18/06/2021
What is a ..??
We have seen this terminology called HS Code across many trade documentation or correspondences..
What does this HS Code mean, who uses it and what is it used for..??
HS Code stands for Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System..
This is the common standard worldwide for describing the type of commodity..
Every commodity that enters or crosses most international borders have to be declared to customs by means of a HS code.. This helps in standardizing the commodity codes worldwide.
Here is the definition of the HS Code according to WCO website :-
The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System generally referred to as “Harmonized System” or simply “HS” is a multipurpose international product nomenclature developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO).
It comprises about 5,000 commodity groups; each identified by a six digit code, arranged in a legal and logical structure and is supported by well-defined rules to achieve uniform classification.
The system is used by more than 200 countries and economies as a basis for their Customs tariffs and for the collection of international trade statistics. Over 98 % of the merchandise in international trade is classified in terms of the HS.
The HS Code contributes to the harmonization of Customs and trade procedures, and the non-documentary trade data interchange in connection with such procedures, thus reducing the costs related to international trade.
It is also extensively used by governments, international organizations and the private sector for many other purposes such as internal taxes, trade policies, monitoring of controlled goods, rules of origin, freight tariffs, transport statistics, price monitoring, quota controls, compilation of national accounts, and economic research and analysis. The HS is thus a universal economic language and code for goods, and an indispensable tool for international trade.
The Harmonized System is governed by “The International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System”. The official interpretation of the HS is given in the Explanatory Notes (5 volumes in English and French) published by the WCO. The Explanatory Notes are also available on online and on CD-ROM, as part of a database which groups all the available HS Tools, by adding to the information on the Nomenclature, the Compendium of Classification Opinions and the Explanatory Notes, that relating to the Alphabetical Index and the Brochure on Classification Decisions taken by the Harmonized System Committee.
The maintenance of the HS is a WCO priority. This activity includes measures to secure uniform interpretation of the HS and its periodic updating in light of developments in technology and changes in trade patterns. The WCO manages this process through the Harmonized System Committee (representing the Contracting Parties to the HS Convention), which examines policy matters, takes decisions on classification questions, settles disputes and prepares amendments to the Explanatory Notes. The HS Committee also prepares amendments updating the HS every 5 – 6 years.
Decisions concerning the interpretation and application of the Harmonized System, such as classification decisions and amendments to the Explanatory Notes or to the Compendium of Classification Opinions, become effective two months after the approval by the HS Committee. These are reflected in the amending supplements of the relevant WCO Publications #
Below is the listing of all the relevant sections of the HS Code and the list of commodities under each Section..
A.SECTION I: Live Animals; Animal Products
--Chapter 1 – Live animals
--Chapter 2 – Meat and edible meat offal
--Chapter 3 – Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic
invertebrates
--Chapter 4 – Dairy produce; birds eggs; natural honey; edible
products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or
included
--Chapter 5 – Products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or
included
B.SECTION II: Vegetable Products
--Chapter 6 – Live trees and other plants; bulbs, roots and the like;
cut flowers and ornamental foliage
--Chapter 7 – Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers
--Chapter 8 – Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons
--Chapter 9 – Coffee, tea, maté and spices
--Chapter 10 – Cereals
--Chapter 11 – Products of the milling industry; malt; starches;
inulin; wheat gluten
--Chapter 12 – Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous
grains, seeds and fruits; industrial or medicinal
plants; straw and fodder
--Chapter 13 – Lac; gums, resins and other vegetable saps and
extracts
--Chapter 14 – Vegetable plaiting materials; vegetable products not
elsewhere specified or included
C.SECTION III: Animal or Vegetable Fats and Oils and Their Cleavage Products; Prepared Edible Fats; Animal or Vegetable Waxes
--Chapter 15 – Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage
products prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable
waxes
D.SECTION IV: Prepared Foodstuffs; Beverages, Spirits, And Vinegar; To***co and Manufactured To***co Substitutes
--Chapter 16 – Preparations of meat, of fish or of crustaceans,
molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates
--Chapter 17 – Sugars and sugar confectionery
--Chapter 18 – Cocoa and cocoa preparations
--Chapter 19 – Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or milk; bakers’
wares
--Chapter 20 – Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts or other parts
of plants
--Chapter 21 – Miscellaneous edible preparations
--Chapter 22 – Beverages, spirits and vinegar
--Chapter 23 – Residues and waste from the food industries;
prepared animal feed
--Chapter 24 – To***co and manufactured to***co substitutes
E.SECTION V: Mineral Products
--Chapter 25 – Salt; sulfur; earths and stone; plastering materials,
lime and cement
--Chapter 26 – Ores, slag and ash
--Chapter 27 – Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their
distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes
F.SECTION VI: Products of The Chemical or Allied Industries
--Chapter 28 – Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic
compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals,
of radioactive elements or of isotopes
--Chapter 29 – Organic chemicals
--Chapter 30 – Pharmaceutical products
--Chapter 31 – Fertilizers
--Chapter 32 – Tanning or dyeing extracts; dyes, pigments, paints,
varnishes, putty and mastics
--Chapter 33 – Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or
toilet preparations
--Chapter 34 – Soap, organic surface-active agents, washing
preparations, lubricating preparations, artificial
waxes, prepared waxes, polishing or scouring
preparations, candles and similar articles, modeling
pastes, “dental waxes” and dental preparations with
a basis of plaster
--Chapter 35 – Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues;
enzymes
--Chapter 36 – Explosives; pyrotechnic products; matches;
pyrophoric alloys; certain combustible preparations
--Chapter 37 – Photographic or cinematographic goods
--Chapter 38 – Miscellaneous chemical products
G.SECTION VII: Plastics and Articles Thereof Rubber and Articles Thereof
--Chapter 39 – Plastics and articles thereof
--Chapter 40 – Rubber and articles thereof
H.SECTION VIII: Raw Hides and Skins, Leather, Fur skins And Articles Thereof; Saddlery and Harness; Travel Goods, Handbags and Similar Containers; Articles of Animal Gut (Other Than Silkworm Gut)
--Chapter 41 – Raw hides and skins (other than furskins) and
leather
--Chapter 42 – Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel
goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of
animal gut (other than silkworm gut)
--Chapter 43 – Furskins and artificial fur; manufactures thereof
I.SECTION IX: Wood and Articles of Wood; Wood Charcoal; Cork and Articles of Cork; Manufacturers of Straw, Of Esparto or Of Other Plaiting Materials; Basketware And Wickerwork
--Chapter 44 – Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal
--Chapter 45 – Cork and articles of cork
--Chapter 46 – Manufactures of straw, of esparto or of other
plaiting materials; basketware and wickerwork
J.SECTION X: Pulp of Wood or Of Other Fibrous Cellulosic Material; Waste and Scrap of Paper or Paperboard; Paper and Paperboard and Articles Thereof
--Chapter 47 – Pulp of wood or of other fibrous cellulosic material;
waste and scrap of paper or paperboard
--Chapter 48 – Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of
paper or of paperboard
--Chapter 49 – Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other
products of the printing industry; manuscripts,
typescripts and plans
K.SECTION XI: Textile and Textile Articles
--Chapter 50 – Silk
--Chapter 51 – Wool, fine or coarse animal hair; horsehair yarn and
woven fabric
--Chapter 52 – Cotton
--Chapter 53 – Other vegetable textile fibers; paper yarn and woven
fabric of paper yarn
--Chapter 54 – Man-made filaments
--Chapter 55 – Man-made staple fibers
--Chapter 56 – Wadding, felt and nonwovens; special yarns, twine,
cordage, ropes and cables and articles thereof
--Chapter 57 – Carpets and other textile floor coverings
--Chapter 58 – Special woven fabrics; tufted textile fabrics; lace,
tapestries; trimmings; embroidery
--Chapter 59 – Impregnated, coated, covered or laminated textile
fabrics; textile articles of a kind suitable for
industrial use
--Chapter 60 – Knitted or crocheted fabrics
--Chapter 61 – Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted
or crocheted
--Chapter 62 – Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not
knitted or crocheted
--Chapter 63 – Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing
and worn textile articles; rags
L.SECTION XII: Footwear, Headgear, Umbrellas, Sun Umbrellas, Walking Sticks, Seat sticks, Whips, Riding-Crops and Parts Thereof; Prepared Feathers And Articles Made Therewith; Artificial Flowers; Articles Of Human Hair
--Chapter 64 – Footwear, gaiters and the like; parts of such articles
--Chapter 65 – Headgear and parts thereof
--Chapter 66 – Umbrellas, sun umbrellas, walking sticks, seatsticks,
whips, riding-crops and parts thereof
--Chapter 67 – Prepared feathers and down and articles made of
feathers or of down; artificial flowers; articles of
human hair
M.SECTION XIII: Articles of Stone, Plaster, Cement, Asbestos, Mica or Similar Materials; Ceramic Products; Glass and Glassware
--Chapter 68 – Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or
similar materials
--Chapter 69 – Ceramic products
--Chapter 70 – Glass and glassware
N.SECTION XIV: Natural or Cultured Pearls, Precious or Semiprecious Stones, Precious Metals, Metals Clad with Precious Metal, And Articles Thereof; Imitation Jewelry; Coin
--Chapter 71 – Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-
precious stones, precious metals, metals clad with
precious metal and articles thereof; imitation
jewelry; coin
O.SECTION XV: Base Metals and Articles of Base Metal
--Chapter 72 – Iron and steel
--Chapter 73 – Articles of iron or steel
--Chapter 74 – Copper and articles thereof
--Chapter 75 – Nickel and articles thereof
--Chapter 76 – Aluminium and articles thereof
--Chapter 77 – (Reserved for possible future use)
--Chapter 78 – Lead and articles thereof
--Chapter 79 – Zinc and articles thereof
--Chapter 80 – Tin and articles thereof
--Chapter 81 – Other base metals; cermets; articles thereof
--Chapter 82 – Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of
base metal; parts thereof of base metal
--Chapter 83 – Miscellaneous articles of base metal
P.SECTION XVI: Machinery and Mechanical Appliances; Electrical Equipment; Parts Thereof; Sound Recorders and Reproducers, Television Image and Sound Recorders and Reproducers, And Parts and Accessories of Such Articles
-Chapter 84 – Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical
appliances; parts thereof
-Chapter 85 – Electrical machinery and equipment and parts
thereof; sound recorders and reproducers,
television image and sound recorders and
reproducers, and parts and accessories of such
articles
Q.SECTION XVII: Vehicles, Aircraft, Vessels and Associated Transport Equipment
-Chapter 86 – Railway or tramway locomotives, rolling-stock and
parts thereof; railway or tramway track fixtures and
fittings and parts thereof; mechanical (including
electro-mechanical) traffic signalling equipment of
all kinds
-Chapter 87 – Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling
stock, and parts and accessories thereof
-Chapter 88 – Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof
-Chapter 89 – Ships, boats and floating structures
R.SECTION XVIII: Optical, Photographic, Cinematographic, Measuring, Checking, Precision, Medical or Surgical Instruments and Apparatus; Clocks and Watches; Musical Instruments; Parts and Accessories Thereof
-Chapter 90 – Optical, photographic, cinematographic,
measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical
instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories
thereof
-Chapter 91 – Clocks and watches and parts thereof
-Chapter 92 – Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such
articles
S.SECTION XIX: Arms and Ammunition; Parts and Accessories Thereof
-Chapter 93 – Arms and ammunition; parts and accessories
thereof
T.SECTION XX: Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles
-Chapter 94 – Furniture; bedding, mattresses, mattress supports,
cushions and similar stuffed furnishings; lamps and
lighting fittings, not elsewhere specified or
included; illuminated sign illuminated nameplates
and the like; prefabricated buildings
-Chapter 95 – Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and
accessories thereof
-Chapter 96 – Miscellaneous manufactured articles
U.SECTION XXI: Works of Art, Collectors’ Pieces and Antiques
-Chapter 97 – Works of art, collectors’ pieces and antiques
V.SECTION XXII: Special Classification Provisions
-Chapter 98 – Special classification provisions
HS 2022, which is the seventh edition of the Harmonized System (HS) nomenclature used for the uniform classification of goods traded internationally all over the world, has been accepted by the all Contracting Parties to the Harmonized System Convention and shall come into force on 1 January 2022..
The new HS2022 edition makes some major changes to the Harmonized System with a total of 351 sets of amendments covering a wide range of goods moving across borders. Let's see how it goes...