More and more countries and economic regions are applying the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System Convention). This paper examines, in the update 2009, the new countries which are using the worldwide uniform language of trade since 2007 and 2008 and which are...

The World Customs Organization (WCO, Organization Mondiale des Dounaes, OMD) is an intergovernmental organization of more than 170 Member States. It is of tremendous importance for the simplification of international trade and customs procedures; however, its modes of action and decision-making...

The World Customs Organization (Organisation Mondiale des Dounaes) is an intergovernmental organization of more than 170 Member States that was founded as European Customs Cooperation Council in 1952. This paper gives a brief overview of its history and legal milestones.

Many legal advisers, scientists and practitioners know since many years, that the Common External Tariff (CET) of the European Community (EC) is being applied non-uniform from the different national customs services and that the economic operators are using this systematic fault of the EC for...

Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) are growing more and more important in the global trade in goods and services. Between 1958 and 2005, 141 RTAs concerning the trade in goods were indicated to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Secretariat (since 1995 the World Trade Organization...

Some scientists and authorities are arguing that tariffs are growing more and more unimportant since eight GATT/WTO-Tariff-Rounds have resulted in tremendous reductions of the original tariff rates in the late 1940ies. The Non-Tariff-Measures however are gaining more importance. A...

The fundamental rule for the classifi cation of goods into a customs tariff which comply with the Harmonized System for the description and coding of goods (HS) are the terms of headings and the notes according to General Rule 1 (GR 1). However, the notes and subheading notes are written...

More than 200 countries and economic regions worldwide are using the nomenclature of the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System Convention: HS) and basing customs tariffs thereon. The number of HS headings (four-digit code) and HS subheadings (six-digit code) is...

More than 200 countries and economic regions worldwide are using the nomenclature of the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System Convention, HS) and are basing their customs tariffs thereon. The number of HS headings (four-digit-code) and HS-subheadings...

New gaps are emerging worldwide in all customs tariffs that are using the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System Convention) following the technical revision as of 1 January 2007. Thirty-four headings are not in use for the next four to five years. This...