The 2012 version of the Combined Nomenclature is published
Thursday, November 3rd, 2011
The Combined Nomenclature is used for the declaration of goods at importation or exportation. It is consulted to determine which rate of customs duty applies. The Combined Nomenclature forms also the basis for Intrastat declarations as it specifies how goods are treated for statistical purposes. The Combined Nomenclature was establised by Council Regulation (EEC) N°2658/87 and is updated every year. It is published as a Commission Regulation in the Official Journal of the European Union. The latest version, which applies from 1 January 2012, is now available as Commission Regulation (EU) N° 1006/2011 in the EU Official Journal L282 of 28 October 2011.
The changes in the 2012 version are mainly driven by the environment and social issues of global concern (eg: coding goods of specific importance to food security and the early warning data system of the United Nations’Food and Agriculture Organisation (FOA). The 2012 nomenclature als features new subheadings for specific chemicals controlled under the Rotterdam Convention and/or under the Montreal Protocol. There are also important new provisions related to biodiesel.
The modifications within e.g. Chapter 3 aim at improving the quality and precision of trade data in this chapter.
Amongst other changes heading 03.06 is expanded to cover smoked crustaceans (ex 1605.40). There is now a separate identification of frozen: Norway lobster; Cold-water shrimps and prawns; other shrimps and prawns. The amendments will enable economic trends in species from the Southern hemisphere to be monitored.
Some new subheadings have been created for the identification of certain vegetables, roots, fruits, nuts and cereals (e.g. separate identification in 12.07 of palm nut and kernels, castor oil seeds, safflower seeds and melon seeds).
Related to the Rotterdam Convention there will now be a separate identification of e.g.:
4,6-Dinitro-o-cresol (DNOC(ISO)) and its salt (29.08);
Binapacryl (ISO) (29.16) (HS 2007: mistakenly specified under 2916.36);
Tetramethyl lead and tretraethyl lead;
and Tributyltin compounds.
Related to biodiesel subheading note 5 to Chapter 27 and note 7 to Chapter 38 are relevant.
New provisions are:
* the new subheading 2710.20: Petroleum oils (…) containing biodiesel
* the new subheading 38.26: biodiesel and mixtures thereof, not containing or containing less than 70% by weight of petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals.