German hotel owners, operators and Objekteinrichter (contract fit-out firms) can source guestroom furniture, beds, upholstery and joinery from Turkey with no duty and a short road leg. In German, the job is called Objekteinrichtung or Hoteleinrichtung: a whole property equipped under one order. Rovers reads the BOQ and the drawings (Leistungsverzeichnis and Pläne), prices every line with the Turkish partner factory that fits, issues shop drawings (Werkplanung) and samples for approval, follows production, inspects before packing, delivers to site and installs.
Germany already buys this furniture from Türkiye at scale: it was the second-largest destination for Turkish exports of HS 9403 furniture in 2025, at USD 180.8 million, after Iraq (UN Comtrade).
Duty, VAT and the A.TR
| Item | What applies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Customs duty, wooden furniture (9403 50, 9403 60) | 0% third-country rate; 0% under the customs union | EU tariff (TARIC) via UK Trade Tariff XI view |
| Customs duty, upholstered seats with wooden frames (9401 61) | 0% third-country rate; 0% under the customs union | Same |
| Proof of free circulation | A.TR movement certificate, issued by Turkish customs at export | European Commission, Access2Markets |
| Import VAT (Einfuhrumsatzsteuer) | 19%, collected by German customs; deductible for a VAT-registered buyer | Federal Ministry of Finance |
With the duty at 0% on these lines either way, the A.TR mostly keeps the entry clean. Other lines (metal frames, lighting, mattresses, textiles) have their own codes and are checked one by one on the quote.
Road, or ro-ro and road
| Route | How it runs | Planning figure |
|---|---|---|
| Full truck | Factory to site through the Balkans, one border queue at Kapıkule | 3–6 days Istanbul–Frankfurt (Canxansa, June 2026, market data) |
| Ro-ro and road | Trailer on a ferry from Pendik to Trieste, then driven north | About 34 h at sea (DFDS), then the road leg |
| Container | Port to Hamburg or Bremerhaven, then truck | Used for large single deliveries; quoted per sailing |
Road freight lets each truck carry one floor or one room type, loaded in the order the site installs. A 13.6 m trailer goes from the factory gate to the hotel’s loading bay without being reopened.
Standards German specs ask for
| Item | What the spec usually names | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Board and furniture emissions | Regulation (EU) 2023/1464: 0.062 mg/m³ for furniture and wood-based articles from 6 Aug 2026 | Lower than E1; board test reports are matched to it |
| Upholstered seating and headboards | EN 1021-1 and EN 1021-2 when the fire spec names them | Tested on the fabric, interliner and foam as built |
| Mattresses and upholstered bases | EN 597-1 and EN 597-2 when named | Tested with the cover |
| Wall panelling and fixed joinery | Reaction-to-fire class under EN 13501-1, set by the building’s fire safety concept (Brandschutzkonzept) | Tested on the build-up we make |
Documents and terms
- Commercial invoice and packing list, one line per item code, room type and floor.
- A.TR movement certificate; CMR consignment note by road.
- The German importer’s EORI number and the customs declaration, filed by the importer’s broker.
- Incoterms 2020: DAP site for a delivered price; FCA Turkey for a buyer with a forwarder.
What to send us
Send the Leistungsverzeichnis or BOQ, the drawings, the operator’s brand standard and fire specification, the site postcode and the date the rooms must be ready. No BOQ yet? The drawings or a room count are enough for a first priced schedule.
- European Commission, Access2Markets: EU–Türkiye Customs Union (A.TR movement certificate) · accessed 2026-10-04
- UK Trade Tariff, Northern Ireland (EU tariff) view: 9403 50 00, 9403 60 10, 9403 60 90, 9401 61 00 — third-country duty 0.00%; Türkiye customs union 0.00% · accessed 2026-10-04
- Bundesministerium der Finanzen: Einfuhrumsatzsteuer (19%, reduced 7% for certain goods) · accessed 2026-10-04
- UN Comtrade: Türkiye exports of HS 9403 by partner, 2025 (Germany USD 180.8m, second after Iraq) · accessed 2026-10-04
- Market data: Canxansa, Turkey to Germany road freight (June 2026), FTL Istanbul–Frankfurt 3–6 days · accessed 2026-10-04
- DFDS Türkiye: ro-ro lines (Pendik–Patras–Trieste about 34 h) · accessed 2026-10-04
- EUR-Lex: Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1464, formaldehyde (0.062 mg/m³ from 6 Aug 2026) · accessed 2026-10-04
- CEN: EN 1021-2:2014 Ignitability of upholstered furniture (part 1: cigarette; part 2: match flame equivalent) · accessed 2026-10-04
- CEN: EN 13501-1:2018 Fire classification of construction products · accessed 2026-10-04
- ICC: Incoterms 2020 · accessed 2026-10-04