Distributing a product

Evolution of the sector

The increasing tempo of commercial and industrial development and suburban development, is bringing significant changes in the distribution system. Wholesalers supply a variety of services to associated small retailers, including sales promotion, advertising, and retail training. The number of discount firms, continues to increase, and the number of self-service stores is rising steadily. Self-service is not confined to small merchandising units as department stores and gas stations also have incorporated this sales technique in their operations.

Market shares

 

Organizations in the retail sector

We can identify professional tradeshows on your sector.

Market access procedures

International Conventions

Member of World Trade Organisation
Member of OECD
Party to the Kyoto protocol
Party to the Washington convention on International trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora
Party to the Basel convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their disposal
Party to the Montreal protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer
Wassenaar arrangement on export controls for conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies
Party of the International coffee agreement 2001

Main International economic cooperation

As a member of the European Union Ireland is signatory of Preferential Trade Agreements, Current Trade Agreements, Lome Convention and Generalized System of Preferences for Developing Countries (GSP).

Non tariff barriers

Ireland’s international trade policies are formulated and developed in the context of an evolving EU Common Commercial Policy. Agricultural products are protected within the Common Agricultural Policy and textile products from China, Belarus, North Korea, Montenegro, Kosovo and Uzbekistan are subject to particular formalities and import licenses or control procedures (export document, monitoring document).

Customs duties and taxes on imports

Ireland applies EU tariffs (customs duties) that are based on the international Harmonized System of product classification. For further information visit the website of Irish Tax and Customs and the website of Customs Union of the EU.

Customs classification

TARIC is the Integrated Community Tariff integrating all measures relating to tariff, commercial and agricultural legislation, tariff information are provided.

Import procedures

Importation of goods from another EU state is no longer required to make a customs entry. There is requirement to complete an Intrastate supplementary declaration if EU imports exceed an annual value threshold.
Importing goods from outside the European Union need to be declared by making an entry and delivering to Customs. Approved traders and agents can input this data directly into Customs' computerized entry processing system, known as Direct Trader Input (DTI).

As part of the "SAFE" standards advocated by the World Customs Organization (WCO), the European Union has set up a new system of import controls, the "Import Control System" (ICS), which aims to secure the flow of goods at the time of their entry into the customs territory of the EU. This control system, part of the Community Program eCustomer, has been in effect since January 1, 2011. Since then, operators are required to pass an Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) to the customs of the country of entry, prior to the introduction of goods into the customs territory of the European Union.

Importing samples

Importation of food: License to import samples.
Samples of goods that are of negligible value are admitted free of import duties
Samples of goods that are mutilated may be admitted duty free provided their character as samples have not been destroyed
Valuable samples may be temporarily imported under deposit or bond for periods up to 12 months

For further information

Irish Tax and Customs
Department of Foreign Affairs
Department of Finance

We can indicate you which are the customs duties applied to your product.

Find out the local taxes that apply to your product.

Organizing goods transport

Main useful means of transport

The two main ports are Dublin and Castletownbere. The most important fish port is Rosslare Europort in Wexford.
While Ireland has more paved road on a per capita basis than any other country in the EU, it lacks an efficient network of highways. 96% percent of all inland passenger transport and over 90% of inland freight transport are conveyed by road. The balance is carried by rail. A rail system provides passenger and freight services to most cities and main towns, including those in Northern Ireland. Ireland authority is Irish Rail Iarnrod Eireann, Northern Ireland Railways for Northern Ireland.
Ireland has 4 international airports (Dublin, Shannon, Cork, and Knock) with numerous daily air connections to Europe and worldwide.
The National Road Authority (NRA) is developing the roads infrastructures. The authority in charge of transport is the Department of Transport.

Ports

Dublin Port
CorkPort
Kinsale Port
Rosslare Port
All Irish ports companies

Airports

Dublin Airport
Shannon Airport
Cork Airport

Sea transport organizations

Department of Transport
Domestic air service

Air transport organizations

Department of Transport
Irish Aviation Authority

Road transport organizations

Department of Transport
National Road Authority

Rail transport organizations

Ministry of transport

Get a ballpark figure for transportation costs for your product in this country through a shipping estimate.

Identifying a supplier

Type of production

Industry: 32% of GDP with food processing, beverages, engineering, computer equipment, textiles and clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, construction.

Business directories

Golden Pages
Kompass
Europages

Manufacturers associations of the main industries

Food and Drink Industry Ireland
Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association
Irish Software Association

Trade Agencies and their representations abroad

The Chamber of Commerce of Ireland

Enterprises federation

Irish SME Association
Enterprise Ireland
Enterprise and Industry, European Commission

Standards

National standards organizations

National Standards Authority

Integration in the international standards network

• International Organization for Standardization - ISO
• International Electrotechnical Commission - IEC
• International Telecommunication Union - ITU

Classification of standards

CE is the European certification mark. The Irish National Standards Body is the NSAI. Visit the website www.standards.ie to consult the list of Irish standards.

Online consultation of standards

National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI)

Certification organizations

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
European Telecommunications Standards Institute
European Committee for Standardization

Find out the standards and labelling requirements that apply to your products.

Intellectual Property

National organizations

Copyright Association of Ireland
Irish Patents Office

Regional organizations

Copyright Office, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Industrial Property Office, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Patent Office

International membership

Member of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)
Signatory to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Intellectual Property
Membership to the TRIPS agreement - Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)