Freight forwarding for USA imports and exports, including vehicle shipping by air and sea

Gross domestic product and the private sector

The United States has a large and diversified economy. Gross domestic product, or GDP, measures the total value of goods and services produced in a country during a year, after deducting intermediate inputs.

In 2016, the USA generated GDP of US$18.6 trillion, equivalent to approximately one quarter of global GDP of US$73.9 trillion in that year.

The original profile highlighted the substantial role of private enterprise and a lower government expenditure share than in many European economies. Its examples of major companies included the oil sector, with Exxon Mobil, Chevron and ConocoPhillips; retail, with Wal-Mart Stores; and vehicle manufacturing, with General Motors. These examples and rankings describe the historical period of the profile.

Per-capita income: figures from the original profile

The original comparison also showed high US economic output relative to population, reporting GDP per capita of US$55,804. It compared this with higher values in economies such as Luxembourg, Switzerland, Macao, Qatar and Norway. The figure and comparison are historical rather than an updated ranking.

The same profile reported a gross-national-income-based per-capita income for the USA of €50,455, placing it tenth in the historical comparison, behind Australia, Denmark and Sweden. These values should not be used as current income or purchasing-power data.

Trade balance: the historical deficit

The United States has recorded a substantial trade deficit over many years. In the figures cited for 2016, imports exceeded exports, producing a trade deficit of approximately US$734.3 billion.

The original analysis identified three contributing factors:

• strong US economic growth accompanied by rising imports;
• increases in real exchange rates; and
• US consumer demand for foreign goods, discussed further under g) Import goods

Countries of origin for US imports

For 2013, the original profile recorded US imports worth US$2,267.6 billion.

The three largest sources of US imports in that historical comparison were the country’s northern and southern neighbours, Canada and Mexico, together with China. The profile attributed 16.4% of imports to Canada, 14.6% to China and 13.2% to Mexico in 2013.

Germany ranked fifth after Japan, accounting for approximately 3%. Important import categories included cars and vehicle parts, crude oil, computers and pharmaceuticals. The figures and rankings refer to that historical period.

Destinations for US exports

The original profile recorded lower exports than imports for 2013, with exports worth US$1,578.9 billion. In that year, Canada and Mexico led the destination ranking with 19% and 14.3% respectively, followed by China with 7.7%.

Germany was placed fifth alongside the United Kingdom, after Japan, in the historical comparison. The profile identified crude oil, aerospace products, cars, gas turbines and pharmaceuticals among significant US export categories. This is historical background rather than a current trade ranking.

US exports to Germany: product categories in the historical profile

The profile recorded goods exports from the USA to Germany worth US$49.4 billion in 2016.

It highlighted machinery, representing 26.8% of the recorded US exports to Germany; transport equipment, at 18.4%; and the chemical industry, at 21.8%.

The cited product shares included:

• Cars and vehicle parts: 11% and 1.2% respectively
  • In the original period comparison, the USA ranked third among vehicle-exporting countries after Germany and Japan. US production included vehicles made by international manufacturers such as BMW, Daimler, Toyota and Honda, as well as General Motors, Ford and US brands of the then Fiat Chrysler group. The company names and ranking reflect that historical period.
• Pharmaceuticals: 7%
• Gas turbines: 6.6%
• Aircraft, helicopters and spacecraft: 4.4%
• Medical instruments: 3.3%

US imports from Germany: product categories in the historical profile

The original profile recorded goods imported into the USA from Germany worth US$114.2 billion in 2016.

These US imports from Germany were concentrated in three broad sectors:

• Approximately one third of the recorded import value came from the transport sector, including cars, commercial vehicles, shipping and aerospace products.
  • Germany’s importance as a vehicle exporter was reflected in its trade with the USA: cars and vehicle parts accounted for 22% and 4.6% respectively of US imports from Germany in the cited 2015 figures. BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen were prominent manufacturers in that discussion. The original reference to Donald Trump’s tariff announcements belongs to that historical context; today’s import measures must be checked separately for each shipment.
• A little over one quarter of the recorded US imports from Germany came from mechanical engineering, reflecting German manufacturing strengths in products such as gas turbines, engines, gearboxes, valves and pumps.
• The third major sector was the chemical industry, with 17% of the recorded US import value from Germany.
  • The profile also highlighted pharmaceutical and medical technology companies. In its 2015 figures, pharmaceuticals represented 9.8% of the recorded value and medical instruments and equipment, including X-ray and measuring devices, a further 4.64%. These percentages refer to the historical source period.

Borders and geography

The United States occupies a large part of North America. Its northern land border with Canada is approximately 8,895 kilometres long, including about 2,477 kilometres along Alaska.

Its southern land border with Mexico extends for approximately 1,954 miles (3,145 kilometres). The original profile’s discussion of a proposed border wall related to the political debate at that time and is not a description of the current construction programme.

The USA also has Atlantic and Pacific coastlines. Hawaii lies roughly 6,600 kilometres from Japan, while Alaska and Russia are separated by a much shorter distance across the Bering Strait. The Little Diomede area illustrates this proximity and the familiar observation: You can see Russia from Alaska!

Economic complexity: the historical US profile

The original profile placed the USA fifth in a 2015 economic-complexity ranking, after Japan, Switzerland, Germany and Sweden. That historical ranking reflects a broad industrial base, skilled workers and specialised knowledge networks. The country produces many complex goods and is closely integrated into international production and trade. The ranking is not presented as current.

Customs requirements when importing from the USA into Germany

Customs duties on US goods entering the EU

Goods imported from the USA are subject to EU customs rules, administered in Germany by the German customs authority. Depending on the goods and transaction, these include import prohibitions, restrictions, duties and taxes.

Product rules also apply, including health, safety and environmental requirements imposed by EU or German authorities. Relevant requirements can apply to private as well as business imports. Classification, origin, customs value and intended use must be established before the shipment is booked.

• Do not assume that consignments worth up to €150 are automatically exempt from customs duty. From 1 July 2026, the former low-value duty relief was removed. A temporary €3 duty per item category applies to qualifying low-value IOSS or postal imports under the specific EU rules; it is not a universal €3 charge for every freight shipment. The appropriate customs procedure and applicable tariff must be checked, and import VAT may also be due.
• For other consignments, including goods valued above €150, the applicable duty depends on tariff classification, origin and the measures in force; some tariff lines may have a zero rate. Classification is checked against TARIC, the EU customs tariff.
• Storage, inspection, handling or other service charges may arise in addition to customs duties and taxes. Their application depends on the shipment and service arrangement.

Goods requiring a customs declaration must be declared under the appropriate procedure. Germany uses the electronic ATLAS system for customs processing.

For a vehicle purchased in the USA and shipped to Germany, the purchase documents, transport costs, vehicle classification, origin and customs value must be assessed before import. The applicable duty must be checked in the current EU tariff, including any relevant EU-US measures; old blanket rates for cars, pickups or motorcycles are not a reliable quotation. German import VAT is generally 19%, assessed on the statutory tax base rather than the purchase price alone. Customs or handling charges may also apply.

Before road registration, the vehicle must meet the applicable German approval requirements. Depending on the vehicle, technical inspection and modifications may be necessary, for example to lighting, speedometer displays or tyres. The necessary work must be assessed individually; not every US vehicle can be registered without further conditions.

Import VAT and excise duties

Imports from non-EU countries such as the USA are generally subject to import VAT. In Germany, customs administers this tax alongside any applicable customs duty. The standard rate is 19%; a reduced rate of 7% applies to qualifying goods under the statutory rules. The tax base can include customs value, customs duty and certain incidental costs, rather than the goods price alone.

The former €22 import-VAT exemption ended on 1 July 2021 and must not be used when planning a shipment. Particular procedures, exemptions or reliefs may apply only where their conditions are met.

Alcohol, tobacco and energy products may additionally be subject to excise duties.

Import requirements when exporting to the USA

The United States is a member of the World Trade Organization and the World Customs Organization. The former TTIP negotiations ended without an agreement and were formally closed in 2019; they are not ongoing negotiations. More recent EU-US trade arrangements and the current US tariff measures must be checked for the specific product, origin and entry date.

Imports are supervised by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, together with other competent agencies. Customs cooperation includes supply-chain security and inspection programmes involving overseas ports.

US import requirements are governed by customs and trade legislation and implementing regulations. Security requirements introduced after the attacks of September 2001 remain an important part of shipment planning, alongside current product-specific and trade-control rules.

• Informal entry is generally available for qualifying merchandise valued at no more than US$2,500, subject to the goods, exclusions and CBP requirements. The value alone does not guarantee eligibility, and simplified entry does not remove product, duty or tax obligations.
• Formal entry generally requires entry or release information and an entry summary for duty assessment and statistical reporting. Electronic filings are made through the Automated Commercial Environment, or ACE, under the applicable procedure and deadlines.

Responsibility for the import declaration and compliance rests with the importer of record. Eligible foreign companies can act as non-resident importers, subject to CBP registration, identification, agent and bond requirements. A licensed US customs broker can prepare and file entries where authorised; the precise arrangement must be established for the shipment rather than assuming that every foreign importer follows the same procedure.

• Some tariff lines, including certain machinery, may carry a zero ordinary customs-duty rate. This does not guarantee duty-free entry: classification, origin and any additional tariff measures or trade remedies must be checked in the current US tariff.
• The applicable US duty is determined using the current Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, together with relevant additional measures and exemptions. The merchandise processing fee for applicable formal entries is generally 0.3464%, subject to annually adjusted minimum and maximum amounts and any exemption. The harbour maintenance fee is generally 0.125% on applicable commercial vessel cargo at covered ports, subject to its own rules. These fees should not be applied indiscriminately to every shipment.
• Excise taxes may apply to particular goods, including alcohol, tobacco and certain energy products.
• Certain goods require an import permit or other authorisation; firearms are one example. The competent agency and the product rules must be checked in advance.
• Import prohibitions or restrictions can apply to particular products, origins, parties or end uses. Current sanctions and other trade controls must be assessed before acceptance.

Requirements of other US agencies can apply in addition to customs rules. These may cover safety, energy efficiency, health and environmental protection. For food, FDA requirements can include facility registration and prior notice where applicable; this is not a blanket FDA approval of every food shipment. Vehicle imports can be subject separately to EPA emissions rules and Department of Transportation/NHTSA safety requirements. OSHA requirements may be relevant to workplace equipment and its use; the applicable product and workplace rules must be identified individually.

Further information on US customs procedures is available here in English.

Sources used in the original historical country profile

https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/14418/umfrage/bruttoinlandsprodukt-in-den-usa/

https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/159798/umfrage/entwicklung-des-bip-bruttoinlandsprodunkt-weltweit/

https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/166224/umfrage/ranking-der-20-laender-mit-dem-groessten-bruttoinlandsprodukt-pro-kopf/

https://www.laenderdaten.info/durchschnittseinkommen.php

https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/15635/umfrage/handelsbilanz-der-usa/

https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/highlights/top/top1312yr.html

https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c4280.html

http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/usa/

http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/visualize/tree_map/hs92/export/deu/usa/show/2015/

http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/visualize/tree_map/hs92/import/deu/usa/show/2015/

http://atlas.media.mit.edu/de/rankings/country/eci/

http://www.gtai.de/GTAI/Navigation/DE/Trade/Recht-Zoll/zoll,t=basiswissen-einfuhr-in-den-usa,did=1612368.html

http://www.exportmanager-online.de/2014/ausgabe-9-2014/herausforderung-import-in-die-usa/

https://www.mehrwertsteuerrechner.de/einfuhrumsatzsteuer-eust/#Einfuhrumsatzsteuer_USA

CARFAX — vehicle import-history check