On 31 March 2023, the World Customs Organization (WCO) Committee held its first in-person session since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. After three years of Harmonized System Committee (HSC) meetings of three-hour virtual sessions, which generated a backlog of issues that started from the loss of a full Committee meeting at the start of the pandemic, the HSC 71 had a very long agenda, consisting of 91 items, including classification issues, potential amendments to the nomenclature and major policy issues.
The meeting was attended in person by 62 members from 61 countries and the European Union (EU). The discussions were supplemented by a document-based forum using the CLiKC! Platform of the WCO. The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) also participated in person as observers.
In his closing remarks, the chairperson highlighted that given the short time left in the current review cycle - two sessions of the Committee and two sessions of the HS Review Sub-Committee - the cooperation of Contracting Parties with the Secretariat was particularly important in order to have an amendment in 2027 that meets the demands of the countries, international organisations and, in general, all those involved in world trade. In this sense, the chairperson invited members to offer the Secretariat guidance, proposals and any clarifications requested during the HSC 71st meeting.
The Chairperson also congratulated the delegates to the HSC for their active participation, as well as the Deputy Director and the staff of the Secretariat for all the support and excellent work. The HSC finalised and approved 18 amendments to the HS2027 Nomenclature, 12 amendments to the HS2022 Explanatory Notes, 23 new Classification Opinions, 462 INN classifications and 30 new classification decisions.
