The World Customs Organisation (WCO) Harmonised System Committee (HSC) held its 62nd Session from 17 to 28 September, attended by more than 170 participants representing 85 contracting parties to the Harmonised System (HS) Convention, one WCO member administration and four international and regional organisations.
The WCO director for the Tariff and Trade Affairs Directorate announced the imminent launch of a new project, “Harmonising the classification of goods based on WCO standards to enhance African trade”. The project, initiated and funded by the European Union (EU), is aimed at contributing to the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which was launched in March 2018. The project will also assist African countries to implement and apply the HS 2022 edition
The HSC took 43 classification decisions relating to products covered by the HS Nomenclature, including a novel tobacco product, several petroleum products and a quadrocopter, adopted three sets of amendments to the current explanatory notes and approved 21 new classification opinions.
As part of the work to prepare the seventh edition of the HS, the HS 2022, the HSC provisionally adopted 16 sets of amendments to the nomenclature (encompassing a large number of amendments and new provisions) and two sets of amendments to the future explanatory notes. Finally, products of importance to trade such as light-emitting diode (LED) products and solar energy products, as well as those important for regulation such as Montreal Protocol gases, will benefit from improved representation in the HS.