The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) of tariff nomenclature is an internationally standardized system of names and numbers for classifying traded products developed and maintained by the World Customs Organization (WCO), an independent intergovernmental organization with over 160 member countries based in Brussels, Belgium.

The HS is a six-digit nomenclature. Individual countries have extended it to ten digits for customs purposes, and to 8 digits for export purposes. Almost 200 countries, representing about 98% of world trade, use the HS as a basis for:

• Customs tariffs
• Collection of international trade statistics
• Rules of origin
• Collection of internal taxes
• Trade negotiations (e.g., the World Trade Organization schedules of tariff concessions)
• Transport tariffs and statistics
• Monitoring of controlled goods (e.g., wastes, narcotics, chemical weapons, ozone layer depleting substances, endangered species)
• Areas of Customs controls and procedures, including risk assessment, information technology and compliance.

Reference

External links

• HS Codes
• World Customs Organization
• http://www.hscodes.com/
• CUSTOMS AND EXCISE TARIFF OF IRELAND
• http://www.census.gov

See also

• Customs Tariff
• TARIC Coding System

Standards | Chemical numbering schemes | Classification systems

Хармонизирана система | Hệ thống điều hòa (hải quan) | 协调制度