South Korea runs one of the world's most competitive, export-oriented petrochemical industries, and it is a familiar non-EU source of the polypropylene the EU imports — the polymer behind automotive parts, packaging, fibres and household goods.
The panel below pulls the latest official figures from Eurostat: how many tonnes of polypropylene the EU imported from South Korea 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 South Korea's share of all polypropylene the EU imports from outside the bloc.
The tariff advantage
Thanks to the EU–South Korea free-trade agreement (in force since 2011), South Korean polypropylene generally enters the EU duty-free (0%) instead of paying the standard 6.5% most-favoured-nation rate that applies to origins without an agreement. That preference is a genuine cost edge for Korean resin versus, say, Saudi or (historically) US material — one reason FTA status is worth watching alongside the headline price. Rules-of-origin conditions apply, and the exact rate for a given 10-digit code should 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 South Korea a major polypropylene supplier to the EU?
Yes — its export-focused petrochemical sector makes it a notable non-EU source. The live figures above show its latest tonnes, value and share.
What tariff applies to Korean polypropylene?
Generally 0% under the EU–Korea FTA, versus the 6.5% MFN rate for non-FTA origins. Confirm 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: Polypropylene (PP) overview · EU polypropylene import tariff by country · EU polypropylene import statistics.