A new online tool has been developed by the World Trade Organization (WTO), which monitors changes in the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) - the system used to classify traded goods. The HS Tracker application, developed with the support of the World Customs Organization (WCO), also aims to help customs officials and traders prepare for the changes to the HS, which will take effect on 1 January 2022.
The HS tracker is periodically updated to secure uniform interpretation or to reflect changes in trade patterns, changes in manufacturing processes or technological advancement; it also addresses environmental and social concerns.
The Subheading visualizer function displays graphically the manner in which a specific HS code has changed across different versions of the Harmonized System. The HS at a glance function provides a broad overview of the HS amendments by consolidating the different versions of the HS in one combined structure. The filters and search functions make it possible to browse multiple HS nomenclatures simultaneously for a particular set of codes, and determine whether they were affected by a particular amendment to the HS.
