China
France trade laneFrench workshops and manufacturers buy a great deal of their machinery from China, and much of it comes from Guangdong. Lunjiao in Shunde is one of China's main woodworking-machinery centres, Foshan builds ceramic and stone-processing equipment and plastics machinery, and laser cutters, press brakes and CNC machining centres come from clusters across the coastal provinces. AGF's own Foshan office sits in the middle of it.
What decides whether a Chinese machine can be used in France is European paperwork, not Chinese paperwork: CE conformity with a proper technical file, instructions in French, an EU-based operator responsible for the product, and a check that the product is not under EU antidumping measures. Our Foshan team coordinates suppliers, checks nameplates, documents and packing before loading, and supervises the container. In France, clearance and delivery run through our WCA partner agents and a licensed customs representative (représentant en douane enregistré); AGF has no office in France.
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Shipping Machinery from China to France
South China cargo sails from Nansha, Shekou or Yantian to Le Havre or Dunkirk on Asia–North Europe services, or to Marseille-Fos on Mediterranean services. Carriers choose between the Suez Canal and the Cape of Good Hope service by service — the Cape adds roughly 10–15 days — so we confirm the routing and transit on each booking. Rail is an option only via the Middle Corridor through Kazakhstan and across the Caspian; we do not book rail that crosses Russia or Belarus.
Crated machines go in 40ft high cube or 20ft containers; machines that do not fit go on open top or flat rack. A voyage of five weeks or more through tropical heat makes corrosion the classic claim, so machines are wrapped in VCI film with desiccant and braced to the container. Our Foshan team checks the bracing and photographs the loading before the container is sealed.
- Foshan-office supplier coordination, pre-shipment checks and loading supervision
- Asia–North Europe services to Le Havre or Dunkirk; Mediterranean services to Marseille-Fos
- Open top and flat rack for out-of-gauge machines; VCI film and desiccant against corrosion
- Middle Corridor rail via Kazakhstan as an alternative — never via Russia or Belarus
What Drives the Cost
- Container type — standard, open top or flat rack — set by the crated dimensions
- Routing via Suez or the Cape, and the surcharges that come with it
- EU antidumping or anti-subsidy duty on the specific product, where a measure applies
- CE work: technical file, French translations and notified-body involvement for some categories
- Consolidation of machines and spares from several suppliers into one shipment
- French delivery: exceptional-transport permits and offloading at the site
HS Codes and Duty Notes
Classification guidance only — duty rates change and depend on your exact product. Codes are confirmed with the licensed customs representative at destination before you ship.
| HS Code | Products | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8465 | Woodworking machinery — panel saws, edge banders, CNC routers | A core Shunde product. Dust extraction and guarding are the usual CE gaps on low-cost machines. |
| 8456 / 8462 | Laser and other beam cutting machines; press brakes, punching and forming machines | Laser cutters also need the laser-safety classification and enclosure documented in the technical file. |
| 8477 | Plastics and rubber machinery — injection moulding and extrusion | Ancillary units — chillers, dryers, robots — often classify separately from the main machine. |
| 8427 / 8428 | Forklifts, hand pallet trucks and other lifting and handling equipment | Hand pallet trucks and their essential parts from China are under EU antidumping duty, renewed in 2024. Check the exact product against TARIC before ordering. |
| 8474 | Machinery for stone, ceramics and mineral processing | A Foshan specialty. Large kilns and presses often ship in sections on flat racks. |
Regulations and Compliance
CE marking — the machine and its electrics
Machinery placed on the EU market needs a declaration of conformity, a technical file and CE marking under the Machinery Directive, replaced by the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 from 20 January 2027, with the low-voltage, EMC and RoHS rules alongside. A 'CE certificate' from a Chinese test lab is not the same thing: what counts is the manufacturer's declaration backed by a technical file. We check what the supplier can actually provide before you pay the balance.
An EU-based operator and French instructions
Products from manufacturers outside the EU need an economic operator established in the EU who is responsible for compliance and named on the product or its packaging, and the importer's name and address must appear as well. Instructions and the declaration of conformity must be supplied in French. These are the French buyer's responsibilities, and they are easiest to secure in the purchase contract.
EU antidumping and anti-subsidy measures
EU trade defence applies to specific products from China rather than to machinery as a whole — hand pallet trucks are a long-standing example, renewed in 2024 — and new investigations are opened regularly. Measures follow the product description and Chinese origin, often with company-specific rates, and routing through a third country to avoid them is investigated as circumvention. These goods are heavily tariffed, not banned; we check TARIC for your exact product at quoting.
CBAM touches the spare parts, not the machine — for now
The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism does not cover finished machines today, but loose steel and aluminium items shipped alongside them — fasteners, structures, profiles — can be in scope. The Commission has proposed extending CBAM to around 180 downstream steel- and aluminium-intensive products, including industrial machinery, from 2028. Keep loose steel parts on a separate invoice line so they can be assessed.
Customs representation and VAT
The French importer needs an EORI number and a customs representative to lodge the declaration. Duty follows the EU tariff line for the machine, and import VAT at 20% is accounted for on the VAT return by French VAT-registered businesses (autoliquidation), so it does not have to be paid at the border.
Door-to-Door Shipping Service
Send us the supplier details, the pro forma and drawings. Our Foshan team coordinates with the factory, checks the nameplate, CE documentation and French manuals, inspects the crating and preservation, consolidates spares and accessories, and supervises loading with photos. Export clearance in China is completed before the container sails.
In France our WCA partner agent and a licensed customs representative clear the shipment at Le Havre, Dunkirk or Marseille-Fos and deliver to your site, with exceptional-transport permits where the dimensions require them. Urgent spares can follow by air. AGF has no office in France.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to ship a machine from China to France?
Is a CE certificate from a Chinese supplier enough?
How long does shipping from China to France take?
Are there anti-dumping duties on Chinese machinery in the EU?
Machinery is just one example. AGF ships whatever your business moves — on this lane and beyond. If your commodity isn't covered by one of our guides, tell us what you ship and we'll build the logistics around it.
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