How to Import from Germany? | Cost and Customs Guide

Germany is Europe's largest economy and one of Turkey's most important trading partners. Imports from Germany are made in many sectors, especially machinery, equipment, spare parts, automotive components, chemical products and industrial raw materials. Thanks to the Customs Union agreement between Turkey and the EU, there are customs duty advantages for industrial products; however, benefiting from this advantage depends on certain documents and conditions.

In this guide, we explain all critical steps for companies that want to import from Germany, from supplier research to customs processes, and from the A.TR certificate to total cost calculation.

To compare import options from different countries, you can review our Import from Countries Guide page.

General Advantages of Importing from Germany

The prominent advantages of importing from Germany for companies in Turkey are:

High product quality and standards: German manufacturers are known worldwide for quality and engineering excellence.
Customs Union advantage: Customs duty exemption can be provided with the A.TR certificate for EU-origin industrial products.
Reliable supply chain: Delivery times and logistics infrastructure are strong.
Geographical proximity: Direct access by road is possible; transit times are much shorter compared to the Far East.
CE conformity: The vast majority of products comply with EU CE standards.

Product and Supplier Research

Before importing from Germany, you need to research your target product and potential suppliers in detail:

Sectoral trade fairs: International fairs such as Hannover Messe, Automechanika and MEDICA are strong resources for finding suppliers.
Chambers of industry and IHK: Company verification can be done through the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK).
Online platforms: B2B platforms such as Wer liefert was (wlw.de), Europages and Kompass can be used.

After identifying supplier candidates, the company verification process should begin. With a professional overseas supplier research service, the company's commercial registry record, financial situation and production capacity should be checked.

Company and Offer Verification

To verify supplier reliability when importing from Germany:

Check the Handelsregister (commercial register) record.
Review the company's year of establishment, number of employees and annual turnover.
Request feedback from reference customers.
Request samples and evaluate product quality on site.

Make sure that the proforma invoice clearly states the product description, unit price, total amount, payment terms, delivery time and Incoterms clause.

Proforma Invoice and Incoterms Check

The proforma invoice is the official starting document of the import process. Commonly used Incoterms clauses in imports from Germany:

EXW (Ex Works): All transportation and risk belong to the buyer.
FCA (Free Carrier): The seller delivers the goods to the carrier at the specified point.
DAP (Delivered at Place): The seller carries the goods to the destination; customs clearance belongs to the buyer.
CIF/CIP: Pricing including insurance and freight.

The selected Incoterms clause directly affects your total import cost. For a detailed cost calculation, you can review our import cost guide.

Road, Air and Other Logistics Options

Transportation options from Germany to Turkey:

Road (TIR): The most common preference. Transit time from Germany to Turkey is generally between 4-7 days. Partial and full load options are available.
Air: Preferred for urgent and high-value cargo. Transit time is 1-3 days, but the cost is high.
Sea: Container transportation can be made from Hamburg or Bremerhaven ports for large-volume and heavy cargo.
Express cargo: Services such as DHL, UPS and FedEx can be used for small samples and spare parts shipments.

The logistics choice should be evaluated according to your product volume, weight, urgency and budget.

A.TR Movement Certificate

The A.TR certificate is the document that ensures customs-duty-free movement of industrial products under the Customs Union between Turkey and the EU. When importing from Germany, with the A.TR certificate:

Customs duty is not paid on industrial products.
The document is approved by the customs authority of the exporting country.
The validity period and product scope of the document must be checked.

Important: The A.TR certificate shows that the product is in free circulation in the EU or Turkey; however, it does not prove the origin of the product.

Difference Between A.TR and Certificate of Origin

These two documents are often confused:

Feature	A.TR Movement Certificate	Certificate of Origin
Purpose	Proof of free circulation	Proof of production origin
Scope	Customs Union (industrial products)	Preferential/non-preferential trade agreements
Customs duty effect	Exemption on industrial products	Reduction/exemption depending on the agreement
Issuing authority	Customs of the exporting country	Chamber of commerce or exporter declaration

Critical warning: The A.TR certificate can be issued for products that are not of EU or Turkish origin but have entered free circulation in the EU. In this case, additional customs duty or anti-dumping duty may be applied depending on the product's GTIP (HS code) and country of origin. Therefore, a GTIP-based check should be made for each product.

GTIP, Customs Duty and Additional Customs Duty Risk

The GTIP (Customs Tariff Statistical Position) code of every product imported from Germany must be determined, and according to this code:

Customs duty rate
VAT rate
Surveillance application
Anti-dumping duty
Additional customs duty
Additional financial obligation

should be checked.

Customs duty is generally not applied to industrial products arriving with an A.TR certificate; however, in cases where the product is not of EU or Turkish origin, there may be an additional tax risk depending on the GTIP. Since exact tax rates vary according to the product's GTIP code and technical specifications, it is recommended that you have a GTIP and customs risk assessment made before ordering.

CE and Product Conformity

The vast majority of products imported from Germany bear the CE marking. However:

The CE marking alone does not mean that the product will be imported into Turkey without problems.
For some product groups, conformity inspection is carried out via TAREKS.
The conformity of the product with the relevant technical regulation must also be evaluated.
Documents such as the technical file, test reports and declaration of conformity may be requested at customs.

TAREKS and Product Inspections

TAREKS (Single Window System) is the electronic system that performs conformity inspection for the import of certain product groups:

TAREKS application may be required for product groups such as machinery, electrical devices, personal protective equipment and toys.
As a result of the application, the product may be directed to inspection or may receive direct clearance.
TAREKS requirement is determined according to the product's GTIP code and the relevant technical regulation.

Having your product checked before ordering to see whether it is within the scope of TAREKS prevents unexpected delays at customs.

Total Import Cost

Items that make up the total cost in imports from Germany:

Product price (EXW/FOB/CIF)
Transportation (road, air or sea)
Insurance
Customs duty (generally zero with A.TR; exceptions exist)
VAT
Surveillance difference (if any)
Anti-dumping duty (if any)
Customs brokerage fee
Warehousing and port/terminal expenses
Domestic transportation
Bank charges and exchange rate difference

For an accurate calculation of the total cost, you can benefit from our import cost analysis service.

Pre-Order Checklist

Items to check before placing an order from Germany:

Has the product GTIP code been determined?
Is customs duty exemption valid with the A.TR certificate?
Has the origin status been checked (third-country origin risk)?
Is it within the scope of TAREKS?
Are CE and technical conformity documents available?
Is there surveillance or anti-dumping risk?
Has the total cost calculation been made?
Has supplier verification been completed?
Have the proforma invoice and Incoterms been clarified?
Has logistics planning been made?

Common Mistakes

Assuming that the A.TR certificate replaces the certificate of origin
Thinking that every product will come customs-duty-free
Considering the CE marking sufficient on its own
Placing an order without checking the GTIP
Ignoring TAREKS requirements
Calculating the total cost only as the product price

Frequently Asked Questions

Is customs duty paid on imports from Germany?

Customs duty is generally not applied to EU-origin industrial products or industrial products that have entered free circulation in the EU and arrive with an A.TR movement certificate. However, duty may be applied to agricultural products, some products of third-country origin or products outside the scope of the Customs Union. The exact situation should be evaluated according to the product's GTIP code.

Is an A.TR certificate issued for every product?

The A.TR certificate is issued only for industrial products and processed agricultural products within the scope of the Customs Union. Raw agricultural products and ECSC (coal-steel) products are outside the scope of A.TR.

What is the VAT rate on imports from Germany?

The VAT rate varies according to the product's GTIP code. The general rate is 20%; however, reduced rates such as 10% or 1% may be applied to some product groups.

How long does road transportation from Germany take?

In full TIR loads, the transit time from Germany to Turkey is generally between 4-7 business days. This period may be longer for partial loads.

When is the TAREKS application made?

The TAREKS application must be made before the registration of the customs declaration. Whether the product is within the scope of TAREKS according to its GTIP code should be checked in advance.

Import from Countries Guide — Comparison of China, Germany and Italy
How to Import from Italy? — Italy import process
How to Import from China? — China import guide
How Is Import Cost Calculated? — Total cost guide
What Is GTIP and Its Role in Import? — GTIP guide

Before importing from Germany, would you like to have your product's GTIP, tax, document and cost situation checked?

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