On 21 January 2026, the World Customs Organization (WCO) announced a major update to the Harmonised System (HS) – the international classification of goods that assigns every traded product a standardised code. Managed by the WCO, the HS is used by more than 200 countries and economies as a basis for their Customs tariffs and for the collection of international trade statistics. The changes, which will come into effect on 01 January 2028, to allow time for national adaptation, mark the conclusion of six years of technical work carried out by the WCO’s 187 members. These additions to the HS will provide visibility into products critical to health programmes and emergency response, enabling faster Customs clearance and easier identification.
This media release concerns the update to the global customs codes to facilitate vaccination programmes and enhance preparedness for health emergencies. The eighth edition of the ‘universal language of trade’, used to identify and code merchandise traded internationally, has been released. Two major changes stem from lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic: the expanded identification of key vaccines and health emergency supplies. Increased accuracy of trade data for purposes such as modelling and forecasting, supply chain management, price indices, and market identification is a key benefit for governments.
The HS facilitates visibility of trade in vaccines
Vaccine production is today concentrated in a few countries, making trade a vital means for deploying vaccines globally. The current classification of vaccines for human use in the HS provides insufficient granularity to assess international trade flows and easily implement trade policies for those vaccines. Under the current HS 2022, vaccines are classified into just two subheadings: human and veterinary medicine. This lack of granularity is also often reflected in national tariff levels.
HS 2028 introduces new tariff headings (30.07 and 30.08) and tariff subheadings for vaccines with significant current or expected trade volumes, and addresses priority diseases where immunisation is vital. The new structure reflects two dimensions: it distinguishes outbreak-prone diseases from endemic ones, and it aligns with WHO vaccination guidance by covering vaccines recommended for all programmes, for high-risk groups, for programmes with specific characteristics, and for diseases of local or sporadic nature.
WCO Secretary General said: “This positive change to the HS allows for a greater understanding of vaccine availability and opens more opportunities for facilitated clearance of urgently required vaccines and medical equipment. It is a tangible contribution from Customs to global development, to the protection of society, and to governments’ ability to respond effectively to urgent future demands. As these changes specifically cover vaccines against diseases that pose endemic or pandemic threats, they reflect recognition of the need to be prepared in advance for major risks as well as the positive role Customs can play in protecting the security and welfare of societies.”
By enhancing the visibility of these vaccines in the HS, the WCO aims to ensure consistent classification among trading parties and to facilitate the implementation of preferential or faster border treatment, especially during emergencies. The objective is also to provide policymakers with clearer and more reliable trade data to support the design and implementation of vaccination programmes and emergency plans.
Vaccines for human medicine will be classified in tariff heading 30.07, subdivided into 38 subheadings (six-digit codes) and include vaccines against:
- Measles, rubella, varicella, shingles and mumps;
- Poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis, and Haemophilus influenzae type B;
- Tuberculosis, pneumococcal, rotavirus and human papillomavirus;
- Meningitis, typhoid, cholera, dengue, rabies and malaria;
- Influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and coronaviruses; and
- Yellow fever, smallpox, Mpox, Ebola, encephalitis, chikungunya and Streptococcus
Besides the tuberculosis vaccine of the type Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), a subheading for “other tuberculosis vaccines” was created to anticipate the development of vaccines for adolescents and adults, which are currently under development and include some in advanced clinical trials. Furthermore, another subheading was created for “Streptococcus” vaccines to include an important pipeline vaccine approaching regulatory approval against Group B Streptococcus.
This is an exceptional case in which the HS includes a good that is not yet traded, but is considered crucial to monitor whether an important vaccine reaches the places it should and in the appropriate quantities.
The WCO Harmonised System Committee (HSC) and its Harmonised System Review Sub-Committee worked closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to understand how best to address the need for more clarity on vaccine flows within the structure of the HS and to ensure the changes were administrable at the border.
The HS supports preparedness for health emergencies
During past health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ebola Virus Disease epidemic, governments introduced trade measures for selected imported medical supplies, such as tax exemptions, simplified procedures or fast lane mechanisms. In certain countries, however, some of these goods lacked a specific Customs tariff or statistical code, thereby complicating the implementation of these measures.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Secretariats of the WCO and the WHO prepared the “HS Classification reference for COVID-19 medical supplies” to provide guidance to trade policy officials, businesses, and Customs officials on classifying these goods for Customs purposes, with the ultimate aim of accelerating their clearance. The classification reference list lacked legal status but was actively used by governments in developing trade facilitation measures and by trade operators to support accurate classification and expedited cross-border movement of essential medical supplies.
Based on this document, during the last HS review cycle, a list of essential health goods that lacked sufficient visibility in the HS 2022 edition was drafted, and new subheadings were developed for HS 2028. The categories of essential health goods for which new subheadings were created are:
- Ambulances and mobile clinics;
- Protective face shields and protective face masks;
- Body bags of plastic;
- Pulse oximeters and multi-parameter patient monitors;
- Tracheal intubation appliances (including intubation kits) and suction pumps; and
- Medical ventilators and drop counters.
By enhancing the visibility of these goods in the HS, the WCO is equipping governments and businesses not only to facilitate preferential or faster treatment during emergencies, but also to produce clearer, more reliable trade data to support preparedness plans and resilient supply chain strategies.
With the HS 2028 amendments now accepted, administrations and businesses have approximately 2 years to prepare for the instrument’s entry into force on 01 January 2028.
Notes for editors
A new HS edition is a major event for affected industries, governments, Customs administrations and the WCO. Legislation and international agreements need to be amended, IT systems updated, publications and procedures developed, and training delivered to Customs officials, other government agencies and trade operators. These coordinated efforts are critical to ensuring a smooth transition to HS 2028 and its uniform and effective application worldwide.
About the WCO
The World Customs Organisation develops international standards and fosters cooperation. It builds capacity to facilitate legitimate trade, secure fair revenue collection, and protect society, providing leadership, guidance, and support to Customs administrations. The WCO, established in 1952 as the Customs Cooperation Council (CCC), is an independent intergovernmental body whose mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations.
Today, the WCO represents 187 Customs administrations worldwide that collectively process approximately 99% of world trade. As the global centre of Customs expertise, the WCO is the only international organisation with competence in Customs matters and can rightly call itself the voice of the international Customs community.