early stage, to give businesses enough time to understand them.
South Korea now recognises international standards and practices more widely. There is now a common definition of pharmaceutical products and medical devices in the EU and South Korea.
You can read about the pharmaceutical products and medical devices covered by the agreement here: Annex 2-D Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices.
The EU and South Korea have agreed to
For pricing and reimbursement, both sides have agreed to ensure that
EU manufacturers no longer have to produce cars specifically for the South Korean market or conduct expensive tests to demonstrate compliance with safety standards.
South Korea now accepts UNECE international standards or EU standards as equivalent to all major South Korean technical regulations. If your vehicles comply with these standards, your product does not need to meet any additional requirements to export under the EU-South Korea trade agreement.
Tests conducted in the EU are now recognised by South Korea. South Korea will also recognise EU On-Board Diagnostic Devices that conform to the Euro 6 norm as equivalent to South Korean standards.
You can read more about emission standards here.
Detailed provisions on motor vehicles and parts covered by the agreement can be found under Annex 2-C Motor Vehicles and Parts and its Appendixes.
The trade agreement preserves EU rules and regulations in the chemical sector and introduces cooperation on regulatory transparency in areas such as
You can read about the chemicals covered by the agreement here: Annex 2-E Chemicals .
EU and South Korea cooperate on recognising disease-free areas to increase predictability for you as an exporter.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) is responsible for veterinary controls of
The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency is the relevant authority for pest risk analysis for designated plants.
The national Biosafety Clearing House in South Korea provides information and expertise on genetically modified organisms and serves as a place to exchange such information.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the Official Contact Point for inquiries regarding
Find the specific rules and requirements for your product in My Trade Assistant.
Although technical rules are important, at times they can act as a barrier to international trade and can thus be a considerable burden for you as an exporter.
The agreement ensures more transparent and simplified customs procedures to facilitate trade and reduce costs for businesses.
The step-by-step guides describe the different types of documents you should prepare for the customs clearance of your products.
Depending on your product, the customs authorities may require all or some of the elements below
For more certainty, you may also wish to apply for Binding Tariff Information , and/or Binding Origin Information in advance.
For detailed information about the documents you need to present for customs clearance for your product, go to My Trade Assistant .
For a description of how to prove the origin of your products to claim a preferential tariff and of the rules relating to the verification of origin by customs authorities, please refer to the section on rules of origin above.
For information on customs procedure for import and export in general, visit DG Taxation and Customs Union.
The EU and South Korea have agreed to
The agreement sets up a Customs Committee that can discuss and resolve any differences on customs and trade facilitation matters, including
Find the specific customs clearance procedures and documents for your product in My Trade Assistant.
The EU-South Korea free trade agreement promotes strong enforcement of intellectual property rights by customs authorities and complements the minimum standards in the WTO`s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
You can read more about the benefits of IP rights here.
You can read more about how the EU-South Korea free trade agreement protects your intellectual property rights here.
The European IPR Helpdesk offers a Helpline service for direct support on intellectual property.
The trade agreement provides clear rules for registering trademarks in the EU and South Korea. This gives you the opportunity to oppose the registration of a trademark.
A public electronic database of applications and registrations is available for you to check trademarks. The database also details the rights given to registered and unregistered designs.
What to do if intellectual property is used without permission?
The trade agreement details enforcement measures in case of IPR infringements such as
It includes some stronger protections on copyright and designs and enforces IP rights based on EU rules (complementing the WTO TRIPS Agreement)
Customs officials can intervene at the border if they suspect that goods infringing an intellectual property right are being imported or exported.
The EU-South Korea trade agreement protects European Geographical Indications (GIs) for
The EU has protected about 160 GIs that it sees as the most commercially important.
The agreement lists the GIs that are covered in two attachments.
Wines and spirits are covered in Annex 10-B of the agreement, and include for example:
Champagne, Grappa, Ribera del Duero, Ouzo and Scotch or Irish Whiskey.
Agricultural products and foodstuffs are covered in Annex 10-A of the agreement, and include:
Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, Roquefort, Guijuelo, Turrón de Alicante and Bayerisches Bier.
The Geographical Indications are protected against
You can benefit from a more open South Korean services market under the trade agreement.
The rules cover
This means that you can either provide your services from an EU country or establish an office, branch or subsidiary in South Korea if you prefer.
These benefits apply to EU companies in more than 100 services sectors, including
List of South Korea’s specific commitments to open up its services market to EU companies.
Interested in tendering for government contracts for supplies, services or construction works in South Korea?
The EU-South Korea trade agreement provides you with better opportunities to bid for South Korean government procurement contracts.
South Korea and the EU had already agreed to open up bidding for public procurement contracts to foreign companies under the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA).
The EU-South Korea trade agreement expands the contracts for which you can compete. In South Korea, EU firms can now bid for ‘build-operate-transfer’ (BOT) contracts (concession services). If your business is an EU construction and service supplier, you can compete for big infrastructure projects in South Korea, such as building and operating highways.
The agreement covers investment in both services and other economic activities, including
The EU and South Korea have agreed to enforce strong competition laws.
The agreement deals with unfair and anti-competitive business practices effectively, including
The agreement ensures that competition rules also apply to state-controlled companies or enterprises and forbids certain types of subsidies seen as particularly harmful to competition
Additionally, the trade agreement requires subsidies to be transparent. If either the EU or South Korea use any subsidies, they have to report the total amount, type and supply of the subsidies every year.
These subsidy rules apply to all products, except agriculture and fisheries.
The EU and South Korea have agreed on high labour and environmental standards that protect workers and the environment. The agreement sets up mechanisms to make sure these commitments are met, including through involving civil society.
The EU and South Korea agreed to strong monitoring mechanisms that include public scrutiny. This means you have more information and there are places to raise concerns on labour and environmental issues that affect your business in South Korea.
Korea Customs Service
Korea Customs Service Building 1, Government Complex-Daejeon, 189 Cheongsa-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon, 35208, KOREA
World Customs Organisation
Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Korea
Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Korea 11th Floor, Seoul Square, 416 Hangang-daero, Jung-gu Seoul, 04637, KOREA
Tel.: +82 23704 1700
Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the Kingdom of Belgium and the European Union
Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the Kingdom of Belgium and the European Union Chaussee de la Hulpe 173-175, 1170 Brussels (Watermael-Boitsfort), BELGIUM
Tel.: + 32 2675 5777
Fax: + 32 2675 5221 / +32 2662 2305
Korea International Trade Association (KITA)
KITA 511, Yeongdongdae-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, KOREA
Tel.: +82 1566 5114
Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA)
KOTRA (06792) 13, Heolleung-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul, KOREA
Tel.: +82 1600 7119
BuyKOREA
Tel.: +82 23460 7432
Fax: +82 23460 7958
EU4Business
EU4Business Secretariat De Kleetlaan 2, B-1831 Diegem BELGIUM Tel: +32 2749 1851 Email: secretariat@eu4business.eu
Bank of Korea
67, Sejong-daero Jung-gu, Seoul, 04514, KOREA
Tel.: +82 2759 4114
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA)
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) Government Complex Sejong 94, Dasom 2-ro KR-339012 Sejong City, KOREA
Tel.: +82 2 61969110
Fax: +82 44 8680846
Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (QIA)
Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (QIA) 177, Hyeoksin 8-ro Gyeongsangbuk-do KR-39660 Gimcheon-si, KOREA
Tel.: +82 54 9121000, +82 54 9120605, +82 54 9120627
Fax: +82 54 9120635
Ministry for Food and Drug Safety (MFDS)
Ministry for Food and Drug Safety 187, Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro Osong-eup Heungdeok-gu Cheongju-si Chungcheongbuk-do, KOREA [28159]
Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)
Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) 125 Gwahangno Yuseong-gu KR-34141 Daejeon, KOREA
Tel: +82 42 8798300
Fax: +82 42 8798309
Official Contact Point (OCP) for toxic chemicals
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 60, Sajik-ro 8-gil Jongno-gu KR-03172 Seoul, KOREA
Tel: +82 2 21002114, +82 2 21007794
Fax: +82 2 21007999, +82 2 21008470
Public Procurement Service (PPS)
PPS Headquarters; Government Complex Daejeon Building 3, 189, Cheongsa-ro Seo-gu, Daejeon, KOREA
Tel: +82 7005 67470 Fax: +82 505 480 1211
Korea Online E-Procurement System (KONEPS)