Exporting to the Slovak Republic

The EU is a customs union and its member countries (including Slovakia) form a single territory for customs purposes. This means no customs duties are paid on goods moving between EU countries. All countries apply a common customs tariff for goods imported from outside the EU. Goods that have been legally imported can circulate throughout the EU with no further customs checks.

A large number of complex and differing national laws have been replaced by a unified set of European regulations, reducing costs and simplifying processes for businesses wishing to trade across EU countries. The EU market for goods is already well-integrated and harmonized across its 28 member states. However, for the market to function smoothly, businesses must adhere to various rules and compete fairly. To engage in EU trade, it’s essential to understand and follow the correct procedures.

These cover:

• Classifying products and finding the correct product codes;
• Completing a customs declaration with the necessary documents, including a single administrative document, commercial invoice, freight documents, insurance papers and a packing list;
• Calculating applicable tariffs and quotas, for example, for agricultural products, value-added tax rates and excise duties in EU countries;
• Preparing a product for export so that it complies with the product-specific requirements related to safety, health, animal health, packaging and labelling, and marketing standards;
• Finding the relevant national authorities and border inspection posts.

EU Trade Helpdesk provides a free online service covering all import rules in force in the EU on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis:
https://trade.ec.europa.eu/access-to-markets/en/content/welcome-access2markets-trade-helpdesk-users

Financial Administration of the Slovak Republic - General Information on Customs and Excise Duties:

https://www.financnasprava.sk/en/businesses/customs-duty.