TradeLane

Trade Compliance: Systems + Knowledge
Two Peas in a Pod

Watching the news can really make you wonder about how we will all get through things.

Some countries may require a Certificate of Origin, and without this complex document, your goods will not be able to clear customs. It could also result in the goods being returned or discarded. There are countries that require documents to be certified by that country's Embassy or Consulate to prove the origin of the goods is accurate.

… well, not all of them luckily!!! But, just like Bob Dylan's song that inspired the title, my less-so-poetic commentary is a rallying call for consideration of the impending changes in the HS2022 update.

Some background to set the mood: the Harmonized System is a convention comprising the nomenclature for the classification of products in cross-border trade. The nomenclature is a hierarchical structure consisting of product categories/subcategories and descriptions, represented in a six-digit numerical code (HS Code). The HS Codes enable Customs and other governmental authorities to categorize what is being imported or exported. Within the 200+ countries adhering to the Harmonized System, the six-digit HS Code is expanded at a national tariff level and includes additional digits for further sub-categorization. A Tariff Classification is commonly between 8-12 digits for most countries.

Every 5-6 years the World Customs Organization (WCO) updates the Harmonized System to accommodate new products, to more specifically categorize certain products, address environmental/social concerns, or to provide more clarity and transparency. On 1st January 2022, the codes they are a-changin'!

Major Changes
There are 351 amendments in HS2022.
The summary provided below, and especially the examples used, are not a comprehensive or exhaustive list of changes.
They are simply provided for illustration purposes.

Changes in HS2022 include:

The rate of IGST levied on import and supply of non-diagnostic reagents classified under heading 3822 was litigative. GST council has recently clarified that all laboratory reagents and other goods falling under heading 3822 shall be liable to IGST rate of 12%.