Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System 
COMMON EXTERNAL TARIFF 2022 VERSION
EAC CUSTOMS UNION
2024-06-13
INTRODUCTION
This publication contains the following:
The text of the Nomenclature established under the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, approved by the Customs Co-operation Council on June 1983, amended as at 1st January 2022.
The Handbook includes the General Rules for the Interpretation of the Harmonized System, abbreviations and symbols, Section, Chapter and Subheading Notes, and the headings and subheadings. Each heading is identified by four digits, the first two indicating the Chapter number and the second two the numerical order in which the heading appears within the Chapter.
The heading numbers are shown in the first column. The second column contains the eight-digit codes of the Harmonized System as transposed at the EAC level. The third column contains the text of the headings in bold and the texts of subheadings. The fourth column contains units of quantity for use when reporting statistics based on the Harmonized System. The fifth column contains applicable Common External Tariff rates.
The Handbook comprises Schedule 1 with duty rates under the three-band tax structure and Schedule 2 with duty rates of sensitive items.
The fifth column of Schedule 1 contains applicable Common External Tariff rates and where the abbreviation “SI” (Sensitive Items) appears the applicable duty rates shall be those specified in Schedule 2. GENERAL INTERPRETATION RULES FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF GOODS
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 :
2. (a) 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.
(b) 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.
3. 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 :
(a) 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.
(b) 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.
(c) 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.
This publication contains the following:
The text of the Nomenclature established under the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, approved by the Customs Co-operation Council on June 1983, amended as at 1st January 2022.
The Handbook includes the General Rules for the Interpretation of the Harmonized System, abbreviations and symbols, Section, Chapter and Subheading Notes, and the headings and subheadings. Each heading is identified by four digits, the first two indicating the Chapter number and the second two the numerical order in which the heading appears within the Chapter.
The heading numbers are shown in the first column. The second column contains the eight-digit codes of the Harmonized System as transposed at the EAC level. The third column contains the text of the headings in bold and the texts of subheadings. The fourth column contains units of quantity for use when reporting statistics based on the Harmonized System. The fifth column contains applicable Common External Tariff rates.
The Handbook comprises Schedule 1 with duty rates under the three-band tax structure and Schedule 2 with duty rates of sensitive items.
The fifth column of Schedule 1 contains applicable Common External Tariff rates and where the abbreviation “SI” (Sensitive Items) appears the applicable duty rates shall be those specified in Schedule 2. GENERAL INTERPRETATION RULES FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF GOODS
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 :
2. (a) 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.
(b) 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.
3. 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 :
(a) 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.
(b) 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.
(c) 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.