The Customs and Excise Department today (November 14) reminded importers and exporters that import and export declarations for shipments on or after January 1, 2012, must be completed in accordance with the Hong Kong Imports and Exports Classification List (Harmonized System) (HKIECL) 2012 Edition.
The 2012 Edition, published in the Gazette on November 11, will take effect on January 1, 2012.
The compilation of HKIECL is based on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, designed by the World Customs Organization (WCO). Hong Kong has adopted the system in full since 1992.
In 2009, the WCO recommended 220 sets of amendments to the system. To ensure that Hong Kong's classification system continues to be compatible with those of its major trading partners, Hong Kong will implement the amendments recommended by the WCO with effect from January 1, 2012.
The amendments mainly relate to the categories of agriculture, chemical, paper, textiles, base metal and machinery. A summary of the changes to the HKIECL and the Hong Kong Harmonized System correlation tables can be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Census and Statistics Department (www.censtatd.gov.hk/trader/declaration/index.jsp)
The bilingual HKIECL 2012 Edition, in a set of two volumes, can be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Census and Statistics Department
(www.censtatd.gov.hk/trader/declaration/index.jsp). Printed versions of the two volumes can be purchased at the following:
For enquiries about trade classification, please contact the Trade Classification Section of the Census and Statistics Department:
Commodity Code Enquiry Hotline: (852) 3178 8933
Fax: (852) 2824 2782
Email: trade-declaration@censtatd.gov.hk
Ends/Monday, November 14, 2011