The US shale boom turned American producers into some of the world's most cost-competitive polyethylene exporters, and Europe is a major outlet for those cargoes. That makes the United States one of the EU's most important non-EU sources of the polymer behind films, pipes, bottles and packaging.
The panel below pulls the latest official figures from Eurostat: how many tonnes of polyethylene the EU imported from the United States in the most recent reported month, the total value, the implied customs unit value in euros per tonne (a declared trade average, not a spot market price), the year-on-year change, and the US share of all polyethylene the EU imports from outside the bloc.
The tariff picture is changing
The EU's standard most-favoured-nation duty on polyethylene is 6.5%, but a 2025 EU–US arrangement is set to remove that duty on US polyethylene — a meaningful shift that lowers the landed cost of American resin relative to origins that still pay the full rate. Because trade arrangements evolve, the legally applicable rate for a given 10-digit code and shipment should always be confirmed in the EU's official TARIC database.
How this page is built
Every number here is computed live in your browser from Eurostat's COMEXT trade database, reused under the European Commission's free-reuse terms with attribution. "Extra-EU" means trade with countries outside the EU. Figures are indicative and are not spot, contract or settlement prices. MatQuo is an analytical tool, not investment advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is the US a major polyethylene supplier to the EU?
Yes — American resin, cheap thanks to shale-based feedstock, is a leading non-EU source. The live figures above show its latest tonnes, value and share.
What tariff applies to US polyethylene?
Historically 6.5% MFN, but a 2025 EU–US arrangement removes the duty on US polyethylene. Confirm the current rate in TARIC.
How fresh is the data?
Eurostat publishes monthly trade with roughly a two-month lag; this page always shows the latest available month.
See also: Polyethylene (PE) overview · EU polyethylene import tariff by country · EU polyethylene import statistics.