Outdated tariff codes can make it harder for businesses to benefit from free trade agreements. This ICC policy paper sets out practical recommendations to keep rules of origin – the criteria used to determine where a product is made and whether it qualifies for trade preferences – aligned with updates to the global system used to classify traded goods, known as the Harmonized System. Doing so helps preserve negotiated trade commitments and reduce compliance costs for businesses.
Updating HS references, a process known as technical rectification, should preserve the agreed origin requirements without changing the substance of negotiated commitments.
With HS 2028 set to enter into force on 1 January 2028, this ICC policy paper sets out four practical principles to help customs administrations keep rules up to date, preserve the benefits of free trade agreements and reduce burdens on businesses. (....)