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Market guide · Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland

Sourcing from India and China for Nordic brands.

Nordic brands face two tariff systems. Sweden, Denmark and Finland apply the EU tariff, where Indian industrial goods pay MFN while GSP is suspended. Norway, outside the EU, has applied the India–EFTA TEPA since 1 October 2025, with all non-agricultural Indian goods covered.

1 Oct 2025
India–EFTA TEPA in force (Norway)
100%
of non-agri lines offered to India by EFTA
10.7%
typical Norwegian clothing duty
Duty snapshot · checked 28 September 2026 Goods into Sweden and the Nordics
  • INIndia EU: MFN · Norway: TEPA In flux
  • CNChina EU: MFN · Norway: MFN or GSP No agreement
  • VNVietnam EU: EVFTA · Norway: GSP In force
Full duty picture and sources ↓
The short answer

What Nordic buyers need to know.

As of 28 September 2026. Checked against official sources.

  1. 01

    Sweden, Denmark and Finland apply the EU tariff: MFN for most Indian industrial goods while EU GSP is suspended (2026–2028), EVFTA rates for Vietnam, MFN plus trade defence for China. The EU–India FTA is not in force.

  2. 02

    Norway applies the India–EFTA TEPA since 1 October 2025: EFTA offered duty concessions on all non-agricultural products. That matters most for clothing, where Norway’s duty is usually 10.7%; shoes are duty-free.

  3. 03

    Norway’s own GSP covers China and Vietnam at the standard tier, and India for agricultural products only.

1 · Duty picture

What you pay at the border.

As of 28 September 2026. Every rate depends on the product’s HS code, so treat this as the map and check your own codes before you order.

How duty works in Sweden and the Nordics

  • Duty is charged at the EU Common Customs Tariff rate for the product’s CN code, on the customs value delivered to the EU border (a CIF-type value, so sea freight and insurance count). Import VAT is then charged at the national rate of the country of import.
  • The same tariff applies in every EU member state, so the duty on a product is the same in Hamburg, Rotterdam, Le Havre or Gothenburg. National differences are in VAT, packaging and product EPR, and enforcement.
  • Norway runs its own customs tariff. Most industrial goods enter duty-free; clothing usually carries 10.7% and shoes none. Import VAT in Norway is 25%.
  • A temporary flat customs duty of €3 applies to low-value e-commerce items under €150 from 1 July 2026 until 1 July 2028. Brands shipping direct to consumers should budget for it.
IN
From India

EU: MFN · Norway: TEPA

  • In force

    EU members (Sweden, Denmark, Finland): GSP suspended for most Indian industrial sections from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028; leather goods and some handicrafts keep GSP.

  • Concluded, not in force

    EU–India FTA concluded January 2026, with the Council since September 2026. Not in force.

  • In force

    Norway: India–EFTA TEPA in force since 1 October 2025. EFTA covers 92.2% of tariff lines and 99.6% of India’s exports, including all non-agricultural products. Claim with the TEPA proof of origin.

CN
From China

MFN in the EU; GSP in Norway

  • No agreement

    EU members: MFN, plus anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on specific Chinese products.

  • In force

    Norway: China is on the Norwegian GSP list at the standard tier, which reduces some rates; there is no Norway–China FTA in force.

VN
From Vietnam

EVFTA in the EU; GSP in Norway

  • In force

    EU members: the EVFTA has applied since 1 August 2020, eliminating 99% of tariffs in stages.

  • In force

    Norway: Vietnam is on the Norwegian GSP list at the standard tier.

Agreements and measures that apply

  • India–EFTA TEPANorway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and India
    In forceSince 1 Oct 2025

    Concessions on all non-agricultural products; product-specific rules of origin.

  • EU–India FTAEU and India
    Concluded, not in forceConcluded Jan 2026

    Commission proposals with the Council since September 2026. Signature, Parliament consent and Indian ratification still to come.

  • EU GSP (India)EU → India
    In force1 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2028

    Preferences suspended for most industrial sections; leather goods and some handicrafts keep them.

  • EU–Vietnam FTA (EVFTA)EU and Vietnam
    In forceSince 1 Aug 2020

    99% of tariffs eliminated in stages; proof of origin required.

  • Norwegian GSPNorway → developing countries
    In forceCurrent

    China and Vietnam at the standard tier; India for agricultural products only.

Model it for your product: Find the HS code Compare landed cost

2 · Product compliance

The rules your product has to meet.

EU product law applies in Sweden, Denmark and Finland; Norway applies most of it through the EEA Agreement.

Safety

GPSR and CE marking

The General Product Safety Regulation has applied since 13 December 2024: every consumer product needs an EU-based responsible economic operator, traceability details on the product and a risk analysis. Products under harmonised laws (toys, electrical, radio, machinery, PPE) also need CE marking and a declaration of conformity.

Chemicals

REACH and RoHS

SVHCs above 0.1% in an article must be communicated to customers, Annex XVII restrictions apply to textiles, leather, plastics and more, and electrical goods must meet RoHS substance limits.

REACH guide
Packaging

PPWR, since 12 August 2026

Packaging needs conformity assessment, technical documentation and an EU declaration of conformity. Heavy metals are capped at 100 mg/kg combined, and PFAS limits apply to food-contact packaging.

PPWR guide
Sweden · packaging

Producer responsibility for packaging

Producers register and report each year to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket) and can appoint an approved producer responsibility organisation. Producers established outside Sweden need a written authorised representative.

Denmark, Finland, Norway

National EPR registers

Each country runs its own packaging and WEEE registers and fees, so a brand selling across the Nordics registers country by country. Norway, in the EEA, applies CE marking and REACH but runs its own customs tariff.

Deforestation

EUDR, from 30 December 2026

Wood, rubber, leather from cattle, coffee, cocoa, palm oil and soy products need a due diligence statement with plot geolocation. Micro and small operators follow on 30 June 2027.

EUDR guide
Carbon

CBAM

Importers of steel, aluminium and the other CBAM goods above 50 tonnes a year need authorised declarant status and embedded-emissions data from the plant. The first annual declaration is due by 30 September 2027.

CBAM guide
3 · Getting goods there

Sea lanes, transit times and Incoterms.

Indicative port-to-port planning ranges, not a carrier schedule. Transhipment, blank sailings and routing change them; confirm with the carrier at booking.

  • Ningbo / ShanghaiGothenburg / Aarhus
    35–45days

    Via Suez, often with a feeder from Rotterdam or Bremerhaven

  • Nhava Sheva / MundraGothenburg / Aarhus
    28–40days

    Via Suez and a North Europe hub

  • Ningbo / ShanghaiOslo / Helsinki
    38–50days

    Feeder from a North Europe hub

Routing in September 2026: carriers were returning Asia–Europe services to the Suez Canal gradually, service by service; sailings via the Cape of Good Hope take roughly 10 to 14 days longer.

Incoterms norms

  • FOB (named Indian or Chinese port) is the default for full containers: you control the main freight and insurance, and your forwarder books the vessel.
  • FCA suits LCL and air, and is safer than EXW in India, where an Indian exporter must file the shipping bill for export clearance.
  • For Norway, claim TEPA or GSP with the right proof of origin at import; Norwegian VAT is charged at import.
  • EU customs value includes freight and insurance to the EU border, so CIF-level landed cost is the right basis for comparing India and China quotes.
Pick a term with the Incoterms advisor
4 · India or China

Which country suits which product.

A brand selling in both Sweden and Norway can see different landed costs for the same Indian product. We model both.

IN

Strong from India

About sourcing from India
  • Apparel and home textilesEspecially for Norway, where TEPA removes the usual 10.7% clothing duty for Indian goods.
  • Metal parts and outdoor equipment componentsCastings, machined parts and fabricated frames from Indian engineering clusters.
  • Rugs, décor and furnitureHandmade rugs and wood and metal décor, with EUDR wood evidence planned for EU members.
CN

Strong from China

About sourcing from China
  • Electronics and smart homeComponent depth and CE experience, with WEEE registration per country.
  • Plastic and household goodsFast tooling for private label ranges, priced at MFN in the EU.
  • Outdoor and sports equipmentLarge specialist supplier base for technical products.

Running both? Plan a China + 1 second source

5 · How SourceSquid helps

From duty map to landed container.

Our teams in Bengaluru and Ningbo find, audit and inspect factories for Nordic brands buying from India and China, and collect the evidence your market asks for.

USD 390 · named factories

Supplier shortlist

Named manufacturers in India and China, checked by calls, matched to Nordic requirements.

Free tool

Landed cost calculator

Factory price, freight, duty and taxes side by side, so you compare lanes, not quotes.

Free tool

HS code finder

Find the likely HS code first; every duty rate on this page depends on it.

USD 490 per supplier

FTA duty-saver audit

Rules of origin checked at the factory, up to 5 HS lines, so your zero-duty claim is defensible.

From USD 229 per person-day

Inspections and audits

In-line, pre-shipment and loading inspections by our own team in India and China.

Compliance

PPWR packaging

The Nordic rules above turned into a supplier evidence list, collected at the factory.

Nordics buyer questions

Straight answers.

Checked on 28 September 2026. We update this guide when duties or rules move.

anirudh@sourcesquid.co

Does the India–EFTA agreement apply in Norway?

Yes. The India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) entered into force on 1 October 2025 for Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. EFTA offered concessions on 92.2% of tariff lines, covering 99.6% of India’s exports and all non-agricultural products.

What duty do Indian goods pay in Sweden, Denmark and Finland?

These countries apply the EU tariff. Most Indian industrial goods pay the MFN rate because EU GSP for India is suspended for most industrial sections from 2026 to 2028. The EU–India FTA is concluded but not in force.

What is the customs duty on clothing in Norway?

According to Norwegian Customs, most clothing carries 10.7% duty and shoes carry none, with 25% VAT on top. Goods from a free trade partner, such as Indian goods under TEPA with valid proof of origin, can enter at a reduced or zero rate.

Do Nordic countries have packaging EPR?

Yes. Sweden requires producers to register and report to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, with an authorised representative for producers established outside Sweden. Denmark, Finland and Norway run their own registers, so registration is country by country.

How long does shipping take from China to Gothenburg?

As a planning range, about 35 to 45 days from Ningbo or Shanghai via Suez, often with a feeder leg from Rotterdam or Bremerhaven. Add 10 to 14 days for sailings routed via the Cape of Good Hope.

Start here

Your Nordic landed cost, in 48 hours.

Send one drawing, photo or quote. We return the process chain, the right clusters in India and China, and a landed-cost comparison for your market.

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