Tunisia: sanctions and trade risk

No elevated indicator

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 15 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Tunisia.Lists last checked 2026-11-07 21:01 UTC.

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

No elevated country indicator for Tunisia in the route rules Sanctioni uses. That is not a clearance: goods may still be export-controlled, and parties in Tunisia may still be on a list.

Check a shipment to Tunisia →

On the sanctions lists

15 entries on the official lists name Tunisia — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.

List	Entries	Companies & organisations	Vessels	Aircraft
UK Sanctions List (FCDO)	4	4	—	—
US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)	3	3	—	—
UN Security Council Consolidated List	3	3	—	—
Switzerland SECO Consolidated Sanctions List	3	3	—	—
EU Consolidated Financial Sanctions List (FSF)	2	2	—	—

Latest changes

No new listings or removals naming Tunisia recorded yet.

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Logistics profile

Tunisia: logistics and trade

Maghreb transit and supply hub; textile, automotive and agricultural exports to the EU

Tunisia (TN) is a North African Mediterranean country serving as a Maghreb transit and supplier hub for textile, automotive and agricultural exports to the EU. Imports are governed by the EU Association Agreement (duty-free industrial goods) plus free trade with EFTA, Agadir, GAFTA and AfCFTA; customs clearance runs electronically through the SINDA / SINDA 2 system of the Douane Tunisienne, and the standard import VAT rate is 19 percent. The main gateways are the container port of Rades near Tunis, complemented by Sfax, Bizerte and La Skhira, together with Tunis-Carthage (TUN) and Enfidha-Hammamet (NBE) airports. Key corridors are the A1 motorway Tunis–M'saken–Sfax, the coastal link to Bizerte, road connections to the Algerian and Libyan (Ras Jedir) borders, and the SNCFT rail lines Tunis–Sfax–Gabes plus the Gafsa phosphate railway. Typical cargo includes textiles, automotive parts and wiring harnesses, olive oil, phosphates and fertilisers; leading partners are France, Italy, Germany and Spain, with Libya important regionally.

Capital: Tunis
Population: 11,972,169
Area: 163,610 km²
Currency: Tunisian dinar (TND)
Continent: Africa
Region: Maghreb / North Africa
Economic area: GAFTA / Agadir Agreement
Religions: Islam
Access to the sea: Yes

Transport modes Sea · Road · Rail · Air

Current situation: Severe congestion at the port of Rades: container dwell times up by 21 days; shipping lines levy congestion surcharges or temporarily suspend bookings. The government is pushing digitalisation (SINDA 2, port IT) and the expansion of Zarzis; 2026 officially declared as a year of operational recovery. (As of 2026-07-22)
Seasonal conditions: Mediterranean to semi-arid climate; hot summers in the interior, mild winters; occasional autumn flooding; hardly any seasonal port closures.

Main seaports

Rades
Radès (TN RDS) is Tunisia's main container and RoRo port near Tunis, handling most national box traffic and customs clearance; alternatives include Sfax and Bizerte.
Mersa Sfax
Mersa Sfax (TN SFA), Tunisia's second port: ~5.5M t of dry bulk – phosphate, sea salt, cereals. Containers usually route via Radès near Tunis.
Menzel Bourguiba
Menzel Bourguiba (TN MBA): ship-repair and industrial port on Lake Bizerte for coal, minerals, steel and zinc; little container traffic — use Radès near Tunis.
Skhira
La Skhira (TN LSK): Tunisian crude-oil export terminal on the Gulf of Gabès, about 8.4 Mt a year. No container berth; use Radès, Sfax or Gabès.
Sousse
Port of Sousse (TN SUS), Tunisia: ~2.3M tonnes cargo, 250,000 TEU container terminal, bulk and RoRo, rail and road links to the central Sahel hinterland.
Gabes
Gabes (TN GAE): chemical and industrial port on the Gulf of Gabès. Sulphur, ammonia, phosphoric acid, fertilisers; ~160,000 TEU. Alternatives: Radès, Sfax.

Main cargo airports

Tunis Carthage International AirportTUN
Tunis-Carthage (TUN): Tunisia's main cargo airport, Tunisair Cargo terminal with bonded warehouse and a 10 km road link to the Port of Radès.
Enfidha - Hammamet International AirportNBE
Enfidha-Hammamet (NBE), Tunisia: TAV-run leisure airport, 1.5m passengers in 2025, belly cargo only. Air freight via Tunis-Carthage TUN and Monastir MIR.
Djerba Zarzis International AirportDJE
Djerba-Zarzis (DJE): tourist island airport and Tunisia's second official freight airport, with bonded warehouse; larger volumes via Tunis-Carthage (TUN).

Road corridors

A1 motorway Tunis–M'saken–Sfax
Coastal corridor Tunis–Bizerte
Tunis–Oued Zarga–Algerian border
Sfax–Gabes–Libyan border (Ras Jedir)

Rail corridors

SNCFT Tunis–Sfax–Gabes
SNCFT Tunis–Ghardimaou (towards Algeria)
Phosphate railway Gafsa–Sfax / Gabes
Port rail link Rades (combined transport)

Main trade lanes

Tunisia–Italy
Tunisia–France
Tunisia–Germany
Tunisia–Spain
Tunisia–Libya

Customs and import

Customs authority Direction Générale des Douanes (Douane Tunisienne)Official website ↗

Import customs system: Electronic import clearance via SINDA / SINDA 2 (Système d'Information Douanier Automatisé) of the Douane Tunisienne.
Export customs system: Export clearance via SINDA / SINDA 2 of the Douane Tunisienne; exports are generally exempt from VAT (0 percent).
Import VAT: Standard rate 19 percent; reduced rates 13 and 7 percent; exports 0 percent. Assessed on customs value plus duties and levies (Code de la TVA, DGI).
Proofs of origin and trade agreements: EUR.1, EUR-MED and origin declaration under EU association, EFTA, Agadir, GAFTA and AfCFTA; PEM cumulation of origin (accession 2015).
Restricted and prohibited goods: Prohibited items include narcotics, pornography, counterfeits, certain cultural property, among others; weapons, ammunition and explosives require authorization; import licences and technical control.

Typical import documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Bill of lading / waybill
Certificate of origin
Import licence / domiciliation (titre de commerce)
technical conformity certificate (if required)

Typical export documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Export customs declaration (SINDA)
Proof of origin EUR.1 / EUR-MED
Transport document

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity: Medium to high
Customs delays: Medium to high
Port congestion: High
Dangerous goods relevance: Medium
Pharma and cold chain relevance: Medium
E-commerce relevance: Low to medium

Trade

Top import partners

Italy France China Germany Türkiye

Top export partners

France Italy Germany Spain Libya

Top import goods

Petroleum products
Machinery
Vehicles
Grain
Chemicals

Top export goods

Automotive parts
Electronics
Olive oil
Fertilizers
Textiles

Typical cargo

Textiles and clothing
Automotive parts and wiring harnesses
Electrical components
Olive oil and agricultural products
Phosphates and fertilisers
Crude oil and petroleum products
Machinery

Upcoming public holidays

New Year's DayFri, 1 Jan 2027 · businesses closed
Revolution and Youth DayThu, 14 Jan 2027 · businesses closed
Independence DaySat, 20 Mar 2027 · businesses closed
Martyrs' DayFri, 9 Apr 2027 · businesses closed
Labour DaySat, 1 May 2027 · businesses closed
Republic DaySun, 25 Jul 2027 · businesses closed
Women's and Family DayFri, 13 Aug 2027 · businesses closed
Evacuation DayFri, 15 Oct 2027 · businesses closed

Logistics questions

Which customs system does Tunisia use for imports and exports?

The Douane Tunisienne processes customs declarations electronically via the SINDA system or the modernised version SINDA 2. It covers the entire process from arrival of goods to release for importers, exporters and freight forwarders.

What is the import VAT rate in Tunisia?

The standard VAT rate is 19 percent; reduced rates are 13 and 7 percent. Exports are exempt at 0 percent. The tax is levied on the customs value plus duties and other levies (Code de la TVA, DGI).

Which free trade agreements apply to Tunisia?

Tunisia has an association agreement with the EU (industrial goods duty-free since 2008), an EFTA free trade agreement, as well as the Agadir Agreement, the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) and the AfCFTA. Proof of origin includes EUR.1, EUR-MED or the origin declaration.

What is Tunisia's most important port?

The port of Rades near Tunis is the most important container port and handles the majority of containerised and RoRo traffic. Other important ports are Sfax (multipurpose), Bizerte and La Skhira (hydrocarbons and chemicals).

What import restrictions apply in Tunisia?

Prohibited items include narcotics, pornography, counterfeits and certain cultural property, among others. Weapons, ammunition and explosives require a permit. Many consumer goods require import licences and technical import control.

Are there currency restrictions in trade with Tunisia?

Yes. The Tunisian dinar is not freely convertible and is subject to exchange controls by the central bank (BCT). Payments and capital transactions are regulated, which must be considered in import and export processing as well as in e-commerce.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗