Harmonized System customs codes for chemicals listed in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention

Harmonized System customs codes (HS codes) are to be assigned to the individual chemicals or groups of chemicals listed in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention, pursuant to its Article 13. Parties are required to ensure that the shipping document for such a chemical bears the code when exported.

The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) is an internationally recognized classification system for the majority of goods in international trade. It is developed and maintained by the World Customs Organization and is used by customs authorities worldwide for identifying traded products, including chemicals. The assignment of specific HS codes to the chemicals in Annex III should facilitate the implementation of and enforcement of the Prior Informed Consent procedure.

HS codes assigned to chemicals listed in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention are provided in the table below.

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HS codes assigned to chemicals listed in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention  

Article 13

Information to accompany exported chemicals

1. The Conference of the Parties shall encourage the World Customs Organization to assign specific Harmonized System customs codes to the individual chemicals or groups of chemicals listed in Annex III, as appropriate.  Each Party shall require that, whenever a code has been assigned to such a chemical, the shipping document for that chemical bears the code when exported.

2. Without prejudice to any requirements of the importing Party, each Party shall require that both chemicals listed in Annex III and chemicals banned or severely restricted in its territory are, when exported, subject to labelling requirements that ensure adequate availability of information with regard to risks and/or hazards to human health or the environment, taking into account relevant international standards.

3. Without prejudice to any requirements of the importing Party, each Party may require that chemicals subject to environmental or health labelling requirements in its territory are, when exported, subject to labelling requirements that ensure adequate availability of information with regard to risks and/or hazards to human health or the environment, taking into account relevant international standards.

4. With respect to the chemicals referred to in paragraph 2 that are to be used for occupational purposes, each exporting Party shall require that a safety data sheet that follows an internationally recognized format, setting out the most up-to-date information available, is sent to each importer.

5. The information on the label and on the safety data sheet should, as far as practicable, be given in one or more of the official languages of the importing Party.