January 07, 2020
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Harmonized System (HS)

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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 is set out in the Annex to the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System. Definition of the HS provided in the Convention: the HS means the Nomenclature comprising the headings and subheadings and their related numerical codes, the Section, Chapter and Subheading Notes and the General Rules for the interpretation of the Harmonized System, set out in the Annex to this Convention.

The HS 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 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.

Comments ()

en
A storm in a tea kettle
17-09-2023

A few days ago, an Israeli court accepted a claim by an importer of electric kettles against the customs authority, regarding the classification of the products for customs purposes. The court adopted the importer's position that the kettles should be classified in subheading 851610 of the HS as "immersion heaters" and rejected the customs position to classify them in subheading 851670 as "other electro-thermal devices". This ruling is an example of the court's creative interpretation of old terms, considering the advancement of technology.

Omer Wagner

classification
en
A storm in a tea kettle
17-09-2023

A few days ago, an Israeli court accepted a claim by an importer of electric kettles against the customs authority, regarding the classification of the products for customs purposes. The court adopted the importer's position that the kettles should be classified in subheading 851610 of the HS as "immersion heaters" and rejected the customs position to classify them in subheading 851670 as "other electro-thermal devices". This ruling is an example of the court's creative interpretation of old terms, considering the advancement of technology.

Omer Wagner

classification
en, lt
Cat scratching post - is it a piece of furniture (CN 9403)?
20-07-2023

Fertilisers, honey, car seat parts, inflatable couches, etc. These are just a few of the goods on the classification of which the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has recently ruled. In the present case, the question was whether a cat scratching post could be classified as other furniture and parts thereof (heading 9403 of the Combined Nomenclature (CN)). Or is furniture understood to mean objects intended only for human use?

Ingrida Kemežienė

classification
en, lt
Cat scratching post - is it a piece of furniture (CN 9403)?
20-07-2023

Fertilisers, honey, car seat parts, inflatable couches, etc. These are just a few of the goods on the classification of which the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has recently ruled. In the present case, the question was whether a cat scratching post could be classified as other furniture and parts thereof (heading 9403 of the Combined Nomenclature (CN)). Or is furniture understood to mean objects intended only for human use?

Ingrida Kemežienė

classification
image lt
Prekių klasifikavimas eksporto kontrolės ir dvejopo naudojimo tikslais: kokius žingsnius būtina atlikti?
30-04-2023

Jurgita Stanienė

classification
image lt
Prekių klasifikavimas eksporto kontrolės ir dvejopo naudojimo tikslais: kokius žingsnius būtina atlikti?
30-04-2023

Jurgita Stanienė

classification
en, lt
Case of classification of unassembled goods OR How to save €389 973?
30-04-2023

An unassembled good must be classified as a complete good. For example, if you import disassembled bicycles, you still have to declare them as bicycles and pay the import duties due on the bicycles. But maybe you could be smarter and save the import duties by declaring half of the bicycles’ parts in your name and the other half in a friend's name? In addition, perhaps it would help to place the parts under different customs procedures before releasing them for free circulation?

Enrika Naujokė

classification
en, lt
Case of classification of unassembled goods OR How to save €389 973?
30-04-2023

An unassembled good must be classified as a complete good. For example, if you import disassembled bicycles, you still have to declare them as bicycles and pay the import duties due on the bicycles. But maybe you could be smarter and save the import duties by declaring half of the bicycles’ parts in your name and the other half in a friend's name? In addition, perhaps it would help to place the parts under different customs procedures before releasing them for free circulation?

Enrika Naujokė

classification
lt
Galimai sankcionuojamų prekių klasifikavimo iššūkiai
30-04-2023

Aktualioje administracinio nusižengimo byloje vėl buvo sprendžiamas „amžinas“ klausimas, į kurį aiškaus atsakymo teismų praktika taip ir nesuteikia: Ar privalo deklarantas fiziškai tikrinti prekes prieš jas deklaruojant muitinei, jei nekyla abejonė dėl duomenų teisingumo? Antra vertus, gal ji turėtų visuomet kilti, jei prekė gali būti sankcionuojama? Bei kitas, retesnis klausimas: Ar gali muitinės pareigūno surašytas Prekės klasifikavimo aktas tapti juridiniu pagrindu pakeisti prekės kodą, ar vis tik reikalinga Muitinės laboratorijos išvada?

Enrika Naujokė

classification
lt
Galimai sankcionuojamų prekių klasifikavimo iššūkiai
30-04-2023

Aktualioje administracinio nusižengimo byloje vėl buvo sprendžiamas „amžinas“ klausimas, į kurį aiškaus atsakymo teismų praktika taip ir nesuteikia: Ar privalo deklarantas fiziškai tikrinti prekes prieš jas deklaruojant muitinei, jei nekyla abejonė dėl duomenų teisingumo? Antra vertus, gal ji turėtų visuomet kilti, jei prekė gali būti sankcionuojama? Bei kitas, retesnis klausimas: Ar gali muitinės pareigūno surašytas Prekės klasifikavimo aktas tapti juridiniu pagrindu pakeisti prekės kodą, ar vis tik reikalinga Muitinės laboratorijos išvada?

Enrika Naujokė

classification
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