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India FTA Duty Toolkit

Rules of Origin for linear low-density polyethylene (lldpe) — Dubai (UAE) to India

HS 39011010 · I. PRIMARY FORMS POLYMERS OF ETHYLENE · Rules of Origin & preferential rate

Data last updated: · MFN duty & IGST verified against ICEGATE (Indian Customs EDI). Rules of Origin per CEPA Annex 3B. Verify your exact HS line before filing.

CEPA benefit is quota-limited

The India–UAE CEPA concession on this line is a tariff-rate quota, not an open rate: 3.75% basic customs duty applies on the first 67,500 MT imported this year — a volume shared across HS 39011010, 39011020, 39011090 — and imports beyond it pay the 7.5% rate shown below. Annex 2A modality: "TR of 50% in 5 years with specified year-wise TRQs" (Annex 2A-82); Year 5 of the schedule is calendar 2026. source ↗

CEPA eligible
Yes, within quota
Value addition (RVC)
40%
Tariff-classification change
CTSH Annex 3B rule set at chapter level — it covers the whole chapter, not this code alone
MFN → CEPA basic duty
7.5% → 3.75% in quota / 7.5% beyond

Rule of Origin (CEPA Annex 3B, primary source): CTSH + VA 40% (CEPA Annex 3B Product-Specific Rule; tariff-shift AND value addition both required).

Qualifying under the Rules of Origin

To claim the CEPA preference on linear low-density polyethylene (lldpe) (HS 39011010), the goods must qualify as UAE-originating. The Product-Specific Rule (Annex 3B) is "CTSH + VA 40% (CEPA Annex 3B Product-Specific Rule; tariff-shift AND value addition both required)": the goods must undergo a change of tariff sub-heading (CTSH) AND add at least 40% regional value content — both conditions, not either/or. Read that rule for what it is: Annex 3B supplies it at chapter level, so it governs hundreds of eight-digit codes rather than this one. It is the correct rule to apply, and it is also the place to check for a more specific carve-out before committing to a claim. Qualifying on origin is necessary but not sufficient here, because India's offer on this line is a tariff-rate quota: a shipment with a valid Certificate of Origin still pays 7.5% once the year's volume is drawn, and the quota is allocated rather than claimed at the border. LLDPE is the workhorse polymer for stretch film, packaging and agricultural sheet, and India is a large net importer. CEPA neither leaves it at the 7.5% MFN rate nor opens it: India conceded a tariff-rate quota, so 3.75% applies on the first 67,500 MT a year — a volume shared with LDPE (39011020) and 39011090 — and 7.5% beyond. Domestic cracker capacity is a protected investment, and a capped concession shows movement on polymers without exposing it. The 18% IGST is recoverable. The practical question is quota allocation first, grade and freight second, live anti-dumping measures third. Two further points an importer on this line needs. The quota is national and year-wise rather than allocated per importer, so the rate that applies to a given consignment depends on how much of the year's volume has already been drawn by everyone else — a timing risk no contract can remove. And origin still has to be proved separately: a sub-heading change plus 40% value addition, which a UAE polymerisation plant meets and a compounder blending imported resin does not. A valid Certificate of Origin filed through the eCoO 2.0 system must accompany the shipment; without it, customs charges the 7.5% MFN rate instead of the preference.

Check your own figures in the Rules of Origin (RVC) qualifier. Qualifying is only half of it — the preference is claimed with a Certificate of Origin, issued in the UAE before shipment or retrospectively within 12 months.

Frequently asked questions

Does linear low-density polyethylene (lldpe) qualify for India–UAE CEPA?
Yes, but the benefit is capped: India's offer on this line is a tariff-rate quota of 3.75% basic customs duty on the first 67,500 MT, and the 7.5% rate beyond it. Origin still has to be proved: the Annex 3B rule is "CTSH + VA 40% (CEPA Annex 3B Product-Specific Rule; tariff-shift AND value addition both required).".
What is the Rule of Origin for linear low-density polyethylene (lldpe)?
Per CEPA Annex 3B: CTSH + VA 40% (CEPA Annex 3B Product-Specific Rule; tariff-shift AND value addition both required).. RVC% = [(FOB − value of non-originating materials) / FOB] × 100 (FOB basis).
What proof is needed at import?
A preferential Certificate of Origin filed through eCoO 2.0, presented at customs before clearance. Without it, the 7.5% MFN duty applies.