Standard Classification of Goods (SCG)

Introduction 1996

The Standard Classification of Goods (SCG) is the standard used by Statistics Canada to collect commodity data and to uniquely identify such data in data banks. It is an extension of the international Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, designed to meet Canadian requirements for extra detail.

The first published edition applied to the 1988 reference year, and the second edition applied to the 1992 year. The third edition of the SCG covers the 1996 reference year. For the years between the first two editions, the classification was updated by annual supplements consisting of replacement pages. After 1992, annual supplements were not published but available on a cost recovery basis. The standard for commodity statistics prior to 1988 was the Standard Commodity Classification which was published in 1959 and revised in 1972.

The Standard Classification of Goods provides a structure for the collection of commodity data. Survey managers select from the Standard the appropriate level of detail that is relevant for the nature of the universe surveyed and the purpose of the survey. Where the structure is not suitable, alternative structures may be developed, using classes from the standard as building blocks. The versions in this website identify the codes selected for collecting data in current surveys covering imports, exports and production as well as in the annual survey of products shipped and materials used by manufacturers.

The Standard Classification of Goods (SCG) is one of a number of standards used in Statistics Canada to facilitate the collection and publication of an integrated set of statistics. An example of another such standard is the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), which is designed to classify the establishments that produce goods or services. The SCG provides a structured list of goods, the classes being mutually exclusive, while collectively exhausting the universe of goods to be classified. It consists of a hierarchy of classes, with a different classification criterion applied at each level of the classification. Each class is identified by a code number, with the structure of the code indicating the level of the hierarchy. Although each class identified must have economic significance, the application of the principles of classification does not necessarily result in a similar degree of economic significance among categories at any given level of the hierarchy. Maintaining the stability of the SCG facilitates the comparison of data about goods, among different series for a given reference year or over time for any given series. On the other hand, to reflect changes in the economy and new requirements for statistics, the finest level of detail in the classification structure will be revised periodically.

The SCG replaces the Standard Commodity Classification (SCC), which was the first commodity standard applied by Statistics Canada. The SCC was developed and published during the 1950s and a revised edition was released in 1972. The SCC was implemented gradually over the years. It was introduced in the 1960s for imports (the Import Commodity Classification, or MCC), for exports (the Export Commodity Classification, or XCC), and for the commodities transported by rail, road and water. In the 1970s it was extended to the Census of Manufactures (the Industrial Commodity Classification, or ICC), an expanded import classification (the Canadian International Trade Classification, or CITC), and the Input-Output Tables (the Principal Commodity Groups, or PCG). In the early 1980s it was introduced into the family expenditure surveys and the Consumer Price Index.

The Standard Commodity Classification was not itself used as a coding manual. Instead, applied manuals based upon the standard were developed. These manuals drew from the standard, by using some classes as they were in the SCC, and by combining or splitting other classes, but usually respecting the classification structure. Normally, the first three digits of the standard coding system appeared in the derived classifications.

The SCG is based upon the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System, or HS), in that it incorporates the HS classification (descriptions and codes), legal notes, and the general rules of interpretation. Thereby, it can apply HS classification support such as the explanatory notes, the services of the HS Secretariat and other support associated with the HS. The SCG, however, extends the six-digit HS coding system, by an additional two digits. This extension was required to provide more statistical detail for goods that are manufactured in Canada, for the materials used in their manufacture, and for goods that are imported or exported. The extension also attempted, as far as possible, to maintain comparability with earlier data on goods.

The idea of an international standard commodity description and coding system grew out of a need to simplify and expedite trade documentation of all types, including customs documentation. A group of trading organizations responded to this need. Included in this group were the International Chamber of Shipping, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, and the Economic Commission for Europe. They believed that trade documentation would be faster and more accurate if a standard root code could be built into all product identification codes and assigned at the point of production and if the same root code could be incorporated into all the administrative classifications used in trade (e.g., customs tariffs, freight rate schedules, statistical classifications). Such an international standard for commodity classification would:

  • expedite international trade documentation;
  • reduce the expense incurred by redescribing, reclassifying and recoding goods as they move from one classification system to another in the course of international trade;
  • facilitate the standardization of trade documentation and the transmission of data;
  • improve the accuracy of commodity statistics; and
  • facilitate the collection, comparison and analysis of commodity statistics.

The most widely-used international coding system at the time was the Customs Co-operation Council Nomenclature, which was maintained by the World Customs Organization (WCO)Footnote 1, an organization to which most countries belong. The WCO was established to standardize tariff nomenclatures and facilitate the clearance of goods at international borders. Accordingly, under their auspices, a committee was established to develop the Harmonized System. Work began in 1973 and the classification was completed in 1983. Canada was represented by officials from Revenue Canada (Customs and Excise) and Statistics Canada.

Footnotes

Footnote 1

The official name for this organization is the "Customs Co-operation Council (CCC)". The name, "World Customs Organization (WCO)", was adopted as the informal working name in June 1994 in order to indicate more clearly its nature and world-wide status.

Return to footnote 1 referrer

To implement the HS, each country signs a convention (the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System) binding itself to adopt the descriptions and codes of the HS and the rules governing its application for customs tariffs, import statistics and export statistics. The system was adopted in January 1988 by forty-five countries or customs unions, including Canada, the European Economic Community and Japan. It was adopted by the United States of America in January 1989.

To facilitate the compilation of market data, Statistics Canada also implemented the HS for production statistics, beginning with information for 1988. In fact, Statistics Canada has a policy stipulating that the HS become the definitional basis for all of the commodity statistics it produces. In many countries, trade classifications have been based upon the Standard International Trade Classification, and production classifications on national industrial classifications. These countries have experienced difficulty in converting commodity classifications to an HS base. Canada is accustomed to integrated commodity classification since, previously, both trade and production classifications were based upon the SCC.

The classification structure of the HS is sufficiently different from that of the SCC to complicate comparison, particularly for residual classes. The HS is designed primarily to facilitate the "identification" and coding of goods; therefore, it is principally organized by component material, a characteristic that is apparent from a physical examination of the goods. The SCC, on the other hand, was designed primarily to facilitate "analysis" of commodity statistics and is principally organized by stage of fabrication (i.e., crude materials, fabricated materials and end products, with the first two categories subdivided by component material, and the third, by use). The benefits of improved quality and comparability of data from adopting the HS, however, are deemed to more than compensate for the breaks in historical continuity and the regrouping of data required for analysis of commodity data.

The Standard Classification of Goods

  1. Structure

    The HS (and thus the SCG) was designed for the classification of goods on the basis of their physical characteristics, in the sense that one should be able to apply objective criteria to correctly classify a good or verify its classification, by examining it or asking a laboratory to test its physical or chemical properties. The corollary is that certificates of origin or intended use are not required to classify a good. The use of physical characteristics was thought to be the best way of getting reliably coded data.

    The main objective in developing the SCG was to add a level of commodity detail to the HS structure. This was necessary because the detail in the HS reflects the commodities that were significant in international trade during the 1970s. Additional national requirements for commodity statistics, particularly for commodities that are significant mainly in domestic production, had to be added to the HS. In developing the SCG, it was important to identify commodities that are significant for analytical purposes but also are defined in such a way that they can be reported from records kept by respondents or coded from documentation that travels with the goods.

    The SCG consists of a hierarchy of chapters (two-digit codes), headings (four-digit codes) and subheadings (six-digit codes and eight-digit codes), organized primarily by component material, beginning with crude products and proceeding through further stages of processing, then mixtures and products made from a variety of materials. Numerical codes are used. A count of these codes, by level, is given in the following table:

    SCG Count, By Level
    Level 1988 1996 2001
    Two-digit codes 96 96 96
    Four-digit codes 1,241 1,241 1,241
    Six-digit codes 5,019 5,113 5,113
    Eight-digit codes 12,499 15,087 15,266

    At the two-, four- and six-digit level, the list of goods is exhaustive. To obtain a complete list of codes at maximun detail, it is necessary to add those six-digit subheadings that have not been extended to the eight-digit level (codes in which the 7th and 8th digits are blank) to the count of 8 digit codes. The number of lowest-level codes thus obtained is 16,960 in 1996 and 17,104 in 2001.

    In the classification, commodity descriptions are sometimes employed at the fifth and seventh digit levels to simplify the presentation. Codes have been assigned to the five and seven-digit level, because some of them were required for data collection.

    The structure of the SCG can be illustrated by the example of Sockeye salmon in airtight containers:
    16 chapter two digits Preparations of meat, of fish or of crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates
    16.04 heading four digits  Prepared or preserved fish; caviar and caviar substitutes prepared from fish eggs
    1604.1 subheading five digits Fish, whole or in pieces, but not minced
    1604.11 subheading six digits Salmon
    1604.11.1 subheading seven digits In airtight containers
    1604.11.14 subheading eight digits Sockeye
    Sometimes the coding structure is simpler, as in Cocoa beans, whole or broken, raw or roasted:
    18 chapter two digits Cocoa and cocoa preparations
    18.01 heading four digits Cocoa beans, whole or broken, raw or roasted
    1801.00 subheading six digits Cocoa beans, whole or broken, raw or roasted

    In this latter case, the heading is repeated at the subheading level, and "00" is added to the code, but in the SCG, the heading description is not again repeated at the eight-digit level (i.e., 1801.00.00). This is because, for many headings there was no need to create further subheadings for data collection below the six-digit level. The addition of a significant number of duplicated six-digit-level descriptions (as illustrated above for the four-digit level) would have added considerably to the number of 8 digit classes.

  2. Terminology and spelling

    The terminology and spelling in the HS generally follows usage in England or France. The HS Convention calls for application of the HS descriptions exactly as written in English or French, to avoid confusion in comparing statistics. If, for example, the description of a class published by a given country differs from the HS description, users might suspect that the class content has been altered, even though the code is the same. The HS convention (Article 3) does, however, provide some flexibility, by allowing a country to make "...textual adaptations as may be necessary to give effect to the Harmonized System in its domestic law". Countries whose official language is neither English nor French have more freedom in writing descriptions. The application of HS descriptions in Canada creates some difficulties, as Canadian usage of the English and French languages is somewhat different from that in England or France, which were considered as language authorities, respectively, when the HS descriptions were prepared. The concessions (at the six-digit level) to Canadian practice were as follows:

    • "aluminium" in the HS is converted to "aluminum" in the SCG
    • "tyre" is converted to "tire"
    • "trucks" in heading 86.03 has been qualified as "trucks (cars)"
    • "wagons" in heading 86.06 has been qualified as "wagons (freight cars)"
    • "golf cars" in subheading 8703.10 has been qualified as "golf cars (carts)"
    • selected HS terms in heading 87.05 have been replaced by Canadian terms - i.e., "breakdown lorries" by "wreckers", "crane lorries" by "mobile cranes", "concrete-mixer lorries" by "concrete-mixers", "road sweeper lorries" by "road sweepers", and "spraying lorries" by "spraying vehicles"
    • "invalid carriages" has been replaced by "wheelchairs" (87.13 and 8714.20)
    • the period at the end of four-digit descriptions and the colon at the end of subheadings have been dropped, and there are some other minor differences.

    Beyond the six-digit level, the intention was to be consistent with HS subheading descriptions, but spelling tends to reflect that of the author of the description. Furthermore, a set of alternative descriptions has been developed for use with industry questionnaires where HS terminology was deemed inadequate to elicit the required information, or "stand alone" descriptions (not requiring reference to the heading text) were required.

  3. Units of measure

    At this time, the SCG does not show a unit of measure for each commodity class. These units, however, are useful, and most commodity surveys collect data for both units of measure and value. Although decisions have been made about the most appropriate unit of measure for most commodities, the remaining problem cases are difficult to resolve. It is difficult, for example, to determine whether weight or number is the most useful unit of measure for some commodities. As well, some commodities may require two units of measure (e.g., weight and area are complementary units of measure for textile fabrics).

  4. Industry of origin

    Another objective of the SCG is to define each commodity class in such a way that it can be related to its industry of origin. Monthly commodity data for trade and production grouped by industry of origin can be used as a crude indicator of change in industry output, value added, demand for materials, and capacity utilization, and other measures which are normally available only from annual industry reports that are published years later. Furthermore, establishments are usually assigned to industries according to the products they produce. By using a commodity by industry concordance (which matches each of the lowest-level SCG codes to the industry deemed to be the primary producer of this product), it is possible to classify establishments to industries according to their reported products, and to verify the industry code for a given establishment when its annual statistical report is being processed. Although, in fact, some commodities are not principally produced by only one industry and many are produced as secondary products by different industries, the relationship holds true sufficiently well that the assignment of commodities to industries in this manner produces a useful tool. Accordingly, a concordance linking each of the lowest-level SCG codes to its industry of origin (at the six-digit NAICS level) has been prepared (see concordances).

  5. Interpretative rules and legal notes

    Formal notes and rules are an integral part of the HS and, therefore, the SCG. They consist of the section and chapter legal notes at the top of each chapter and a set of interpretive rules (see General Rules for the Interpretation of the Harmonized System). These notes and rules are formal, in that countries signing the convention to implement the HS bind themselves to follow them, and any disputes over an HS-based classification of a commodity would be argued in court in their context. The rules and notes are also applicable to the classes at the seven- and eight digit levels.

  6. Current coverage

    The SCG identifies the level of data collected in surveys of imports, exports, material used and shipments, by respondents to the Annual Survey of Manufactures as well as commodity data gathered in a variety of current surveys. The goods identified for each survey reflects the uniqueness of each universe surveyed and illustrate the manner in which different surveys can be accomodated within one general classification. Futhermore, the classes selected reflect the demand for data, their availability, questionnaire or coding manual design, method of data collection, and confidentiality of the information. The alphabetic codes used to identify these levels of data collection have the following meanings:

    Imports (I)

    These codes are related to the commodities for which import data were collected for the specified reference year. The implementation of the HS for import statistics differs from that of the other series, because import statistics are coded according to the joint tariff-statistical code shown in the Customs Tariff (CT). In the CT code, the six-digit HS component is followed by two digits for tariff purposes, then two more digits for statistical purposes; the full ten digits being required to identify a specific commodity. Where statistical requirements are incompatible with the tariff structure, identical statistical breakouts are required from two or more tariff classes to facilitate the regrouping of data to meet statistical requirements. The SCG, having an eight-digit code and being a statistical classification, did not adopt all tariff codes; therefore, it identifies import classes that are identical to tariff classes or to groupings of tariff classes. A concordance linking the codes of the CT to those of the SCG carrying the flag I is available from Standards Division.

    Exports (E)

    These codes appear in the Canadian Export Classification for the appropriate reference year. There are a number of exceptions which are available from Standards Division.

    Shipments (S)

    These codes were used to collect data on shipments of goods as reported in Section 8 of the questionnaires for the Annual Survey of Manufactures.

    Materials (M)

    These codes were used to collect data on energy and materials used by manufacturers as reported in Section 5 and Section 6 of questionnaires for the 1996 Annual Survey of Manufactures. Where an S or M is not shown in a chapter, data is collected at the 2 digit or chapter level.

    Current surveys (C)

    These codes are used to collect data on specific goods in a variety of sub-annual surveys of manufacturers. The C codes cannot be used as a classification in the sense of covering the whole universe as is the case for the I, E, S and M codes. The surveys using these codes focus on very narrow ranges of commodities.

    It will be evident from a perusal of the flags that the definition of the "Other" classes differs according to the survey identified. When more classes are identified in one survey than another, the "Other" class will not be comparable.

    In spite of the large number of commodity classes, the commodity detail is insufficient to meet all requirements. This may be due to lack of space within the relevant range of codes or to the necessity to accommodate a different classification structure. In such cases, additional digits are allowed at the discretion of the subject-matter divisions. At this time, for example, nine-digit codes for use in the Annual Survey of Manufactures have been provided for in the SCG file. These codes and their descriptions are included in the versions of the SCG on this website.

  7. Updating

    The SCG is updated annually. See Annex E for a concordance and indication of the changes between 1995 and 1996. Updates come from a number of sources, including HS changes, incorporation of new detail from new surveys, changes in commodity detail covered by existing surveys, and basic changes resulting from commodity classification research.

    "Harmonized System Changes 1996"

    HS changes originate from the HS Committee which is composed of representatives from all signatories to the HS convention. This committee meets regularly at the offices of the World Customs Organization in Brussels, Belgium. It is supported by a permanent secretariat. Proposals for HS changes are submitted to the committee through national representatives. Normally, three or four years elapse between the time a proposal is presented to the committee and the time it affects the collection of data, and thus the SCG. The first set of changes affecting the HS component of the SCG came into effect on January 1, 1992 and consisted of a minimal number of description changes, additions and deletions. The next set of Harmonized System changes came into effect on January 1, 1996 and have been incorporated into this version of the SCG. The 1996 HS changes are significant in number and scope and reflect WCO recommendations or user initiated requests for revision. The text of approximately 125 HS headings, subheadings and classification numbers were modified by the WCO in order to revise or clarify meaning. As well, the 1996 HS changes included 253 deletions of six-digit subheadings, and the addition of 348 new six-digit subheadings. The deletion and addition of subheadings have allowed for more appropriate classification structures, for the incorporation of new technological products such as 'compact disc' products (see HS 8524.31) and to provide more detail for goods whose trade values are high. The 1996 HS changes impact a large number of eight digit SCG codes. A significant portion of the over 2000 code deletions and the over 2600 code additions are a result of the 1996 HS code changes. Every attempt was made to recreate, under the new HS code numbers, the SCG classes that were deleted. In some cases, however, the new HS structure precludes this, the result being a break in historical continuity. Another significant change to the HS takes place on January 1, 2002.

    "Other changes"

    Changes also occur when new surveys are incorporated into the SCG. At this time a process of integration takes place, in which commodities at the appropriate level of the SCG are selected and negotiations are undertaken, in order to modify the seventh and eighth digits of the SCG to reflect the best arrangement for a standard. Most changes arise from ongoing surveys. Routinely, in the last half of each calendar year, a series of meetings to discuss changes in commodity detail to be covered by the various surveys in the next reference year takes place. From these meetings, changes to the SCG are made to reflect the latest requirements for commodity data, and survey coverage for the next data year is settled. Finally, in-depth studies of selected commodity groups are conducted periodically, taking into account the nature of the commodities on the market, requirements for data and modifications to the classification structure. A significant portion of the SCG should undergo such scrutiny annually, from which well-documented proposals for changes should be produced.

    Annual updates to the 1988 edition of the manual were released as a set of replacement pages. This proved to be an administrative burden for purchasers of the manual because of the relatively large number of replacement pages, although the actual number of changes was not great compared to the total number of classes, and also because libraries found such updates to be inconvenient. For these reasons, and since the manual is a basic reference rather than an operating manual, it has been decided beginning with the 1992 manual to discontinue issuing an annual updating supplement. Nevertheless, the classification will continue to be updated annually to fulfill its primary function which is to facilitate the integration of the commodity classifications used in Statistics Canada. These updates will be available to user specifications, priced according to the specification. Contact Standards Division for this service.

  8. HS implementation, by survey

    The SCG is intended as a standard for application to all commodity surveys conducted by Statistics Canada. The following table provides a status report on the extent to which the SCG was implemented by January 1, 1996:

    SCG Implementation in Commodity Surveys
    Survey Number of Survey Categories Implementation Date
    Imports 16,818 categories January 1988
    Exports 5,889 categories January 1988
    Annual Survey of Manufactures (240 different industry questionnaires) 7,406 categories of shipments; 3,566 categories of materials 1988 data year
    Industry Division current surveys (approx. 54) varies by industry about 90% were SCG-based for 1992 data
    Water transport 483 categories 1991 data, to be replaced by SCTGFootnote 2
    Truck transport unknown to be based on SCTGFootnote 2
    Rail transport unknown to be based on SCTGFootnote 2
    Dairy product surveys varies by survey draft classification ready 1991
    Other Agriculture Division surveys varies by survey preliminary work done 1991
    Family expenditure surveys over 300 categories of goods preliminary work done 1992
    Consumer Price Index over 182 categories of goods no action to date
    Capital Expenditure Surveys varies by survey field test completed and accepted by Methods and Standards Committee; not yet implemented, with the exception of Electric Power Industry Survey, 1991

    Footnotes

    Footnote 2

    Standard Classification of Transported Goods is a classification developped by Statistics Canada and a group of statistical agencies in the United States, based on the SCG, that will permit comparison of data for transported goods.

    Return to footnote 2 referrer

  9. Concordances

    Concordances are prepared to assist users of commodity statistics to compare classifications and to link data. Two of the concordances included in this publication show how the codes actually used to collect data on imports (Annex C) and exports (Annex D) relate to the SCG. These concordances may be used to compare classifications or regroup data since the relationship between exports or imports and the SCG is 1 to 1 or many to one. Concordances in which classes in one classification relate to more than one class in another must provide ratios before the concordances can be used to regroup data.

    A variety of concordances is available to assist users of commodity data. Analysts of commodity data may find concordances linking the classifications before and after HS implementation to be of interest. Others find it useful to group commodities by industry. In the latter context we would like to mention the following concordances:

    • SCG x SIC 1980 (annual versions 1988 to 1996)
    • SCG x NAICS (annual versions 1996 to present)
    • CT x SIC 1980 (cumulative 1988 to 1996)
    • CT x NAICS (cummulative 1988 to present)

    Contact Standards Division for additional information about concordances.

  10. Information in electronic form

    Some users prefer to receive classification information in electronic form. Available on diskette are: the codes and descriptions of the classification itself, annual updates and concordances. Please contact Standards Division for information on these products.

  11. Additional information

    A number of reference sources for use with the HS are available:

    1. HS Nomenclature
      published by the World Customs Organization in Brussels, available from:

      McMullin Publishers Ltd.
      417 St-Pierre St.
      Suite 224
      Montreal, Quebec
      H2Y 2M4
       
    2. HS Alphabetical Index
      (as in 1.)
       
    3. HS Explanatory Notes
      (as in 1.)
       
    4. Customs Tariff
      Minister of Supply and Services, Catalogue No. RV55-2/2002E
       
    5. Canadian Export Classification
      Statistics Canada, International Trade Division, Catalogue No. 12-578E, occasional
       
    6. Canadian Export-Import Alphabetical Index
      Statistics Canada, International Trade Division, Catalogue No. 12-579E, occasional
       
    7. Foreign classifications
      HS-based English language classifications are available from the United States, the European Economic Community and Australia

General Rules for the Interpretation of the Harmonized System

Classification of goods in the Nomenclature shall be governed by the following principles:

  1. The titles of Sections, Chapters and sub-Chapters are provided for ease of reference only; for legal purposes, classification shall be determined according to the terms of the headings and any relative Section or Chapter Notes and, provided such headings or Notes do not otherwise require, according to the following provisions:
    1. Any reference in a heading to an article shall be taken to include a reference to that article incomplete or unfinished, provided that, as presented, the incomplete or unfinished article has the essential character of the complete or finished article. It shall also be taken to include a reference to that article complete or finished (or falling to be classified as complete or finished by virtue of this Rule), presented unassembled or disassembled.
    2. Any reference in a heading to a material or substance shall be taken to include a reference to mixtures or combinations of that material or substance with other materials or substances. Any reference to goods of a given material or substance shall be taken to include a reference to goods consisting wholly or partly of such material or substance. The classification of goods consisting of more than one material or substance shall be according to the principles of Rule 3.
  2. When by application of Rule 2(b) or for any other reason, goods are, "prima facie", classifiable under two or more headings, classification shall be effected as follows:
    1. The heading which provides the most specific description shall be preferred to headings providing a more general description. However, when two or more headings each refer to part only of the materials or substances contained in mixed or composite goods or to part only of the items in a set put up for retail sale, those headings are to be regarded as equally specific in relation to those goods, even if one of them gives a more complete or precise description of the goods.
    2. Mixtures, composite goods consisting of different materials or made up of different components, and goods put up in sets for retail sale, which cannot be classified by reference to 3(a), shall be classified as if they consisted of the material or component which gives them their essential character, insofar as this criterion is applicable.
    3. When goods cannot be classified by reference to 3(a) or 3(b), they shall be classified under the heading which occurs last in numerical order among those which equally merit consideration.
  3. Goods which cannot be classified in accordance with the above Rules shall be classified under the heading appropriate to the goods to which they are most akin.
  4. In addition to the foregoing provisions, the following Rules shall apply in respect of the goods referred to therein:
    1. Camera cases, musical instrument cases, gun cases, drawing instrument cases, necklace cases and similar containers, specially shaped or fitted to contain a specific article or set of articles, suitable for long-term use and presented with the articles for which they are intended, shall be classified with such articles when of a kind normally sold therewith. This Rule does not, however, apply to containers which give the whole its essential character;
    2. Subject to the provisions of Rule 5(a) above, packing materials and packing containers presented with the goods therein shall be classified with the goods if they are of a kind normally used for packing such goods. However, this provision does not apply when such packing materials or packing containers are clearly suitable for repetitive use.
  5. For legal purposes, the classification of goods in the subheadings of a heading shall be determined according to the terms of those subheadings and any related Subheading Notes and, "mutatis mutandis", to the above Rules, on the understanding that only subheadings at the same level are comparable. For the purposes of this Rule the relative Sections and Chapter Notes also apply, unless the context otherwise requires.

Abbreviations and Symbols Employed in the Standard Classification of Goods

Abbreviations and Symbols Employed in the Standard Classification of Goods
A ampere
AC alternating current
AM amplitude modulation
ASTM American Society for Testing Materials
Bq becquerel(s)
oC degree(s) Celsius
CATV Community antennae television
cc cubic centimetre(s)
cg centigram(s)
C.I. Colour Index
cm centimetre(s)
cm2 square centimetre(s)
cm3 cubic centimetre(s)
cN centinewton(s)
DC direct current
exc excluding
g gram(s)
g.v.w. gross vehicle weight
Hz hertz
inc including
IR infra-red
kcal kilocalorie(s)
kg kilogram(s)
kgf kilogram force
kJ kilojoule
km kilometre(s)
kN kilonewton(s)
kPa kilopascal(s)
kV kilovolt(s)
kVA kilovolt - ampere(s)
kvar kilovolt - ampere(s) - reactive
kW kilowatt(s)
l litre(s)
m metre(s)
m- meta-
m2 square metre(s)
mg milligram(s)
MHz megahertz
ml millilitre(s)
mm millimetre(s)
mN millinewton(s)
MPa megapascal(s)
N newton(s)
No. Number
o- ortho-
pabx private automatic branch exchange
pbx private branch exchange
s second(s)
sec. second(s)
spp. species
t tonne(s)
UV ultra-violet
V volt(s)
vol. volume
W watt(s)
% percent
X X degree(s)

Standard Classification of Goods (SCG) 2001

Section notes

Standard Classification of Goods
Sections Title
Section I Live animals; animal products
Section II Vegetable products
Section III Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products; prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes
Section IV Prepared foodstuffs; beverages, spirits and vinegar; tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes
Section V Mineral products
Section VI Products of the chemical or allied industries
Section VII Plastics and articles thereof; rubber and articles thereof
Section VIII Raw hides and skins, leather, furskins and articles thereof; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silk-worm gut)
Section IX Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal; cork and articles of cork; manufactures of straw, of esparto or of other plaiting materials; basketware and wickerwork
Section X Pulp of wood or of other fibrous cellulosic material; recovered (waste and scrap) paper or paperboard; paper and paperboard and articles thereof
Section XI Textiles and textile articles
Section XII Footwear, headgear, umbrellas, sun umbrellas, walking-sticks, seat-sticks, whips, riding-crops and parts thereof; prepared feathers and articles made therewith; artificial flowers; articles of human hair
Section XIII Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials; ceramic products; glass and glassware
Section XIV Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, precious metals, metals clad with precious metal, and articles thereof; imitation jewellery; coin
Section XV Base metals and articles of base metal
Section XVI Machinery and mechanical appliances; electrical equipment; parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles
Section XVII Vehicles, aircraft, vessels and associated transport equipment
Section XVIII Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; clocks and watches; musical instruments; parts and accessories thereof
Section XIX Arms and ammunition; parts and accessories thereof
Section XX Miscellaneous manufactured articles
Section XXI Works of art, collectors' pieces and antiques

Archived – Standard Classification of Goods (SCG) - Notes 1996-2001

Section XXI:  Works of art, collectors' pieces and antiques

Chapter 97:  Works of art, collectors' pieces and antiques

Notes.

  1. This Chapter does not cover:
    1. Unused postage or revenue stamps, postal stationery (stamped paper) or the like, of current or new issue in the country to which they are destined (Chapter 49);
    2. Theatrical scenery, studio back-cloths or the like, of painted canvas (heading No. 59.07) except if they may be classified in heading No. 97.06; or
    3. Pearls, natural or cultured, or precious or semi-precious stones (headings Nos. 71.01 to 71.03).
  2. For the purposes of heading No. 97.02, the expression "original engravings, prints and lithographs" means impressions produced directly, in black and white or in colour, of one or of several plates wholly executed by hand by the artist, irrespective of the process or of the material employed by him, but not including any mechanical or photomechanical process.
  3. Heading No. 97.03 does not apply to mass-produced reproductions or works of conventional craftsmanship of a commercial character, even if these articles are designed or created by artists.
    1. Subject to Notes 1 to 3 above, articles of this Chapter are to be classified in this Chapter and not in any other Chapter of the Classification.
    2. Heading No. 97.06 does not apply to articles of the preceding headings of this Chapter.
  4. Frames around paintings, drawings, pastels, collages or similar decorative plaques, engravings, prints or lithographs are to be classified with those articles, provided they are of a kind and of a value normal to those articles. Frames which are not of a kind or of a value normal to the articles referred to in this Note are to be classified separately.

Archived – Standard Classification of Goods (SCG) - Notes 1996-2001

Section XX:  Miscellaneous manufactured articles

Chapter 94:  Furniture; bedding, mattresses, mattress supports, cushions and similar stuffed furnishings; lamps and lighting fittings, not elsewhere specified or included; illuminated signs, illuminated name-plates and the like; prefabricated buildings

Notes.

  1. This Chapter does not cover:

    a) Pneumatic or water mattresses, pillows or cushions, of Chapter 39, 40 or 63;

    b) Mirrors designed for placing on the floor or ground (for example, cheval-glasses (swing-mirrors)) of heading No. 70.09;

    c) Articles of Chapter 71;

    d) Parts of general use as defined in Note 2 to Section XV, of base metal (section XV), or similar goods of plastics (Chapter 39), or safes of heading No. 83.03;

    e) Furniture specially designed as parts of refrigerating or freezing equipment of heading No. 84.18; furniture specially designed for sewing machines (heading No. 84.52);

    f) Lamps or lighting fittings of Chapter 85;

    g) Furniture specially designed as parts of apparatus of heading No. 85.18 (heading No. 85.18), of headings Nos. 85.19 to 85.21 (heading No. 85.22) or of headings Nos. 85.25 to 85.28 (heading No. 85.29);

    h) Articles of heading No. 87.14;

    ij) Dentists' chairs incorporating dental appliances of heading No. 90.18 or dentists' spittoons (heading No. 90.18);

    k) Articles of Chapter 91 (for example, clocks and clock cases); or

    l) Toy furniture or toy lamps or lighting fittings (heading No. 95.03), billiard tables or other furniture specially constructed for games (heading No. 95.04), furniture for conjuring tricks or decorations (other than electric garlands) such as Chinese lanterns (heading No. 95.05).

  2. The articles (other than parts) referred to in headings Nos. 94.01 to 94.03 are to be classified in those headings only if they are designed for placing on the floor or ground.

    The following are, however, to be classified in the above-mentioned headings even if they are designed to be hung, to be fixed to the wall or to stand one on the other:
    1. Cupboards, bookcases, other shelved furniture and unit furniture;
    2. Seats and beds.
    1. In headings Nos. 94.01 to 94.03 references to parts of goods do not include references to sheets or slabs (whether or not cut to shape but not combined with other parts) of glass (including mirrors), marble or other stone or of any other material referred to in Chapter 68 or 69.
    2. Goods described in heading No. 94.04, presented separately, are not to be classified in heading No. 94.01, 94.02 or 94.03 as parts of goods.
  3. For the purposes of heading No. 94.06, the expression "prefabricated buildings" means buildings which are finished in the factory or put up as elements, presented together, to be assembled on site, such as housing or worksite accommodation, offices, schools, shops, sheds, garages or similar buildings.

Chapter 95:  Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and accessories thereof

Notes.

  1. This Chapter does not cover:

    a) Christmas tree candles (heading No. 34.06);

    b) Fireworks or other pyrotechnic articles of heading No. 36.04;

    c) Yarns, monofilament, cords or gut and the like for fishing, cut to length but not made up into fishing lines, of Chapter 39, heading No. 42.06 or Section XI;

    d) Sports bags or other containers of heading No. 42.02, 43.03 or 43.04;

    e) Sports clothing or fancy dress, of textiles, of Chapter 61 or 62;

    f) Textile flags or bunting, or sails for boats, sailboards or land craft, of Chapter 63;

    g) Sports footwear (other than skating boots with ice or roller skates attached) of Chapter 64, or sports headgear of Chapter 65;

    h) Walking-sticks, whips, riding-crops or the like (heading No. 66.02), or parts thereof (heading No. 66.03);

    ij) Unmounted glass eyes for dolls or other toys, of heading No. 70.18;

    k) Parts of general use, as defined in Note 2 to Section XV, of base metal (Section XV), or similar goods of plastics (Chapter 39);

    l) Bells, gongs or the like of heading No. 83.06;

    m) Pumps for liquids (heading No. 84.13), filtering or purifying machinery and apparatus for liquids or gases (heading No. 84.21), electric motors (heading No. 85.01), electric transformers (heading No. 85.04) or radio remote control apparatus (heading No. 85.26);

    n) Sports vehicles (other than bobsleighs, toboggans and the like) of Section XVII;

    o) Children's bicycles (heading No. 87.12);

    p) Sports craft such as canoes and skiffs (Chapter 89), or their means of propulsion (Chapter 44 for such articles made of wood);

    q) Spectacles, goggles or the like, for sports or outdoor games (heading No. 90.04);

    r) Decoy calls or whistles (heading No. 92.08);

    s) Arms or other articles of Chapter 93;

    t) Electric garlands of all kinds (heading No. 94.05); or

    u) Racket strings, tents or other camping goods, or gloves (classified according to their constituent material).

  2. This Chapter includes articles in which natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed), precious metal or metal clad with precious metal constitute only minor constituents.
  3. Subject to Note 1 above, parts and accessories which are suitable for use solely or principally with articles of this Chapter are to be classified with those articles.

Chapter 96:  Miscellaneous manufactured articles

Notes.

  1. This Chapter does not cover:

    a) Pencils for cosmetic or toilet uses (Chapter 33);

    b) Articles of Chapter 66 (for example, parts of umbrellas or walking-sticks);

    c) Imitation jewellery (heading No. 71.17);

    d) Parts of general use, as defined in Note 2 to Section XV, of base metal (Section XV), or similar goods of plastics (Chapter 39);

    e) Cutlery or other articles of Chapter 82 with handles or other parts of carving or moulding materials; heading No. 96.01 or 96.02 applies, however, to separately presented handles or other parts of such articles;

    f) Articles of Chapter 90 (for example, spectacle frames (heading No. 90.03), mathematical drawing pens (heading No. 90.17), brushes of a kind specialised for use in dentistry or for medical, surgical or veterinary purposes (heading No. 90.18));

    g) Articles of Chapter 91 (for example, clock or watch cases);

    h) Musical instruments or parts or accessories thereof (Chapter 92);

    ij) Articles of Chapter 93 (arms and parts thereof);

    k) Articles of Chapter 94 (for example, furniture, lamps and lighting fittings);

    l) Articles of Chapter 95 (toys, games, sports requisites); or

    m) Works of art, collectors' pieces or antiques (Chapter 97).

  2. In heading No. 96.02 the expression "vegetable or mineral carving material" means:
    1. Hard seeds, pips, hulls and nuts and similar vegetable materials of a kind used for carving (for example, corozo and dom);
    2. Amber, meerschaum, agglomerated amber and agglomerated meerschaum, jet and mineral substitutes for jet.
  3. In heading No. 96.03 the expression "prepared knots and tufts for broom or brush making" applies only to unmounted knots and tufts of animal hair, vegetable fibre or other material, which are ready for incorporation without division in brooms or brushes, or which require only such further minor processes as trimming to shape at the top, to render them ready for such incorporation.
  4. Articles of this Chapter, other than headings Nos. 96.01 to 96.06 or 96.15, remain classified in the Chapter whether or not composed wholly or partly of precious metal or metal clad with precious metal, of natural or cultured pearls, or precious or semi-precious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed). However, headings Nos. 96.01 to 96.06 and 96.15 include articles in which natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed), precious metal or metal clad with precious metal constitute only minor constituents.

Archived – Standard Classification of Goods (SCG) - Notes 1996-2001

Section XIX:  Arms and ammunition; parts and accessories thereof

Chapter 93:  Arms and ammunition; parts and accessories thereof

Notes.

  1. This Chapter does not cover:
    1. Goods of Chapter 36 (for example, percussion caps, detonators, signalling flares);
    2. Parts of general use, as defined in Note 2 to Section XV, of base metal (Section XV), or similar goods of plastics (Chapter 39);
    3. Armoured fighting vehicles (heading No. 87.10);
    4. Telescopic sights and other optical devices suitable for use with arms, unless mounted on a firearm or presented with the firearm on which they are designed to be mounted (Chapter 90);
    5. Bows, arrows, fencing foils or toys (Chapter 95); or
    6. Collectors' pieces or antiques (heading No. 97.05 or 97.06).
  2. In heading No. 93.06, the reference to "parts thereof" does not include radio or radar apparatus of heading No. 85.26.

Archived – Standard Classification of Goods (SCG) - Notes 1996-2001

Section XVIII:  Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; clocks and watches; musical instruments; parts and accessories thereof

Chapter 90:  Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof

Notes.

  1. This Chapter does not cover:

    a) Articles of a kind used in machines, appliances or for other technical uses, of vulcanised rubber other than hard rubber (heading No. 40.16), of leather or of composition leather (heading No. 42.04) or of textile material (heading No. 59.11);

    b) Supporting belts or other support articles of textile material, whose intended effect on the organ to be supported or held derives solely from their elasticity (for example, maternity belts, thoracic support bandages, abdominal support bandages, supports for joints or muscles) (Section XI);

    c) Refractory goods of heading No. 69.03; ceramic wares for laboratory, chemical or other technical uses, of heading No. 69.09;

    d) Glass mirrors, not optically worked, of heading No. 70.09, or mirrors of base metal or of precious metal, not being optical elements (heading No. 83.06 or Chapter 71);

    e) Goods of heading No. 70.07, 70.08, 70.11, 70.14, 70.15 or 70.17;

    f) Parts of general use, as defined in Note 2 to Section XV, of base metal (Section XV) or similar goods of plastics (Chapter 39);

    g) Pumps incorporating measuring devices, of heading No. 84.13; weight-operated counting or checking machinery, or separately presented weights for balances (heading No. 84.23); lifting or handling machinery (headings Nos. 84.25 to 84.28); paper or paperboard cutting machines of all kinds (heading No. 84.41); fittings for adjusting work or tools on machine-tools, of heading No. 84.66, including fittings with optical devices for reading the scale (for example, "optical" dividing heads) but not those which are in themselves essentially optical instruments (for example, alignment telescopes); calculating machines (heading No. 84.70); valves or other appliances of heading No. 84.81;

    h) Searchlights or spotlights of a kind used for cycles or motor vehicles (heading No. 85.12); portable electric lamps of heading No. 85.13; cinematographic sound recording, reproducing or re-recording apparatus (heading No. 85.19 or 85.20); sound-heads (heading No. 85.22); still image video cameras and other video camera recorders (heading No. 85.25); radar apparatus, radio navigational aid apparatus or radio remote control apparatus (heading No. 85.26); sealed beam lamp units of heading 85.39; optical fibre cables of heading No. 85.44;

    ij) Searchlights or spotlights of heading No. 94.05;

    k) Articles of Chapter 95;

    l) Capacity measures, which are to be classified according to their constituent material; or

    m) Spools, reels or similar supports (which are to be classified according to their constituent material, for example, in heading No. 39.23 or Section XV).

  2. Subject to Note 1 above, parts and accessories for machines, apparatus, instruments or articles of this Chapter are to be classified according to the following rules:
    1. Parts and accessories which are goods included in any of the headings of this Chapter or of Chapter 84, 85 or 91 (other than heading No. 84.85, 85.48 or 90.33) are in all cases to be classified in their respective headings;
    2. Other parts and accessories, if suitable for use solely or principally with a particular kind of machine, instrument or apparatus, or with a number of machines, instruments or apparatus of the same heading (including a machine, instrument or apparatus of heading No. 90.10, 90.13 or 90.31) are to be classified with the machines, instruments or apparatus of that kind;
    3. All other parts and accessories are to be classified in heading No. 90.33.
  3. The provisions of Note 4 to Section XVI apply also to this Chapter.
  4. Heading No. 90.05 does not apply to telescopic sights for fitting to arms, periscopic telescopes for fitting to submarines or tanks, or to telescopes for machines, appliances, instruments or apparatus of this Chapter or Section XVI; such telescopic sights and telescopes are to be classified in heading No. 90.13.
  5. Measuring or checking optical instruments, appliances or machines which, but for this Note, could be classified both in heading No. 90.13 and in heading No. 90.31 are to be classified in heading No. 90.31.
  6. Heading No. 90.32 applies only to:
    1. Instruments and apparatus for automatically controlling the flow, level, pressure or other variables of liquids or gases, or for automatically controlling temperature, whether or not their operation depends on an electrical phenomenon which varies according to the factor to be automatically controlled; and
    2. Automatic regulators of electrical quantities, and instruments or apparatus for automatically controlling non-electrical quantities the operation of which depends on an electrical phenomenon varying according to the factor to be controlled.

Chapter 91:  Clocks and watches and parts thereof

Notes.

  1. This Chapter does not cover:
    1. Clock or watch glasses or weights (classified according to their constituent material);
    2. Watch chains (heading No. 71.13 or 71.17, as the case may be);
    3. Parts of general use defined in Note 2 to Section XV, of base metal (Section XV), or similar goods of plastics (Chapter 39) or of precious metal or metal clad with precious metal (generally heading No. 71.15); clock or watch springs are, however, to be classified as clock or watch parts (heading No. 91.14);
    4. Bearing balls (heading No. 73.26 or 84.82, as the case may be);
    5. Articles of heading No. 84.12 constructed to work without an escapement;
    6. Ball bearings (heading No. 84.82); or
    7. Articles of Chapter 85, not yet assembled together or with other components into watch or clock movements or into articles suitable for use solely or principally as parts of such movements (Chapter 85).
  2. Heading No. 91.01 covers only watches with case wholly of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal, or of the same materials combined with natural or cultured pearls, or precious or semi-precious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed) of headings Nos. 71.01 to 71.04. Watches with case of base metal inlaid with precious metal fall in heading No. 91.02.
  3. For the purposes of this Chapter, the expression "watch movements" means devices regulated by a balance-wheel and hairspring, quartz crystal or any other system capable of determining intervals of time, with a display or a system to which a mechanical display can be incorporated. Such watch movements shall not exceed 12 mm in thickness and 50 mm in width, length or diameter.
  4. Except as provided in Note 1, movements and other parts suitable for use both in clocks or watches and in other articles (for example, precision instruments) are to be classified in this Chapter.

Chapter 92:  Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles

Notes.

  1. This Chapter does not cover:
    1. Parts of general use, as defined in Note 2 to Section XV, of base metal (Section XV), or similar goods of plastics (Chapter 39);
    2. Microphones, amplifiers, loud-speakers, head-phones, switches, stroboscopes or other accessory instruments, apparatus or equipment of Chapter 85 or 90, for use with but not incorporated in or housed in the same cabinet as instruments of this Chapter;
    3. Toy instruments or apparatus (heading No. 95.03);
    4. Brushes for cleaning musical instruments (heading No. 96.03); or
    5. Collectors' pieces or antiques (heading No. 97.05 or 97.06).
  2. Bows and sticks and similar devices used in playing the musical instruments of heading No. 92.02 or 92.06 presented with such instruments in numbers normal thereto and clearly intended for use therewith, are to be classified in the same heading as the relative instruments.

    Cards, discs and rolls of heading No. 92.09 presented with an instrument are to be treated as separate articles and not as forming a part of such instrument.

Archived – Standard Classification of Goods (SCG) - Notes 1996-2001

Section XVII:  Vehicles, aircraft, vessels and associated transport equipment

Notes.

  1. This Section does not cover articles of heading No. 95.01, 95.03 or 95.08, or bobsleighs, toboggans or the like of heading No. 95.06.
  2. The expressions "parts" and "parts and accessories" do not apply to the following articles, whether or not they are identifiable as for the goods of this Section:

    a) Joints, washers or the like of any material (classified according to their constituent material or in heading No. 84.84) or other articles of vulcanised rubber other than hard rubber (heading No. 40.16);

    b) Parts of general use, as defined in Note 2 to Section XV, of base metal (Section XV), or similar goods of plastics (Chapter 39);

    c) Articles of Chapter 82 (tools);

    d) Articles of heading No. 83.06;

    e) Machines or apparatus of headings Nos. 84.01 to 84.79, or parts thereof; articles of heading No. 84.81 or 84.82 or, provided they constitute integral parts of engines or motors, articles of heading No. 84.83;

    f) Electrical machinery or equipment (Chapter 85);

    g) Articles of Chapter 90;

    h) Articles of Chapter 91;

    ij) Arms (Chapter 93);

    k) Lamps or lighting fittings of heading No. 94.05; or

    l) Brushes of a kind used as parts of vehicles (heading No. 96.03).

  3. References in Chapters 86 to 88 to "parts" or "accessories" do not apply to parts or accessories which are not suitable for use solely or principally with the articles of those Chapters. A part or accessory which answers to a description in two or more of the headings of those Chapters is to be classified under that heading which corresponds to the principal use of that part or accessory.
  4. For the purposes of this Section:
    1. Vehicles specially constructed to travel on both road and rail are classified under the appropriate heading of Chapter 87;
    2. Amphibious motor vehicles are classified under the appropriate heading of Chapter 87;
    3. Aircraft specially constructed so that they can also be used as road vehicles are classified under the appropriate heading of Chapter 88.
  5. Air-cushion vehicles are to be classified within this Section with the vehicles to which they are most akin as follows:
    1. In Chapter 86 if designed to travel on a guide-track (hovertrains);
    2. In Chapter 87 if designed to travel over land or over both land and water;
    3. In Chapter 89 if designed to travel over water, whether or not able to land on beaches or landing-stages or also able to travel over ice.
    Parts and accessories of air-cushion vehicles are to be classified in the same way as those of vehicles of the heading in which the air-cushion vehicles are classified under the above provisions.

    Hovertrain track fixtures and fittings are to be classified as railway track fixtures and fittings, and signalling, safety or traffic control equipment for hovertrain transport systems as signalling, safety or traffic control equipment for railways.

Chapter 86:  Railway or tramway locomotives, rolling-stock and parts thereof; railway or tramway track fixtures and fittings and parts thereof; mechanical (including electro-mechanical) traffic signalling equipment of all kinds

Notes.

  1. This Chapter does not cover:
    1. Railway or tramway sleepers of wood or of concrete, or concrete guide-track sections for hovertrains (heading No. 44.06 or 68.10);
    2. Railway or tramway track construction material of iron or steel of heading No. 73.02; or
    3. Electrical signalling, safety or traffic control equipment of heading No. 85.30.
  2. Heading No. 86.07 applies, inter alia, to:
    1. Axles, wheels, wheel sets (running gear), metal tires, hoops and hubs and other parts of wheels;
    2. Frames, underframes, truck assemblies;
    3. Axle boxes; brake gear;
    4. Buffers for rolling-stock; hooks and other coupling gear and corridor connections;
    5. Coachwork.
  3. Subject to the provisions of Note 1 above, heading No. 86.08 applies, inter alia, to:
    1. Assembled track, turntables, platform buffers, loading gauges;
    2. Semaphores, mechanical signal discs, level crossing control gear, signal and point controls, and other mechanical (including electro-mechanical) signalling, safety or traffic control equipment, whether or not fitted for electric lighting, for railways, tramways, roads, inland waterways, parking facilities, port installations or airfields.

Chapter 87:  Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling-stock, and parts and accessories thereof

Notes.

  1. This Chapter does not cover railway or tramway rolling-stock designed solely for running on rails.
  2. For the purposes of this Chapter, "tractors" means vehicles constructed essentially for hauling or pushing another vehicle, appliance or load, whether or not they contain subsidiary provision for the transport, in connection with the main use of the tractor, of tools, seeds, fertilisers or other goods.

    Machines and working tools designed for fitting to tractors of heading No. 87.01 as interchangeable equipment remain classified in their respective headings even if presented with the tractor, and whether or not mounted on it.
  3. Motor chassis fitted with cabs fall in headings Nos. 87.02 to 87.04, and not in heading No. 87.06.
  4. Heading No. 87.12 includes all children's bicycles. Other children's cycles fall in heading No. 95.01.

Chapter 88:  Aircraft, spacecraft and parts thereof

Subheading Note.

  1. For the purposes of subheadings Nos. 8802.11 to 8802.40, the expression "unladen weight" means the weight of the machine in normal flying order, excluding the weight of the crew and of fuel and equipment other than permanently fitted items of equipment.

Chapter 89:  Ships, boats and floating structures

Note.

  1. A hull, an unfinished or incomplete vessel, assembled, unassembled or disassembled, or a complete vessel unassembled or disassembled, is to be classified in heading No. 89.06 if it does not have the essential character of a vessel of a particular kind.

Archived – Standard Classification of Goods (SCG) - Notes 1996-2001

Section XVI:  Machinery and mechanical appliances; electrical equipment; parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles

Notes.

  1. This Section does not cover:

    a) Transmission or conveyor belts or belting, of plastics of Chapter 39, or of vulcanised rubber (heading No. 40.10); or other articles of a kind used in machinery or mechanical or electrical appliances or for other technical uses, of vulcanised rubber other than hard rubber (heading No. 40.16);

    b) Articles of leather or of composition leather (heading No. 42.04) or of furskin (heading No. 43.03), of a kind used in machinery or mechanical appliances or for other technical uses;

    c) Bobbins, spools, cops, cones, cores, reels or similar supports, of any material (for example, Chapter 39, 40, 44 or 48 or Section XV);

    d) Perforated cards for Jacquard or similar machines (for example, Chapter 39 or 48 or Section XV);

    e) Transmission or conveyor belts of textile material (heading No. 59.10) or other articles of textile material for technical uses (heading No. 59.11);

    f) Precious or semi-precious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed) of headings Nos. 71.02 to 71.04, or articles wholly of such stones of heading No. 71.16, except unmounted worked sapphires and diamonds for styli (heading No. 85.22);

    g) Parts of general use, as defined in Note 2 to Section XV, of base metal (Section XV), or similar goods of plastics (Chapter 39);

    h) Drill pipe (heading No. 73.04);

    ij) Endless belts of metal wire or strip (Section XV);

    k) Articles of Chapter 82 or 83;

    l) Articles of Section XVII;

    m) Articles of Chapter 90;

    n) Clocks, watches or other articles of Chapter 91;

    o) Interchangeable tools of heading No. 82.07 or brushes of a kind used as parts of machines (heading No. 96.03);

    p) Articles of Chapter 95.

  2. Subject to Note 1 to this Section, Note 1 to Chapter 84 and to Note 1 to Chapter 85, parts of machines (not being parts of the articles of heading No. 84.84, 85.44, 85.45, 85.46 or 85.47) are to be classified according to the following rules:
    1. Parts which are goods included in any of the headings of Chapters 84 or 85 (other than headings Nos. 84.09, 84.31, 84.48, 84.66, 84.73, 84.85, 85.03, 85.22, 85.29, 85.38 and 85.48) are in all cases to be classified in their respective headings;
    2. Other parts, if suitable for use solely or principally with a particular kind of machine, or with a number of machines of the same heading (including a machine of heading No. 84.79 or 85.43) are to be classified with the machines of that kind or in heading No. 84.09, 84.31, 84.48, 84.66, 84.73, 85.03, 85.22, 85.29 or 85.38 as appropriate. However, parts which are equally suitable for use principally with the goods of headings Nos. 85.17 and 85.25 to 85.28 are to be classified in heading No. 85.17;
    3. All other parts are to be classified in headings No. 84.09, 84.31, 84.48, 84.66, 84.73, 85.03, 85.22, 85.29 or 85.38 as appropriate or, failing that, in heading No. 84.85 or 85.48.
  3. Unless the context otherwise requires, composite machines consisting of two or more machines fitted together to form a whole and other machines adapted for the purpose of performing two or more complementary or alternative functions are to be classified as if consisting only of that component or as being that machine which performs the principal function.
  4. Where a machine (including a combination of machines) consists of individual components (whether separate or interconnected by piping, by transmission devices, by electric cables or by other devices) intended to contribute together to a clearly defined function covered by one of the headings in Chapter 84 or Chapter 85, then the whole falls to be classified in the heading appropriate to that function.
  5. For the purposes of these Notes, the expression "machine" means any machine, machinery, plant, equipment, apparatus or appliance cited in the headings of Chapter 84 or 85.

Chapter 84:  Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof

Notes.

  1. This Chapter does not cover:
    1. Millstones, grindstones or other articles of Chapter 68;
    2. Machinery or appliances (for example, pumps) of ceramic material and ceramic parts of machinery or appliances of any material (Chapter 69);
    3. Laboratory glassware (heading No. 70.17); machinery, appliances or other articles for technical uses or parts thereof, of glass (heading No. 70.19 or 70.20);
    4. Articles of heading No. 73.21 or 73.22 or similar articles of other base metals (Chapters 74 to 76 or 78 to 81);
    5. Electro-mechanical tools for working in the hand, of heading No. 85.08 or electro-mechanical domestic appliances of heading No. 85.09; or
    6. Hand-operated mechanical floor sweepers, not motorised (heading No. 96.03).
  2. Subject to the operation of Note 3 to Section XVI, a machine or appliance which answers to a description in one or more of the headings Nos. 84.01 to 84.24 and at the same time to a description in one or other of the headings Nos. 84.25 to 84.80 is to be classified under the appropriate heading of the former group and not the latter.

    Heading No. 84.19 does not, however, cover:
    1. Germination plant, incubators or brooders (heading No. 84.36);
    2. Grain dampening machines (heading No. 84.37);
    3. Diffusing apparatus for sugar juice extraction (heading No. 84.38);
    4. Machinery for the heat-treatment of textile yarns, fabrics or made up textile articles (heading No. 84.51); or
    5. Machinery or plant, designed for mechanical operation, in which a change of temperature, even if necessary, is subsidiary.
    Heading No. 84.22 does not cover:
    1. Sewing machines for closing bags or similar containers (heading No. 84.52); or
    2. Office machinery of heading No. 84.72.
    Heading No. 84.24 does not cover:

    Ink jet printing machines (heading No. 84.43 or 84.71).
  3. A machine-tool for working any material which answers to a description in heading No. 84.56 and at the same time to a description in heading No. 84.57, 84.58, 84.59, 84.60, 84.61, 84.64 or 84.65 is to be classified in heading No. 84.56.
  4. Heading No. 84.57 applies only to machine-tools for working metal, other than lathes (including turning centres), which can carry out different types of machining operations either:
    1. by automatic tool change from a magazine or the like in conformity with a machining programme (machining centres),
    2. by the automatic use, simultaneously or sequentially, of different unit heads working on a fixed position workpiece (unit construction machines, single station), or
    3. by the automatic transfer of the workpiece to different unit heads (multi-station transfer machines).
    1. For the purposes of heading No. 84.71, the expression "automatic data processing machines" means:
      1. Digital machines, capable of (1) storing the processing program or programs and at least the data immediately necessary for the execution of the program; (2) being freely programmed in accordance with the requirements of the user; (3) performing arithmetical computations specified by the user; and, (4) executing, without human intervention, a processing program which requires them to modify their execution, by logical decision during the processing run;
      2. Analog machines capable of simulating mathematical models and comprising at least: analog elements, control elements and programming elements;
      3. Hybrid machines consisting of either a digital machine with analog elements or an analog machine with digital elements.
    2. Automatic data processing machines may be in the form of systems consisting of a variable number of separate units. Subject to paragraph E) below, a unit is to be regarded as being a part of the complete system if it meets all of the following conditions:
      1. It is of a kind solely or principally used in an automatic data processing system;
      2. It is connectable to the central processing unit either directly or through one or more other units; and
      3. It is able to accept or deliver data in a form (codes or signals) which can be used by the system.
    3. Separately presented units of an automatic data processing machine are to be classified in heading No. 84.71.
    4. Printers, keyboards, X-Y co-ordinate input devices and disk storage units which satisfy the conditions of paragraphs B) b) and B) c) above, are in all cases to be classified as units of heading No. 84.71.
    5. Machines perforning a specific function other than data processing and incorporating or working in conjunction with an automatic data processing machine are to be classified in the headings appropriate to their respective functions or, failing that, in residual headings.
  5. Heading No. 84.82 applies, inter alia, to polished steel balls, the maximum and minimum diameters of which do not differ from the nominal diameter by more than 1% or by more than 0.05 mm, whichever is less. Other steel balls are to be classified in heading No. 73.26.
  6. A machine which is used for more than one purpose is, for the purposes of classification, to be treated as if its principal purpose were its sole purpose.

    Subject to Note 2 to this Chapter and Note 3 to Section XVI, a machine the principal purpose of which is not described in any heading or for which no one purpose is the principal purpose is, unless the context otherwise requires, to be classified in heading No. 84.79. Heading No. 84.79 also covers machines for making rope or cable (for example, stranding, twisting or cabling machines) from metal wire, textile yarn or any other material or from a combination of such materials.
  7. For the purposes of heading No. 84.70, the term "pocket-size" applies only to machines the dimensions of which do not exceed 170 mm x 100 mm x 45 mm.

Subheading Notes.

  1. For the purposes of subheading No. 8471.49, the term "systems" means automatic data processing machines whose units satisfy the conditions laid down in Note 5 B) to Chapter 84 and which comprise at least a central processing unit, one input unit (for example, a keyboard or a scanner), and one output unit (for example, a visual display unit or a printer).
  2. Subheading No. 8482.40 applies only to bearings with cylindrical rollers of a uniform diameter not exceeding 5 mm and having a length which is at least three times the diameter. The ends of the rollers may be rounded.

Chapter 85:  Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles

Notes.

  1. This Chapter does not cover:
    1. Electrically warmed blankets, bed pads, foot-muffs or the like; electrically warmed clothing, footwear or ear pads or other electrically warmed articles worn on or about the person;
    2. Articles of glass of heading No. 70.11; or
    3. Electrically heated furniture of Chapter 94.
  2. Headings Nos. 85.01 to 85.04 do not apply to goods described in heading No. 85.11, 85.12, 85.40, 85.41 or 85.42.

    However, metal tank mercury arc rectifiers remain classified in heading No. 85.04.
  3. Heading No. 85.09 covers only the following electro-mechanical machines of the kind commonly used for domestic purposes:
    1. Vacuum cleaners, floor polishers, food grinders and mixers, and fruit or vegetable juice extractors, of any weight;
    2. Other machines provided the weight of such machines does not exceed 20 kg.
    The heading does not, however, apply to fans or ventilating or recycling hoods incorporating a fan, whether or not fitted with filters (heading No. 84.14), centrifugal clothes-dryers (heading No. 84.21), dish washing machines (heading No. 84.22), household washing machines (heading No. 84.50), roller or other ironing machines (heading No. 84.20 or 84.51), sewing machines (heading No. 84.52), electric scissors (heading No. 85.08) or to electro-thermic appliances (heading No. 85.16).
  4. For the purposes of heading No. 85.34 "printed circuits" are circuits obtained by forming on an insulating base, by any printing process (for example, embossing, plating-up, etching) or by the "film circuit" technique, conductor elements, contacts or other printed components (for example, inductances, resistors, capacitors) alone or interconnected according to a pre-established pattern, other than elements which can produce, rectify, modulate or amplify an electrical signal (for example, semiconductor elements).

    The expression "printed circuits" does not cover circuits combined with elements other than those obtained during the printing process, nor does it cover individual, discrete resistors, capacitors or inductances. Printed circuits may, however, be fitted with non-printed connecting elements.

    Thin- or thick-film circuits comprising passive and active elements obtained during the same technological process are to be classified in heading No. 85.42.
  5. For the purposes of headings Nos. 85.41 and 85.42:
    1. "Diodes, transistors and similar semiconductor devices" are semiconductor devices the operation of which depends on variations in resistivity on the application of an electric field;
    2. "Electronic integrated circuits and microassemblies" are:
      1. Monolithic integrated circuits in which the circuit elements (diodes, transistors, resistors, capacitors, interconnections, etc.) are created in the mass (essentially) and on the surface of a semiconductor material (doped silicon, for example) and are inseparably associated;
      2. Hybrid integrated circuits in which passive elements (resistors, capacitors, interconnections, etc.), obtained by thin- or thick-film technology, and active elements (diodes, transistors, monolithic integrated circuits, etc.) obtained by semiconductor technology, are combined to all intents and purposes indivisibly, on a single insulating substrate (glass, ceramic, etc.). These circuits may also include discrete components;
      3. Microassemblies of the moulded module, micromodule or similar types, consisting of discrete, active or both active and passive, components which are combined and interconnected.
      For the classification of the articles defined in this Note, headings Nos. 85.41 and 85.42 shall take precedence over any other heading in the Classification which might cover them by reference to, in particular, their function.
  6. Records, tapes and other media of heading No. 85.23 or 85.24 remain classified in those headings, whether or not they are presented with the apparatus for which they are intended.
  7. For the purposes of heading No. 85.48, "spent primary cells, spent primary batteries and spent electric accumulators" are those which are neither usable as such because of breakage, cutting-up, wear or other reasons, nor capable of being recharged.

Subheading Note.

  1. Subheadings Nos. 8519.92 and 8527.12 cover only cassette-players with built-in amplifier, without built-in loudspeaker, capable of operating without an external source of electric power and the dimensions of which do not exceed 170 mm x 100 mm x 45 mm.

Archived – Standard Classification of Goods (SCG) - Notes 1996-2001

Section XV:  Base metals and articles of base metal

Notes.

  1. This Section does not cover:

    a) Prepared paints, inks or other products with a basis of metallic flakes or powder (headings Nos. 32.07 to 32.10, 32.12, 32.13 or 32.15);

    b) Ferro-cerium or other pyrophoric alloys (heading No. 36.06);

    c) Headgear or parts thereof of heading No. 65.06 or 65.07;

    d) Umbrella frames or other articles of heading No. 66.03;

    e) Goods of Chapter 71 (for example, precious metal alloys, base metal clad with precious metal, imitation jewellery);

    f) Articles of Section XVI (machinery, mechanical appliances and electrical goods);

    g) Assembled railway or tramway track (heading No. 86.08) or other articles of Section XVII (vehicles, ships and boats, aircraft);

    h) Instruments or apparatus of Section XVIII, including clock or watch springs;

    ij) Lead shot prepared for ammunition (heading No. 93.06) or other articles of Section XIX (arms and ammunition);

    k) Articles of Chapter 94 (for example, furniture, mattress supports, lamps and lighting fittings, illuminated signs, prefabricated buildings);

    l) Articles of Chapter 95 (for example, toys, games, sports requisites);

    m) Hand sieves, buttons, pens, pencil-holders, pen nibs or other articles of Chapter 96 (miscellaneous manufactured articles); or

    n) Articles of Chapter 97 (for example, works of art).

  2. Throughout the Classification, the expression "parts of general use" means:
    1. Articles of heading No. 73.07, 73.12, 73.15, 73.17 or 73.18 and similar articles of other base metal;
    2. Springs and leaves for springs, of base metal, other than clock or watch springs (heading No. 91.14); and
    3. Articles of headings Nos. 83.01, 83.02, 83.08, 83.10 and frames and mirrors, of base metal, of heading No. 83.06.
    In Chapters 73 to 76 and 78 to 82 (but not in heading No. 73.15) references to parts of goods do not include references to parts of general use as defined above.

    Subject to the preceding paragraph and to Note 1 to Chapter 83, the articles of Chapter 82 or 83 are excluded from Chapters 72 to 76 and 78 to 81.
  3. Throughout the Nomenclature, the expression "base metal" means: iron and steel, copper, nickel, aluminium, lead, zinc, tin, tungsten (wolfram), molybdenum, tantalum, magnesium, cobalt, bismuth, cadmium, titanium, zirconium, antimony, manganese, beryllium, chromium, germanium, vanadium, gallium, hafnium, indium, niobium (columbium), rhenium and thallium.
  4. Throughout the Nomenclature, the term "cermets" means products containing a microscopic heterogeneous combination of a metallic component and a ceramic component. The term "cermets" includes sintered metal carbides (metal carbides sintered with a metal).
  5. Classification of alloys (other than ferro-alloys and master alloys as defined in Chapters 72 and 74):
    1. An alloy of base metals is to be classified as an alloy of the metal which predominates by weight over each of the other metals;
    2. An alloy composed of base metals of this Section and of elements not falling within this Section is to be treated as an alloy of base metals of this Section if the total weight of such metals equals or exceeds the total weight of the other elements present;
    3. In this Section the term "alloys" includes sintered mixtures of metal powders, heterogeneous intimate mixtures obtained by melting (other than cermets) and intermetallic compounds.
  6. Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference in the Classification to a base metal includes a reference to alloys which, by virtue of Note 5 above, are to be classified as alloys of that metal.
  7. Classification of composite articles:

    Except where the headings otherwise require, articles of base metal (including articles of mixed materials treated as articles of base metal under the Interpretative Rules) containing two or more base metals are to be treated as articles of the base metal predominating by weight over each of the other metals.

    For this purpose:
    1. Iron and steel, or different kinds of iron or steel, are regarded as one and the same metal;
    2. An alloy is regarded as being entirely composed of that metal as an alloy of which, by virtue of Note 3, it is classified; and
    3. A cermet of heading No. 81.13 is regarded as a single base metal.
  8. In this Section, the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
    1. Waste and scrap

      Metal waste and scrap from the manufacture or mechanical working of metals, and metal goods definitely not usable as such because of breakage, cutting-up, wear or other reasons.
    2. Powders

      Products of which 90% or more by weight passes through a sieve having a mesh aperture of 1 mm.

Chapter 72:  Iron and steel

Notes.

  1. In this Chapter and, in the case of Notes (d), (e) and (f) throughout the Classification, the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:

    a) Pig iron

    Iron-carbon alloys not usefully malleable, containing more than 2% by weight of carbon and which may contain by weight one or more other elements within the following limits:

    • not more than 10% of chromium
    • not more than 6% of manganese
    • not more than 3% of phosphorus
    • not more than 8% of silicon
    • a total of not more than 10% of other elements.

    b) Spiegeleisen

    Iron-carbon alloys containing by weight more than 6% but not more than 30% of manganese and otherwise conforming to the specification at (a) above.

    c) Ferro-alloys

    Alloys in pigs, blocks, lumps or similar primary forms, in forms obtained by continuous casting and also in granular or powder forms, whether or not agglomerated, commonly used as an additive in the manufacture of other alloys or as de-oxidants, de-sulphurising agents or for similar uses in ferrous metallurgy and generally not usefully malleable, containing by weight 4% or more of the element iron and one or more of the following:

    • more than 10% of chromium
    • more than 30% of manganese
    • more than 3% of phosphorus
    • more than 8% of silicon
    • a total of more than 10% of other elements, excluding carbon, subject to a maximum content of 10% in the case of copper.

    d) Steel

    Ferrous materials other than those of heading No. 72.03 which (with the exception of certain types produced in the form of castings) are usefully malleable and which contain by weight 2% or less of carbon. However, chromium steels may contain higher proportions of carbon.

    e) Stainless steel

    Alloy steels containing, by weight, 1.2% or less of carbon and 10.5% or more of chromium, with or without other elements.

    f) Other alloy steel

    Steels not complying with the definition of stainless steel and containing by weight one or more of the following elements in the proportion shown:

    • 0.3% or more of aluminum
    • 0.0008% or more of boron
    • 0.3% or more of chromium
    • 0.3% or more of cobalt
    • 0.4% or more of copper
    • 0.4% or more of lead
    • 1.65% or more of manganese
    • 0.08% or more of molybdenum
    • 0.3% or more of nickel
    • 0.06% or more of niobium
    • 0.6% or more of silicon
    • 0.05% or more of titanium
    • 0.3% or more of tungsten (wolfram)
    • 0.1% or more of vanadium
    • 0.05% or more of zirconium
    • 0.1% or more of other elements (except sulphur, phosphorus, carbon and nitrogen), taken separately.

    g) Remelting scrap ingots of iron or steel

    Products roughly cast in the form of ingots without feeder-heads or hot tops, or of pigs, having obvious surface faults and not complying with the chemical composition of pig iron, spiegeleisen or ferro-alloys.

    h) Granules

    Products of which less than 90% by weight passes through a sieve with a mesh aperture of 1 mm and of which 90% or more by weight passes through a sieve with a mesh aperture of 5 mm.

    ij) Semi-finished products

    Continuous cast products of solid section, whether or not subjected to primary hot-rolling; and

    Other products of solid section, which have not been further worked than subjected to primary hot-rolling or roughly shaped by forging, including blanks for angles, shapes or sections

    These products are not presented in coils.

    k) Flat-rolled products

    Rolled products of solid rectangular (other than square) cross-section, which do not conform to the definition at (ij) above in the form of:

    • coils of successively superimposed layers, or
    • straight lengths, which if of a thickness less than 4.75 mm are of a width measuring at least ten times the thickness or if of a thickness of 4.75 mm or more are of a width which exceeds 150 mm and measures at least twice the thickness.
    Flat-rolled products include those with patterns in relief derived directly from rolling (for example, grooves, ribs, chequers, tears, buttons, lozenges) and those which have been perforated, corrugated or polished, provided that they do not thereby assume the character of articles or products of other headings.

    Flat-rolled products of a shape other than rectangular or square, of any size, are to be classified as products of a width of 600 mm or more, provided that they do not assume the character of articles or products of other headings.

    l) Bars and rods, hot-rolled, in irregularly wound coils

    Hot-rolled products in irregularly wound coils, which have a solid cross-section in the shape of circles, segments of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), triangles or other convex polygons (including "flattened circles" and "modified rectangles", of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). These products may have indentations, ribs, grooves or other deformations produced during the rolling process (reinforcing bars and rods).

    m) Other bars and rods

    Products which do not conform to any of the definitions at (ij), (k) or (l) above or to the definition of wire, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, segments of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), triangles or other convex polygons (including "flattened circles" and "modified rectangles", of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). These products may:

    • have indentations, ribs, grooves or other deformations produced during the rolling process (reinforcing bars and rods);
    • be twisted after rolling.

    n) Angles, shapes and sections

    Products having a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length which do not conform to any of the definitions at (ij), (k), (l) or (m) above or to the definition of wire.

    Chapter 72 does not include products of heading No. 73.01 or 73.02.

    o) Wire

    Cold-formed products in coils, of any uniform solid cross-section along their whole length, which do not conform to the definition of flat-rolled products.

    p) Hollow drill bars and rods

    Hollow bars and rods of any cross-section, suitable for drills, of which the greatest external dimension of the cross-section exceeds 15 mm but does not exceed 52 mm, and of which the greatest internal dimension does not exceed one half of the greatest external dimension. Hollow bars and rods of iron or steel not conforming to this definition are to be classified in heading No. 73.04.

  2. Ferrous metals clad with another ferrous metal are to be classified as products of the ferrous metal predominating by weight.
  3. Iron or steel products obtained by electrolytic deposition, by pressure casting or by sintering are to be classified, according to their form, their composition and their appearance, in the headings of this Chapter appropriate to similar hot-rolled products.

Subheading Notes.

  1. In this Chapter the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
    1. Alloy pig iron

      Pig iron containing, by weight, one or more of the following elements in the specified proportions:
      • more than 0.2% of chromium
      • more than 0.3% of copper
      • more than 0.3% of nickel
      • more than 0.1% of any of the following elements: aluminum, molybdenum, titanium, tungsten (wolfram), vanadium.
    2. Non-alloy free-cutting steel

      Non-alloy steel containing, by weight, one or more of the following elements in the specified proportions:
      • 0.08% or more of sulphur
      • 0.1% or more of lead
      • more than 0.05% of selenium
      • more than 0.01% of tellurium
      • more than 0.05% of bismuth.
    3. Silicon-electrical steel

      Alloy steels containing by weight at least 0.6% but not more than 6% of silicon and not more than 0.08% of carbon. They may also contain by weight not more than 1% of aluminum but no other element in a proportion that would give the steel the characteristics of another alloy steel.
    4. High speed steel

      Alloy steels containing, with or without other elements, at least two of the three elements molybdenum, tungsten and vanadium with a combined content by weight of 7% or more, 0.6% or more of carbon and 3 to 6% of chromium.
    5. Silico-manganese steel

      Alloy steels containing by weight:
      • not more than 0.7% of carbon,
      • 0.5% or more but not more than 1.9% of manganese, and
      • 0.6% or more but not more than 2.3% of silicon, but no other element in a proportion that would give the steel the characteristics of another alloy steel.
  2. For the classification of ferro-alloys in the subheadings of heading No. 72.02 the following rule should be observed:

    A ferro-alloy is considered as binary and classified under the relevant subheading (if it exists) if only one of the alloy elements exceeds the minimum percentage laid down in Chapter Note 1 (c); by analogy, it is considered respectively as ternary or quaternary if two or three alloy elements exceed the minimum percentage.

    For the application of this rule the unspecified "other elements" referred to in Chapter Note 1 (c) must each exceed 10% by weight.

Chapter 73:  Articles of iron or steel

Notes.

  1. In this Chapter the expression "cast iron" applies to products obtained by casting in which iron predominates by weight over each of the other elements and which do not comply with the chemical composition of steel as defined in Note 1 (d) to Chapter 72.
  2. In this Chapter the word "wire" means hot or cold-formed products of any cross-sectional shape, of which no cross-sectional dimension exceeds 16 mm.

Chapter 74:  Copper and articles thereof

Note.

  1. In this Chapter the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
    1. Refined copper

      Metal containing at least 99.85% by weight of copper; or

      Metal containing at least 97.5% by weight of copper, provided that the content by weight of any other element does not exceed the limit specified in the following table:
       
      TABLE - Other elements
      Element Limiting content % by weight
      Ag Silver 0.25
      As Arsenic 0.5
      Cd Cadmium 1.3
      Cr Chromium 1.4
      Mg Magnesium 0.8
      Pb Lead 1.5
      S Sulphur 0.7
      Sn Tin 0.8
      Te Tellurium 0.8
      Zn Zinc 1
      Zr Zirconium 0.3
      Other elements *, each 0.3
      * Other elements are, for example, Al, Be, Co, Fe, Mn, Ni, Si.
    2. Copper alloys

      Metallic substances other than unrefined copper in which copper predominates by weight over each of the other elements, provided that:
      1. the content by weight of at least one of the other elements is greater than the limit specified in the foregoing table; or
      2. the total content by weight of such other elements exceeds 2.5%.
    3. Master alloys

      Alloys containing with other elements more than 10% by weight of copper, not usefully malleable and commonly used as an additive in the manufacture of other alloys or as de-oxidants, de-sulphurising agents or for similar uses in the metallurgy of non-ferrous metals. However, copper phosphide (phosphor copper) containing more than 15% by weight of phosphorus falls in heading No. 28.48.
    4. Bars and rods

      Rolled, extruded, drawn or forged products, not in coils, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons (including "flattened circles" and "modified rectangles", of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). Products with a rectangular (including square), triangular or polygonal cross-section may have corners rounded along their whole length. The thickness of such products which have a rectangular (including "modified rectangular") cross-section exceeds one-tenth of the width. The expression also covers cast or sintered products, of the same forms and dimensions, which have been subsequently worked after production (otherwise than by simple trimming or de-scaling), provided that they have not thereby assumed the character of articles or products of other headings.

      Wire-bars and billets with their ends tapered or otherwise worked simply to facilitate their entry into machines for converting them into, for example, drawing stock (wire-rod) or tubes, are however to be taken to be unwrought copper of heading No. 74.03.
    5. Profiles

      Rolled, extruded, drawn, forged or formed products, coiled or not, of a uniform cross-section along their whole length, which do not conform to any of the definitions of bars, rods, wire, plates, sheets, strip, foil, tubes or pipes. The expression also covers cast or sintered products, of the same forms, which have been subsequently worked after production (otherwise than by simple trimming or de-scaling), provided that they have not thereby assumed the character of articles or products of other headings.
    6. Wire

      Rolled, extruded or drawn products, in coils, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons (including "flattened circles" and "modified rectangles", of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). Products with a rectangular (including square), triangular or polygonal cross-section may have corners rounded along their whole length. The thickness of such products which have a rectangular (including "modified rectangular") cross-section exceeds one-tenth of the width.

      In the case of heading No. 74.14, however, the term "wire" applies only to products, whether or not in coils, of any cross-sectional shape, of which no cross-sectional dimension exceeds 6 mm.
    7. Plates, sheets, strip and foil

      Flat-surfaced products (other than the unwrought products of heading No. 74.03), coiled or not, of solid rectangular (other than square) cross-section with or without rounded corners (including "modified rectangles" of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel) of a uniform thickness, which are:
      • of rectangular (including square) shape with a thickness not exceeding one-tenth of the width,
      • of a shape other than rectangular or square, of any size, provided that they do not assume the character of articles of products of other headings.
      Headings Nos. 74.09 and 74.10 apply, inter alia, to plates, sheets, strip and foil with patterns (for example, grooves, ribs, chequers, tears, buttons, lozenges) and to such products which have been perforated, corrugated, polished or coated, provided that they do not thereby assume the character of articles or products of other headings.
    8. Tubes and pipes

      Hollow products, coiled or not, which have a uniform cross-section with only one enclosed void along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons, and which have a uniform wall thickness. Products with a rectangular (including square), equilateral triangular or regular convex polygonal cross-section, which may have corners rounded along their whole length, are also to be taken to be tubes and pipes provided the inner and outer cross-sections are concentric and have the same form and orientation. Tubes and pipes of the foregoing cross-sections may be polished, coated, bent, threaded, drilled, waisted, expanded, cone-shaped or fitted with flanges, collars or rings.

Subheading Note.

  1. In this Chapter the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
    1. Copper-zinc base alloys (brasses)

      Alloys of copper and zinc, with or without other elements. When other elements are present:
      • zinc predominates by weight over each of such other elements;
      • any nickel content by weight is less than 5% (see copper-nickel-zinc alloys (nickel silvers)); and
      • any tin content by weight is less than 3% (see copper-tin alloys (bronzes)).
    2. Copper-tin base alloys (bronzes)

      Alloys of copper and tin, with or without other elements. When other elements are present, tin predominates by weight over each of such other elements, except that when the tin content is 3% or more the zinc content by weight may exceed that of tin but must be less than 10%.
    3. Copper-nickel-zinc base alloys (nickel silvers)

      Alloys of copper, nickel and zinc, with or without other elements. The nickel content is 5% or more by weight (see copper-zinc alloys (brasses)).
    4. Copper-nickel base alloys

      Alloys of copper and nickel, with or without other elements but in any case containing by weight not more than 1% of zinc. When other elements are present, nickel predominates by weight over each of such other elements.

Chapter 75:  Nickel and articles thereof

Note.

  1. In this Chapter the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
    1. Bars and rods

      Rolled, extruded, drawn or forged products, not in coils, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons (including "flattened circles" and "modified rectangles", of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). Products with a rectangular (including square), triangular or polygonal cross-section may have corners rounded along their whole length. The thickness of such products which have a rectangular (including "modified rectangular") cross-section exceeds one-tenth of the width. The expression also covers cast or sintered products, of the same forms and dimensions, which have been subsequently worked after production (otherwise than by simple trimming or de-scaling), provided that they have not thereby assumed the character of articles or products of other headings.
    2. Profiles

      Rolled, extruded, drawn, forged or formed products, coiled or not, of a uniform cross-section along their whole length, which do not conform to any of the definitions of bars, rods, wire, plates, sheets, strip, foil, tubes or pipes. The expression also covers cast or sintered products, of the same forms, which have been subsequently worked after production (otherwise than by simple trimming or de-scaling), provided that they have not thereby assumed the character of articles or products of other headings.
    3. Wire

      Rolled, extruded or drawn products, in coils, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons (including "flattened circles" and "modified rectangles", of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). Products with a rectangular (including square), triangular or polygonal cross-section may have corners rounded along their whole length. The thickness of such products which have a rectangular (including "modified rectangular") cross-section exceeds one-tenth of the width.
    4. Plates, sheets, strip and foil

      Flat-surfaced products (other than the unwrought products of heading No. 75.02), coiled or not, of solid rectangular (other than square) cross-section with or without rounded corners (including "modified rectangles" of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel) of a uniform thickness, which are:
      • of rectangular (including square) shape with a thickness not exceeding one-tenth of the width,
      • of a shape other than rectangular or square, of any size, provided that they do not assume the character of articles or products of other headings.
      Heading No. 75.06 applies, inter alia, to plates, sheets, strip and foil with patterns (for example, grooves, ribs, chequers, tears, buttons, lozenges) and to such products which have been perforated, corrugated, polished or coated, provided that they do not thereby assume the character of articles or products of other headings.
    5. Tubes and pipes

      Hollow products, coiled or not, which have a uniform cross-section with only one enclosed void along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons, and which have a uniform wall thickness. Products with a rectangular (including square), equilateral triangular, or regular convex polygonal cross-section, which may have corners rounded along their whole length, are also to be considered as tubes and pipes provided the inner and outer cross-sections are concentric and have the same form and orientation. Tubes and pipes of the foregoing cross-sections may be polished, coated, bent, threaded, drilled, waisted, expanded, cone-shaped or fitted with flanges, collars or rings.

Subheading Notes.

  1. In this Chapter the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
    1. Nickel, not alloyed

      Metal containing by weight at least 99% of nickel plus cobalt, provided that:
      1. the cobalt content by weight does not exceed 1.5%, and
      2. the content by weight of any other element does not exceed the limit specified in the following table:
      TABLE - Other elements
      Element Limiting content % by weight
      Fe Iron 0.5
      O Oxygen 0.4
      Other elements, each 0.3
    2. Nickel alloys

      Metallic substances in which nickel predominates by weight over each of the other elements provided that:
      1. the content by weight of cobalt exceeds 1.5%,
      2. the content by weight of at least one of the other elements is greater than the limit specified in the foregoing table, or
      3. the total content by weight of elements other than nickel plus cobalt exceeds 1%.
  2. Notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter Note 1 c), for the purposes of subheading No. 7508.10 the term "wire" applies only to products, whether or not in coils, of any cross-sectional shapes, of which no cross-sectional dimension exceeds 6 mm.

Chapter 76:  Aluminum and articles thereof

Note.

  1. In this Chapter the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
    1. Bars and rods

      Rolled, extruded, drawn or forged products, not in coils, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons (including "flattened circles" and "modified rectangles", of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). Products with a rectangular (including square), triangular or polygonal cross-section may have corners rounded along their whole length. The thickness of such products which have a rectangular (including "modified rectangular") cross-section exceeds one-tenth of the width. The expression also covers cast or sintered products, of the same forms and dimensions, which have been subsequently worked after production (otherwise than by simple trimming or de-scaling), provided that they have not thereby assumed the character of articles or products of other headings.
    2. Profiles

      Rolled, extruded, drawn, forged or formed products, coiled or not, of a uniform cross-section along their whole length, which do not conform to any of the definitions of bars, rods, wire, plates, sheets, strip, foil, tubes or pipes. The expression also covers cast or sintered products, of the same forms, which have been subsequently worked after production (otherwise than by simple trimming or de-scaling), provided that they have not thereby assumed the character of articles or products of other headings.
    3. Wire

      Rolled, extruded or drawn products, in coils, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons (including "flattened circles" and "modified rectangles", of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). Products with a rectangular (including square), triangular or polygonal cross-section may have corners rounded along their whole length. The thickness of such products which have a rectangular (including "modified rectangular") cross-section exceeds one-tenth of the width.
    4. Plates, sheets, strip and foil

      Flat-surfaced products (other than the unwrought products of heading No. 76.01), coiled or not, of solid rectangular (other than square) cross-section with or without rounded corners (including "modified rectangles" of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel) of a uniform thickness, which are:
      • of rectangular (including square) shape with a thickness not exceeding one-tenth of the width,
      • of a shape other than rectangular or square, of any size, provided that they do not assume the character of articles or products of other headings.
      Headings Nos. 76.06 and 76.07 apply, inter alia, to plates, sheets, strip and foil with patterns (for example, grooves, ribs, chequers, tears, buttons, lozenges) and to such products which have been perforated, corrugated, polished or coated, provided that they do not thereby assume the character of articles or products of other headings.
    5. Tubes and pipes

      Hollow products, coiled or not, which have a uniform cross-section with only one enclosed void along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons, and which have a uniform wall thickness. Products with a rectangular (including square), equilateral triangular or regular convex polygonal cross-section, which may have corners rounded along their whole length, are also to be considered as tubes and pipes provided the inner and outer cross-sections are concentric and have the same form and orientation. Tubes and pipes of the foregoing cross-sections may be polished, coated, bent, threaded, drilled, waisted, expanded, cone-shaped or fitted with flanges, collars or rings.

Subheading Notes.

  1. In this Chapter the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
    1. Aluminum, not alloyed

      Metal containing by weight at least 99% of aluminum, provided that the content by weight of any other element does not exceed the limit specified in the following table:
      TABLE - Other elements
      Element Limiting content % by weight
      Fe + Si (iron plus silicon) 1
      Other elements , eachFootnote 1 0.1Footnote 2

      Footnotes

      Footnote 1

      Other elements are, for example, Cr, Cu, Mg, Mn, Ni, Zn.

      Return to footnote 1 referrer

      Footnote 2

      Copper is permitted in a proportion greater than 0.1% but not more than 0.2%, provided that neither the chromium nor manganese content exceeds 0.05%.

      Return to footnote 2 referrer

    2. Aluminum alloys

      Metallic substances in which aluminum predominates by weight over each of the other elements, provided that:
      1. the content by weight of at least one of the other elements or of iron plus silicon taken together is greater than the limit specified in the foregoing table; or
      2. the total content by weight of such other elements exceeds 1%.
  2. Notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter Note 1 c), for the purposes of subheading No. 7616.91 the term "wire" applies only to products, whether or not in coils, of any cross-sectional shape, of which no cross-sectional dimension exceeds 6 mm.

Chapter 78:  Lead and articles thereof

Note.

  1. In this Chapter the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
    1. Bars and rods

      Rolled, extruded, drawn or forged products, not in coils, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons (including "flattened circles" and "modified rectangles", of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). Products with a rectangular (including square), triangular or polygonal cross-section may have corners rounded along their whole length. The thickness of such products which have a rectangular (including "modified rectangular") cross-section exceeds one-tenth of the width. The expression also covers cast or sintered products, of the same forms and dimensions, which have been subsequently worked after production (otherwise than by simple trimming or de-scaling), provided that they have not thereby assumed the character of articles or products of other headings.
    2. Profiles

      Rolled, extruded, drawn, forged or formed products, coiled or not, of a uniform cross-section along their whole length, which do not conform to any of the definitions of bars, rods, wire, plates, sheets, strip, foil, tubes or pipes. The expression also covers cast or sintered products, of the same forms, which have been subsequently worked after production (otherwise than by simple trimming or de-scaling), provided that they have not thereby assumed the character of articles or products of other headings.
    3. Wire

      Rolled, extruded or drawn products, in coils, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons (including "flattened circles" and "modified rectangles", of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). Products with a rectangular (including square), triangular or polygonal cross-section may have corners rounded along their whole length. The thickness of such products which have a rectangular (including "modified rectangular") cross-section exceeds one-tenth of the width.
    4. Plates, sheets, strip and foil

      Flat-surfaced products (other than the unwrought products of heading No. 78.01), coiled or not, of solid rectangular (other than square) cross-section with or without rounded corners (including "modified rectangles" of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel) of a uniform thickness, which are:
      • of rectangular (including square) shape with a thickness not exceeding one-tenth of the width,
      • of a shape other than rectangular or square, of any size, provided that they do not assume the character of articles or products of other headings.
      Heading No. 78.04 applies, inter alia, to plates, sheets, strip and foil with patterns (for example, grooves, ribs, chequers, tears, buttons, lozenges) and to such products which have been perforated, corrugated, polished or coated, provided that they do not thereby assume the character of articles or products of other headings.
    5. Tubes and pipes

      Hollow products, coiled or not, which have a uniform cross-section with only one enclosed void along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons, and which have a uniform wall thickness. Products with a rectangular (including square), equilateral triangular or regular convex polygonal cross-section, which may have corners rounded along their whole length, are also to be considered as tubes and pipes provided the inner and outer cross-sections are concentric and have the same form and orientation. Tubes and pipes of the foregoing cross-sections may be polished, coated, bent, threaded, drilled, waisted, expanded, cone-shaped or fitted with flanges, collars or rings.

Subheading Note.

  1. In this Chapter the expression "refined lead" means:

    Metal containing by weight at least 99.9% of lead, provided that the content by weight of any other element does not exceed the limit specified in the following table:
    TABLE - Other elements
    Element Limiting content % by weight
    Ag Silver 0.02
    As Arsenic 0.005
    Bi Bismuth 0.05
    Ca Calcium 0.002
    Cd Cadmium 0.002
    Cu Copper 0.08
    Fe Iron 0.002
    S Sulphur 0.002
    Sb Antimony 0.005
    Sn Tin 0.005
    Zn Zinc 0.002
    Other (for example Te), each 0.001

Chapter 79:  Zinc and articles thereof

Note.

  1. In this Chapter the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
    1. Bars and rods

      Rolled, extruded, drawn or forged products, not in coils, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons (including "flattened circles" and "modified rectangles", of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). Products with a rectangular (including square), triangular or polygonal cross-section may have corners rounded along their whole length. The thickness of such products which have a rectangular (including "modified rectangular") cross-section exceeds one-tenth of the width. The expression also covers cast or sintered products, of the same forms and dimensions, which have been subsequently worked after production (otherwise than by simple trimming or de-scaling), provided that they have not thereby assumed the character of articles or products of other headings.
    2. Profiles

      Rolled, extruded, drawn, forged or formed products, coiled or not, of a uniform cross-section along their whole length, which do not conform to any of the definitions of bars, rods, wire, plates, sheets, strip, foil, tubes or pipes. The expression also covers cast or sintered products, of the same forms, which have been subsequently worked after production (otherwise than by simple trimming or de-scaling), provided that they have not thereby assumed the character of articles or products of other headings.
    3. Wire

      Rolled, extruded or drawn products, in coils, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons (including "flattened circles" and "modified rectangles", of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). Products with a rectangular (including square), triangular or polygonal cross-section may have corners rounded along their whole length. The thickness of such products which have a rectangular (including "modified rectangular") cross-section exceeds one-tenth of the width.
    4. Plates, sheets, strip and foil

      Flat-surfaced products (other than the unwrought products of heading No. 79.01), coiled or not, of solid rectangular (other than square) cross-section with or without rounded corners (including "modified rectangles" of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel) of a uniform thickness, which are:
      • of rectangular (including square) shape with a thickness not exceeding one-tenth of the width,
      • of a shape other than rectangular or square, of any size, provided that they do not assume the character of articles or products of other headings.
      Heading No. 79.05 applies, inter alia, to plates, sheets, strip and foil with patterns (for example, grooves, ribs, chequers, tears, buttons, lozenges) and to such products which have been perforated, corrugated, polished or coated, provided that they do not thereby assume the character of articles or products of other headings.
    5. Tubes and pipes

      Hollow products, coiled or not, which have a uniform cross-section with only one enclosed void along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons, and which have a uniform wall thickness. Products with a rectangular (including square), equilateral triangular or regular convex polygonal cross-section, which may have corners rounded along their whole length, are also to be considered as tubes and pipes provided the inner and outer cross-sections are concentric and have the same form and orientation. Tubes and pipes of the foregoing cross-sections may be polished, coated, bent, threaded, drilled, waisted, expanded, cone-shaped or fitted with flanges, collars or rings.

Subheading Note.

  1. In this Chapter the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
    1. Zinc, not alloyed

      Metal containing by weight at least 97.5% of zinc.
    2. Zinc alloys

      Metallic substances in which zinc predominates by weight over each of the other elements, provided that the total content by weight of such other elements exceeds 2.5%.
    3. Zinc dust

      Dust obtained by condensation of zinc vapour, consisting of spherical particles which are finer than zinc powders. At least 80% by weight of the particles pass through a sieve with 63 micrometres (microns) mesh. It must contain at least 85% by weight of metallic zinc.

Chapter 80:  Tin and articles thereof

Note.

  1. In this Chapter the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
    1. Bars and rods

      Rolled, extruded, drawn or forged products, not in coils, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons (including "flattened circles" and "modified rectangles", of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). Products with a rectangular (including square), triangular or polygonal cross-section may have corners rounded along their whole length. The thickness of such products which have a rectangular (including "modified rectangular") cross-section exceeds one-tenth of the width. The expression also covers cast or sintered products, of the same forms and dimensions, which have been subsequently worked after production (otherwise than by simple trimming or de-scaling), provided that they have not thereby assumed the character of articles or products of other headings.
    2. Profiles

      Rolled, extruded, drawn, forged or formed products, coiled or not, of a uniform cross-section along their whole length, which do not conform to any of the definitions of bars, rods, wire, plates, sheets, strip, foil, tubes or pipes. The expression also covers cast or sintered products, of the same forms, which have been subsequently worked after production (otherwise than by simple trimming or de-scaling), provided that they have not thereby assumed the character of articles or products of other headings.
    3. Wire

      Rolled, extruded or drawn products, in coils, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons (including "flattened circles" and "modified rectangles", of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). Products with a rectangular (including square), triangular or polygonal cross-section may have corners rounded along their whole length. The thickness of such products which have a rectangular (including "modified rectangular") cross-section exceeds one-tenth of the width.
    4. Plates, sheets, strip and foil

      Flat-surfaced products (other than the unwrought products of heading No. 80.01), coiled or not, of solid rectangular (other than square) cross-section with or without rounded corners (including "modified rectangles" of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel) of a uniform thickness, which are:
      • of rectangular (including square) shape with a thickness not exceeding one-tenth of the width,
      • of a shape other than rectangular or square, of any size, provided that they do not assume the character of articles or products of other headings.
      Headings Nos. 80.04 and 80.05 apply, inter alia, to plates, sheets, strip and foil with patterns (for example, grooves, ribs, chequers, tears, buttons, lozenges) and to such products which have been perforated, corrugated, polished or coated, provided that they do not thereby assume the character of articles or products of other headings.
    5. Tubes and pipes

      Hollow products, coiled or not, which have a uniform cross-section with only one enclosed void along their whole length in the shape of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), equilateral triangles or regular convex polygons, and which have a uniform wall thickness. Products with a rectangular (including square), equilateral triangular or regular convex polygonal cross-section, which may have corners rounded along their whole length, are also to be considered as tubes and pipes provided the inner and outer cross-sections are concentric and have the same form and orientation. Tubes and pipes of the foregoing cross-sections may be polished, coated, bent, threaded, drilled, waisted, expanded, cone-shaped or fitted with flanges, collars or rings.

Subheading Note.

  1. In this Chapter the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
    1. Tin, not alloyed

      Metal containing by weight at least 99% of tin, provided that the content by weight of any bismuth or copper is less than the limit specified in the following table:
      TABLE - Other elements
      Element Limiting content % by weight
      Bi Bismuth 0.1
      Cu Copper 0.4
    2. Tin alloys

      Metallic substances in which tin predominates by weight over each of the other elements, provided that:
      1. The total content by weight of such other elements exceeds 1%; or
      2. the content by weight of either bismuth or copper is equal to or greater than the limit specified in the foregoing table.

Chapter 81:  Other base metals; cermets; articles thereof

Subheading Note.

  1. Note 1 to Chapter 74, defining "bars and rods", "profiles", "wire" and "plates, sheets, strip and foil" applies, mutatis mutandis, to this Chapter.

Chapter 82:  Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal

Notes.

  1. Apart from blow lamps, portable forges, grinding wheels with frameworks, manicure or pedicure sets, and goods of heading No. 82.09, this Chapter covers only articles with a blade, working edge, working surface or other working part of:
    1. Base metal;
    2. Metal carbides or cermets;
    3. Precious or semi-precious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed) on a support of base metal, metal carbide or cermet; or
    4. Abrasive materials on a support of base metal, provided that the articles have cutting teeth, flutes, grooves, or the like, of base metal, which retain their identity and function after the application of the abrasive.
  2. Parts of base metal of the articles of this Chapter are to be classified with the articles of which they are parts, except parts separately specified as such and tool-holders for hand tools (heading No. 84.66). However, parts of general use as defined in Note 2 to Section XV are in all cases excluded from this Chapter.

    Heads, blades or cutting plates for electric shavers or electric hair clippers are to be classified in heading No. 85.10.
  3. Sets consisting of one or more knives of heading No. 82.11 and at least an equal number of articles of heading No. 82.15 are to be classified in heading No. 82.15.

Chapter 83:  Miscellaneous articles of base metal

Notes.

  1. For the purposes of this Chapter, parts of base metal are to be classified with their parent articles. However, articles of iron or steel of heading No. 73.12, 73.15, 73.17, 73.18 or 73.20, or similar articles of other base metal (Chapters 74 to 76 and 78 to 81) are not to be taken as parts of articles of this Chapter.
  2. For the purposes of heading No. 83.02, the word "castors" means those having a diameter (including, where appropriate, tires) not exceeding 75 mm, or those having a diameter (including, where appropriate, tires) exceeding 75 mm provided that the width of the wheel or tire fitted thereto is less than 30 mm.

Archived – Standard Classification of Goods (SCG) - Notes 1996-2001

Section XIV:  Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, precious metals, metals clad with precious metal, and articles thereof; imitation jewellery; coin

Chapter 71:  Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, precious metals, metals clad with precious metal, and articles thereof; imitation jewellery; coin

Notes.

  1. Subject to Note 1 (a) to Section VI and except as provided below, all articles consisting wholly or partly:
    1. Of natural or cultured pearls or of precious or semi-precious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed), or
    2. Of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal, are to be classified in this Chapter.
    1. Headings Nos. 71.13, 71.14 and 71.15 do not cover articles in which precious metal or metal clad with precious metal is present as minor constituents only, such as minor fittings or minor ornamentation (for example, monograms, ferrules and rims), and paragraph (b) of the foregoing Note does not apply to such articles (*).
    2. Heading No. 71.16 does not cover articles containing precious metal or metal clad with precious metal (other than as minor constituents).
  2. This Chapter does not cover:

    a) Amalgams of precious metal, or colloidal precious metal (heading No. 28.43);

    b) Sterile surgical suture materials, dental fillings or other goods of Chapter 30;

    c) Goods of Chapter 32 (for example, lustres);

    d) Supported catalysts (heading No. 38.15);

    e) Articles of heading No. 42.02 or 42.03 referred to in Note 2 B) to Chapter 42;

    f) Articles of heading No. 43.03 or 43.04;

    g) Goods of Section XI (textiles and textile articles);

    h) Footwear, headgear or other articles of Chapter 64 or 65;

    ij) Umbrellas, walking-sticks or other articles of Chapter 66;

    k) Abrasive goods of heading No. 68.04 or 68.05 or Chapter 82, containing dust or powder of precious or semi-precious stones (natural or synthetic); articles of Chapter 82 with a working part of precious or semi-precious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed); machinery, mechanical appliances or electrical goods, or parts thereof, of Section XVI. However, articles and parts thereof, wholly of precious or semi-precious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed) remain classified in this Chapter, except unmounted worked sapphires and diamonds for styli (heading No. 85.22);

    l) Articles of Chapter 90, 91 or 92 (scientific instruments, clocks and watches, musical instruments);

    m) Arms or parts thereof (Chapter 93);

    n) Articles covered by Note 2 to Chapter 95;

    o) Articles classified in Chapter 96 by virtue of Note 4 to that Chapter;

    p) Original sculptures or statuary (heading No. 97.03), collectors' pieces (heading No. 97.05) or antiques of an age exceeding one hundred years (heading No. 97.06), other than natural or cultured pearls or precious or semi-precious stones.

    1. The expression "precious metal" means silver, gold and platinum.
    2. The expression "platinum" means platinum, iridium, osmium, palladium, rhodium and ruthenium.
    3. The expression "precious or semi-precious stones" does not include any of the substances specified in Note 2 (b) to Chapter 96.
  3. For the purposes of this Chapter, any alloy (including a sintered mixture and an inter-metallic compound) containing precious metal is to be treated as an alloy of precious metal if any one precious metal constitutes as much as 2%, by weight, of the alloy. Alloys of precious metal are to be classified according to the following rules:
    1. An alloy containing 2% or more, by weight, of platinum is to be treated as an alloy of platinum;
    2. An alloy containing 2% or more, by weight, of gold but no platinum, or less than 2%, by weight, of platinum, is to be treated as an alloy of gold;
    3. Other alloys containing 2% or more, by weight, of silver are to be treated as alloys of silver.
  4. Except where the context otherwise requires, any reference in the Classification to precious metal or to any particular precious metal includes a reference to alloys treated as alloys of precious metal or of the particular metal in accordance with the rules in Note 5 above, but not to metal clad with precious metal or to base metal or non-metals plated with precious metal.
  5. Throughout the Classification the expression "metal clad with precious metal" means material made with a base of metal upon one or more surfaces of which there is affixed by soldering, brazing, welding, hot-rolling or similar mechanical means a covering of precious metal. Except where the context otherwise requires, the expression also covers base metal inlaid with precious metal.
  6. Subject to Note 1 a) to Section VI, goods answering to a description in heading No. 71.12 are to be classified in that heading and in no other heading of the Nomenclature.
  7. For the purposes of heading No. 71.13, the expression "articles of jewellery" means:
    1. Any small objects of personal adornment (gem-set or not) (for example, rings, bracelets, necklaces, brooches, ear-rings, watch-chains, fobs, pendants, tie-pins, cuff-links, dress-studs, religious or other medals and insignia); and
    2. Articles of personal use of a kind normally carried in the pocket, in the handbag or on the person (such as cigarette cases, powder boxes, chain purses, cachou boxes).
  8. For the purposes of heading No. 71.14, the expression "articles of goldsmiths' or silversmiths' wares" includes such articles as ornaments, tableware, toilet-ware, smokers' requisites and other articles of household, office or religious use.
  9. For the purposes of heading No. 71.17, the expression "imitation jewellery" means articles of jewellery within the meaning of paragraph (a) of Note 9 above (but not including buttons or other articles of heading No. 96.06, or dress-combs, hair-slides or the like, or hairpins, of heading No. 96.15), not incorporating natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed) nor (except as plating or as minor constituents) precious metal or metal clad with precious metal.

    (*)  The italic portion of this Note constitutes an optional text.

Subheading Notes.

  1. For the purposes of subheadings Nos. 7106.10, 7108.11, 7110.11, 7110.21, 7110.31 and 7110.41, the expressions "powder" and "in powder form" mean products of which 90% or more by weight passes through a sieve having a mesh aperture of 0.5 mm.
  2. Notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter Note 4 (b), for the purposes of subheadings Nos. 7110.11 and 7110.19, the expression "platinum" does not include iridium, osmium, palladium, rhodium or ruthenium.
  3. For the classification of alloys in the subheadings of heading No. 71.10, each alloy is to be classified with that metal, platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, osmium or ruthenium which predominates by weight over each other of these metals.