See what’s coming in the 7th edition Harmonized System (HS)

Looking ahead at HS 2022

HS 2022 will be the seventh edition of the Harmonized System (HS) nomenclature and has been accepted by all Contracting Parties to the Harmonized System Convention.

The new edition will go into effect on January 1st, 2022. Generally the HS is amended every five years or so.

Highlights of the new HS 2022 edition

The HS 2022 includes 351 sets of amendments that cover a wide range of cross-border goods.

Adjustments for new product streams and global concerns

There is a new focus on high-profile streams to recognize changes in trade that have happened since the last HS edition published in 2017.

For example:

• Address concerns with electrical or electronic waste (e-waste)
• Add new provisions for novel tobacco and nicotine-based products
• Simplify the classification of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones
• Include a new subheading and note for smartphones

Subheading updates to heading 70.19 and 84.62

These changes reflect the technological advances in various sectors. The subheadings that have been updated includes ones for:

• Heading 70.19 (glass fibers and articles thereof)
• Heading 84.62 (metal forming machinery)

Classification of multi-purpose intermediate assemblies

An example can be found with flat panel display modules that will be classified as its own product category. Removing the need to identify final use will simplify classification of these types of multi-use products.

Health and safety changes

When it comes to the global outbreak of infectious diseases, such as the recent coronavirus (COVID-19), any delays with deployment tools can be dangerous and life-threatening. This is why the HS 2022 includes provision changes for items such as diagnostic kits to simplify classification. Other provisions include placebos and clinical trial kits for medical research without requiring ingredients information, cell cultures and cell therapy with more specific information, as well as dual use items ranging from toxins to lab equipment.

Security and terrorism

Several new subheadings will be added for dual use goods, e.g. radioactive materials, biological safety cabinets, or items required for assembling explosive devices such as detonators.

Controlled goods under specific conventions

Several goods controlled under conventions received updates and will be reflected in HS 2022.

• Chemicals controlled under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)
• Hazardous chemicals controlled under the Rotterdam Convention
• Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) controlled under the Stockholm Convention
• Monitoring and control of fentanyl opiods and their derivatives at the request of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)
• Gases controlled under the Kigali Amendment of the Montreal Protocol

HS 2022 implementation

Although this is more than a year away from implementation, the WCO, customs administrations, and regional economic communities have much to do to ensure timely implementation of this new HS edition.

You can click here to view the full amendments published by the WCO.

How Zonos can help

The global trade community will need to take the necessary measures to prepare for the upcoming HS 2022. Zonos will be taking these new HS changes into account with our automated HS classification software, Zonos Classify.

Contact us to learn how we can simplify product harmonization for a variety of use cases.

References

World Customs Organization (2020, January 8). The new 2022 Edition of the Harmonized System has been accepted. Retrieved from https://www.wcoomd.org/en/media/newsroom/2020/january/the-new-2022-edition-of-the-harmonized-system-has-been-accepted.aspx