HS codes

The documentation required when sending goods to customers in other countries can seem complicated to a new exporter.

Certificates of origin (CO) verify a product’s country of origin and state where the product was manufactured, produced or processed, though this can become more complicated when raw materials come from one country and a product is then manufactured in another.

Many countries use a system of advance customs rulings (ACR), more properly known as advance rulings on classification, origin and valuation. The objective is to provide decisions on product classification, origin and valuation prior to their import or export. This offers traders certainty and predictability and allows them to make informed business decisions.

The Harmonised Commodity description and Coding System, usually abbreviated to the harmonised system (HS), is an international nomenclature for the classification of products.