A revised version of the Harmonized System (HS) Nomenclature entered into force on 1 January 2017.
This introduces 233 sets of amendments compared to the previous version with most of the changes concerning the agricultural sector (85) and with the chemical (45) and machinery (25) sectors also heavily revised.
The transport, textiles and wood sectors are others highlighted by the World Customs Organization (WCO) as being particularly affected by the changes.
Developed by the WCO, the HS Nomenclature was first adopted in 1983 and is now used by over 200 countries and economic or customs unions for classifying goods in international trade.
It is also used by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and individual countries as a common language of trade for the purposes of trade negotiations, and as a basis for determination of the origin of goods.
The 2017 edition includes more than 5300 six-digit subheadings compared to just over 5200 in the previous version released in 2012. Most of the changes were, according to the WCO, prompted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), including amendments for fish and fishery products.
There is also a focus on forestry products, intended to enhance the coverage of wood species in order to obtain a better picture of trade patterns, including trade in endangered species.
HS 2017 includes provisions to help monitor trade in products, such as substances controlled under the Chemical Weapons Convention, hazardouschemicals controlled under the Rotterdam Convention and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) controlled under the Stockholm Convention.
WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya has called on authorities to implement the new version of the Nomenclature as soon as possible.
Further information about the HS is available atwww.wcoomd.org. You can also find more information on the Gov.UK website, or by contacting us at the Chamber.
