Notice2025-22764
WCO Eighth Review Cycle: Request for Proposals To Amend the International Harmonized System for Implementation in 2033
Primary source
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Published
December 15, 2025
Issuing agencies
International Trade Commission
Abstract
The Commission is requesting proposals from interested persons and agencies to amend the International Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System or HS) in connection with the Eighth Review Cycle of the World Customs Organization (WCO), with a view to keeping the Harmonized System current with changes in technology and trade patterns. The proposals will be reviewed by the Commission, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) for potential submission by the U.S. Government to the WCO in Brussels, Belgium.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 238 (Monday, December 15, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 238 (Monday, December 15, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58057-58058]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22764]
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
[Investigation No. 1210-008]
WCO Eighth Review Cycle: Request for Proposals To Amend the
International Harmonized System for Implementation in 2033
AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.
ACTION: Request for Proposals to Amend the International Harmonized
System Tariff Nomenclature.
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SUMMARY: The Commission is requesting proposals from interested persons
and agencies to amend the International Harmonized Commodity
Description and Coding System (Harmonized System or HS) in connection
with the Eighth Review Cycle of the World Customs Organization (WCO),
with a view to keeping the Harmonized System current with changes in
technology and trade patterns. The proposals will be reviewed by the
Commission, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the United
States Trade Representative (USTR) for potential submission by the U.S.
Government to the WCO in Brussels, Belgium.
DATES: Suggested deadline for submissions: October 1, 2027.
ADDRESSES: All Commission offices are located in the United States
International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street SW, Washington,
DC. All written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary,
United States International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW,
Washington, DC 20436. The public record for this collection of
proposals may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at
<a href="http://edis.usitc.gov">edis.usitc.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Rohrbach, Office of Tariff
Affairs and Trade Agreements (202-205-2088,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fe949b909097989b8cd08c91968c9c9f9d96be8b8d978a9dd0999188"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a6ccc3c8c8cfc0c3d488d4c9ced4c4c7c5cee6d3d5cfd2c588c1c9d0">[email protected]</span></a>). The media should contact Claire Huber
(202-205-1819, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0a69666b63786f24627f686f784a7f79637e69246d657c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a9cac5c8c0dbcc87c1dccbccdbe9dcdac0ddca87cec6df">[email protected]</span></a>). Hearing impaired individuals
may obtain information on this matter by contacting the Commission's
TDD terminal at 202-205-1810. General information concerning the
Commission may also be obtained by visiting <a href="http://www.usitc.gov">www.usitc.gov</a>. Persons with
mobility impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access
to the Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-
205-2000.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: The Harmonized System, or HS, was established by an
international convention, which, inter alia, provides that the HS
should be kept up to date in light of changes in technology and
patterns of international trade. The HS, which is maintained by the
World Customs Organization (WCO), provides a uniform structural basis
for the customs tariffs and statistical nomenclatures of all major
trading countries of the world, including the United States.
Section 1210 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988
(the 1988 Act) (19 U.S.C. 3010) designates the Commission, the U.S.
Department of the Treasury, and the U.S. Department of Commerce,
subject to the policy direction of the USTR, as the principal agencies
responsible for formulating U.S. Government positions on technical and
procedural issues and in representing the U.S. Government in activities
of the WCO that relate to the HS. The Office of the USTR subsequently
designated the Commission to lead the U.S. delegation to the HS Review
Subcommittee (RSC), a subcommittee of the Harmonized System Committee
(HSC), which is responsible for considering amendments to the HS in
order to keep the HS current with changes in technology and patterns of
international trade (see 53 FR 45646, Nov. 10, 1988).
Through this notice the Commission is seeking proposals to amend
the HS in connection with the Eighth Review Cycle of the HS Review
Subcommittee of the WCO. Proposals received will be made a part of the
Commission's record keeping system and available for public inspection
(with the exception of any confidential business information) through
the Commission's record files and through the Commission's electronic
docket (EDIS).
An up-to-date copy of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United
States (HTS), which incorporates the international HS in its overall
structure, can be found on the Commission's website (<a href="http://hts.usitc.gov">http://hts.usitc.gov</a>).
Request for Proposals: The Commission is seeking proposals for
specific modifications to the international Harmonized System (section
and chapter notes, and the texts of 4-digit headings and 6-digit
subheadings) that would describe new products or technologies, modify
or eliminate unclear or obsolete categories, or otherwise advance the
goals set out by the HS Convention. No proposals for changes to U.S.
national-level provisions (including Additional U.S. Notes, 8-digit
subheadings, 10-digit statistical annotations, and rates of duty) will
be considered by the Commission as part of this review. Interested
parties, associations, and government agencies should submit specific
language for proposed amendments to the HS, together with appropriate
descriptive comments and, to the extent available, relevant trade data.
The implementation of changes in the international HS by the United
States will be tariff neutral.
As part of this review, the Commission particularly invites
proposals concerning the following matters:
--The deletion of HS headings or subheadings with low trade volume;
--The creation of separate 4-digit headings or 6-digit subheadings to
identify types of products that are important in international trade
but are not adequately classified;
--The simplification of the HS, whether by the modification of
provisions for greater clarity or the elimination of provisions that
are difficult to administer; and/or
[[Page 58058]]
--The suggestion of other changes that would improve the classification
of products, especially those being exported from the United States, or
assist in the administration of the HS and the more uniform
classification of goods internationally.
This notice does not seek proposals for changes to the HS
Explanatory Notes, which are maintained by the WCO and are reviewed
separately. However, requests for changes to current Explanatory Notes
(not arising from potential 2033 legal amendments to the HS) may be
sent by a WCO member government directly to the HSC at any time.
Government agencies and private sector parties interested in such
action should contact the Commission (see contacts above) or the
following CBP officials: Yuliya A. Gulis, Director, Commercial & Trade
Facilitation (CTF) Division, Office of Trade, Regulations and Rulings,
202-325-0042, or Gregory Connor, Chief, Electronics, Machinery,
Automotive and International Nomenclature Branch, CTF Division, Office
of Trade, Regulations and Rulings, 202-325-0025.
The proposals will be reviewed by the Commission, CBP, and USTR for
potential submission by the U.S. Government to the WCO in Brussels,
Belgium.
Written Submissions: Interested persons and agencies are invited to
submit written proposals, which should be addressed to the Secretary to
the Commission and received no later than October 1, 2027. Although
submissions will be accepted after this date, it is recommended that
proposals be submitted as soon as possible to ensure full consideration
in the eighth HS review cycle. Submissions should be marked with a
reference to Investigation Number 1210-008.
All written submissions must conform with the provisions of section
201.8 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR
201.8). Section 201.8 of the Commission's rules require the filing of
all submissions with the Secretary electronically, (see Handbook for
Electronic Filing Procedures, <a href="https://www.usitc.gov/documents/handbook_on_filing_procedures.pdf">https://www.usitc.gov/documents/handbook_on_filing_procedures.pdf</a>). Persons with questions regarding
electronic filing should contact the Secretary (202-205-2000).
Submission will preferably be public, but in the event that
confidential treatment of a document is requested, a non-confidential
version must also be filed (see the following paragraph for further
information regarding confidential business information). Any
submissions that contain confidential business information must also
conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's
Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the
rules requires that the cover of the document and the individual pages
be clearly marked as to whether they are the ``confidential'' or ``non-
confidential'' version, and that the confidential business information
be clearly identified by means of brackets.
All written submissions, except for confidential business
information, will be made available for inspection by interested
parties. Confidential business information received in the proposals
may be made available to Customs and Census during the examination of
these proposals. The Commission will not otherwise publish or release
any confidential business information received, nor release it to other
government agencies or other persons.
By order of the Commission.
Issued: December 11, 2025.
Lisa Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2025-22764 Filed 12-12-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P
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