Customs General Administration Classification Decisions Compilation

Author: General Administration of Customs, Tariff Management Department
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-06-01
Features: The Harmonized System of Classification of Goods (Customs Code) (《》，HS) is a widely used multi-purpose commodity classification directory internationally. As of May 2002, the number of contracting parties to the Convention on the Harmonized System had reached 106 (including the European Union), with 183 countries and economic unions worldwide using it as the basis for their own customs tariff and statistics directories, covering over 98% of the total volume of international trade. To ensure consistent application of the Harmonized System by countries worldwide and to resolve trade disputes arising from classification disputes, the Harmonized System Committee of the World Customs Organization (WCO) has compiled the classification decisions made at its successive meetings on important or disputed commodities into a book for reference and implementation by countries. China is a contracting party to the Convention on the Harmonized System. According to the provisions of the Convention on the Rights and Obligations of Contracting Parties, the customs tariff/statistical directory of China's customs shall be consistent with the Harmonized System, and the classification of the customs tariff/statistical directory for import and export commodities by China's customs shall be consistent with the classification decisions adopted by the WCO. To enable the operators or their agents of import and export commodities to understand the classification of the customs tariff/statistical directory, correctly declare customs declarations, and expedite the processing of goods related to the Harmonized System of Customs Classification Decisions (see Announcement No. 11 of the General Administration of Customs in 2002), it is now published and issued as one of the legal bases for the classification of the customs tariff/statistical directory of import and export commodities. The tables in this book represent a commodity classification decision, with columns including the subheading number, Chinese name, English name, commercial name, commodity description, basis for classification, and the effective date of the classification decision. The relevant content of the class, chapter, tariff (item) number, or subheading number is consistent with the customs tariff and statistics directory compiled based on the 2002 edition of the Harmonized System, and is listed in order of tariff (item) number and subheading number for easy reference.