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The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding Systems generally referred to as "Harmonized System" or simply "HS Code" is a 6-digit standardized numerical method of classifying traded products developed and maintained by the World Customs Organization.

The Harmonized System Nomenclature (HS) forms the basis of all countries’ tariff Schedule all over the world. Nomenclature actually means the systematical numbering or naming of all internationally traded products according to international rules and interpretations. The Harmonized System constitutes a universal foundation for international trade statistics and all countries’ customs tariffs. The Harmonized System, whose official name is the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, is an international classification system used for all internationally traded commodities. In the Harmonized System, every traded product is classified in accordance with certain logical and systematical framework. Products are registered in customs on the basis of these codes. Every product/product group has a HS Code. All traded commodities are processed in customs on the basid of these codes. HS Code is a universal trading language for products and is an indispensable instrument for both product coding and international trade. HS Code can be defined as the “identification number” of all products in customs procedures.The system is used by more than 200 countries and economies as a basis for the collection of international trade statistics. Besides, HS numbers are used by customs authorities around the world to identify products for the application of customs duties, taxes and regulations. Over 98 % of world trade is classified in terms of the HS.

The regulations regarding the Harmonized System in international level are carried out by World Customs Organization (WCO). WCO regulates customs implementations and provides uniformity in member countries. WCO makes comprehensive changes in the Harmonized System approximately every 5 year. As a case in point, WCO made thorough changes in the Harmonized System in 1992, 1996, 2002, 2007 and 2012. The underlying reason of these changes can be described as the product-coding of newly-entrant products to the market, first and foremost in information technologies, the incorportation of the codes of products whose trade volume is respectively low. Every product exported or imported from a country is given a HS code.

In the world, 207 countries and economies make use of this system. The list of countries/economies using the Harmonized System can be reached on the website of World Customs Organization.

The HS classification system is defined by World Custom Organization at the 2, 4, and 6 digit level.

The Harmonized System is a classification system comprised of 21 sections and 96 chapters. Chapter is the name for the 2-digit code in Harmonized System. Each chapter is denoted by a 2-digit code which is further divided into several 4 digit codes, which is called headings.These headings (4 digit code) are subdivided into 6 digit codes, which is called sub-headings. Chapters, which consist of 2-digit codes, is divided into headings (4-digit codes) and each heading is divided into sub-headings (6-digit codes). In other words, 4-digit headings are created by adding 2-digit to 2-digit chapters, and 6-digit sub-headings are formed through adding 2-digit to 4-digit headings.

HS Code, up to 6 digit level is followed internationally and is common to all countries. In every country’s tariff Schedule that are using the Harmonized System, 2-digit, 4-digit and 6-digit codes are the same all over the world. In other words, these codes represent the same product/product group in these countries. For instance, HS Code ‘071120’ is “olive” in all countries’ customs.

HS Code is 6 digits long.The codes that have more than 6-digit in the Tariff Schedules can be arranged and detailed by the countries according to their needs for a variety of reasons (e.g. to obtain more detailed statistics, to apply customs duties on the basis of more detailed product codes). As a case in point, HS Code code for lentil is 071340 in all countries. However, every country can use different codes for their own needs to differentiate the types of lentils such as seeds for sowing, green lentil and red lentil after the 6-digit code HS Code.

The Classification of Lentil in Tariff Schedules of Turkey, United States of America (USA) and Canada

As can be seen in the Table above, lentil is coded as 071340 in all three countries. However, species of lentils can differ after 6-digit code.Each country is allowed to add additional digits in these international HS codes to suit their national statistical or trading needs. For example 10 digits are used in EU, USA, South Korea, Canada and China, 12 digits are used in Turkey, 8 digits are used in India, 9 digits are used in Moldova and Japan to suit the national requirements.

In some cases, after 6-digit codes both product-codes and detailed product-codes can be different. For example, after 6-digit code for apple, Turkey and USA utilize different codes and classifications for apple whose GTIP code is 080810 in both countries.

The Classification of Apple in Customs Tariff Schedules of Turkey and USA

As can be seen in the Table above, the detailed classification of products after the 6-digit code may also differ in terms of the number of digits (number of codes) in countries’ customs tarif schedules. The number of digits used by countries to code products in detail can differ among countries. For instance, the most detailed codes used to classify products are 12-digit in Turkey, 10-digit in USA, the European Union (EU), South Korea, Canada and China, 9-digit in Japan and Moldovia, and 8-digit in India.

Internationally traded products and commodities are classified not one by one but according to their genre/type and qualities, and certain products and commodities that have speciality or have higher shares in trade are categorized in a more distinctive fashion in this coding system. Particularly, detailed classifications are made after 6-digit codes according to weight/share of the products/product groups in (international) trade. For example, funegreek, which is a kind of sauce, is not coded separately on quite a few countries’ customs tariff schedules; but, it is included in “Others” category, which is the sub-group/category of 6-digit code “210390” (Other Sauces and …..). However, since funegreek has a wider use and demand in Turkey than other countries, it is classified with code “210390.90.00.12”. Coding of funegreek in Turkey and Canada’s customs tariff schedule is examined in the following table.

The Classification of Funegreek in Customs Tariff Schedules of Turkey and Canada

As can be noticed in the Table above, while the detailed code for funegreek is 210390.90.00.12 in Turkey, Canada uses 210390.90.90 (other sauces) as the detailed code for funegreek.

In Harmonized System, products are classified/categorized horizontally and vertically according to rankings such as crude and natural products, unprocesssed, semi-processed and processed products. This system can be seen in the whole tariff schedule. For instance, while “Polymers of ethylene, in primary forms” (crude product) is coded in heading 3901, “Tableware, kitchenware, other household articles and hygienic or toilet articles, of plastics” (processed product) are located in heading 3924.

Another example is that “Unwrought aluminum” (crude product) is coded in heading “7601”, whereas “Aluminum plates, sheets and strip, of a thickness exceeding 0.2 mm” (semi-processed product) are in heading 7606 and “Table, kitchen or other household articles ” (processed product) are located in heading 7615.

Another important feature regarding the classification in Harmonized System is the products are classified according to materials in chapters 01-83 and classified according to function in chapters 84-97.

With a view to ensuring uniformity of interpretations as regards the Harmonized System Nomenclature, WCO issues Harmonized System Explanatory Notes, which contain WCO’s official interpretations on the subject. The said notes are renewed and issued in English and French every 5 year. These notes are comprised of the following information on:

• Which products are included in headings and sub-headings,
• How to interpret the codes in Sections and Chapters,
• How are the products in headings produced, their production processes and the share/proportion of materials used in their production,
• General information about the products in headings

Nevertheless, these notes, except for Sections and Chapter notes, are not legally binding.

HARMONIZED SYSTEM - HS CODES

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