Communication from the chairperson of the
Harmonized System Committee

Addendum

The following communication, dated 1 July 2022, was sent by the Chairperson of the Harmonized System Committee of the World Customs Organization to the Chairperson of the Committee on Market Access.

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First of all, let me thank you for your message of 30 May 2022 and for the interest of the WTO, and in particular the CMA team, in the Harmonized System Committee (HSC) matters.

I am happy for your comments and suggestions, and I invite you to provide to the WCO Secretariat concrete proposals from your side on this question, taking into account the structure of the Harmonized System (HS) and the classification principles. That might be the basis of a working document to be prepared by the WCO Secretariat for the forthcoming HS Committee.

I share your concerns regarding divergent classifications by Members for certain COVID-19 essential products. However, these divergences or misclassifications are very often due to the absence of information about the products under consideration rather than a lack of clarity in the HS. We should keep in mind that not having a specific provision in the HS for a product doesn't mean automatically that its classification would be ambiguous.

Since your submission will be presented at the next HSC, held from Monday, 12 September to Friday, 23 September, for consideration, I would welcome WTO representatives to join the HSC for this. If you can consider the people who will attend, including who might address this orally at the HSC, the WCO Secretariat will issue a formal invitation when the letters are sent out in July.

Again, thank you for your contribution. I am looking forward to continuing our cooperation.

Sincerely yours,

Alvaro Fernández-Acebes

Chairperson of the HS Committee