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| 1 | Name of the current national classification (Original) | Exports: Australian Harmonized Export Commodity Classification (AHECC)
Imports: Hamonized Tariff Items Statistical Codes (HTISC) |
| 2 | Link to international classifications
(Give the name of the international standard classification the current classification is linked to or derived | Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Hamonized System, HS) |
| 3 | If no links to international classifications exist or no international standard is used, please state if there any plans to use international norms, such as work in progress, translation etc. | N/A |
| 4 | Please describe deviations from the international standard (if any)
(Use one or two examples, if general statement not possible) | N/A |
| 5 | Levels in the structure:
Is the structure identical to international standard or, if not, how does it differ?
Have additional levels been added or have changes been made, e.g. aggregations or additional breakdowns? | Australian imports and exports classifications are based on the HS classification, in that the first six digits of both the imports and exports classification are the HS classification. The exports classification, AHECC, has had two extra digits added to it (1234.56.78). The seventh and eighth digits are referred to as statistical codes or keys. They have been added to the classification to allow further disaggregation of the HS specifically for Australian experience. The imports classification, HTISC, has had four extra digits added to it (1234.56.78.90). The seventh and eighth digits are referred to as tariff items and the ninth and tenth digit are the statistical codes. The tariff items have been added to the classification to allow separate identification of duty rates. And, the ninth and tenth digits, the statistical codes, allow the further disaggregation of the HS specifically for Australian experience. |
| 6 | Number of items at the most detailed level of the current classification | Exports: 5500 (as at June 2000) Imports: 7600 (as at June 2000) |
| 7 | Do conversion tables exist between the national and the international classifications (if applicable)? | Yes |
| 8 | Name of institution / office responsible for the elaboration and maintenance of the classification | Imports: Australian Customs Service and Australian Bureau of Statistics
Exports: Australian Bureau of Statistics |
| 9 | Contact address, phone number, e-mail or website for public information and inquiry | www.abs.gov.au
www.customs.gov.au |
| 10 | Implementation date:
Please state the date of the first official adoption and the programme for the implementation of the various statistical applications. | The HS was introduced on 1 January 1988 for both exports and imports statistics. Since then it has been regularly updated as part of the WCO process. The next update will occur for 1 January 2002. |
| 11 | Plans for revision or update of the current classification.
Please state if plans are made to revise the classification (e.g. due to national needs not reflected in the international classification). | International changes are implemented when they are announced by the appropriate international organisation and after consultation. The Australian classification is regularly updated on 1 January and 1 July each year at the most detailed level. This update reflects changes at the most detailed level to streamline the classification and to make it relevant to Australia and changing circumstance. |
| 12 | Users of the classification for statistical purposes
Please state in which statistics (surveys etc.) this classification is used and if there are users outside of the Statistical Office. | The classification is used as the basis of recording imports and exports of goods. Exporters, importers and their agents use the classification when filling in Customs forms, which form the basis of the detailed statistical data disseminated. Broad aggregates are published using the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC Rev. 3). |
| 13 | Statistical data collected according to the current classification
Please describe for which statistical surveys or indicators the classification is used and, if not used at the most detailed level, indicate the level or aggregates used. | The HS classification is not used in any survey run by the ABS. It is a requirement of Customs forms that the AHECC or the HTISC are used to classify goods for export or import. Customs forms require reporting at the 10 digit (HTISC) or 8 digit (AHECC) level. |
| 14 | Statistical data published according to the current classification
Please describe for which statistical surveys or indicators the classification is used and, if not used at the most detailed level, indicate the level or aggregates used. | Data on a HS basis are not included in publications, but are available on request from the ABS, on a fee for service basis. |
| 15 | In which languages is the classification available? | English |
| 16 | Is the classification available in electronic form? | Exports: No (however, the classification codes are available electronically)
Imports: Yes |
| 17 | Do the conversion key(s) exist in electronic form? | Exports: Yes
Imports: Yes |
| 18 | Have national explanatory notes and recommendations been elaborated? | For both the exports and the imports classification the explanatory notes have been elaborated by adding Additional Notes. |
| 19 | Problems occurred during the period of use of the current classification
Please describe the kind of problems that have occurred (interpretation, methodology, etc.) | The ABS and Customs are regularly asked for help in finding items in the classification. The words used are not always those used in the industry or sector making the import or export. Please describe the kind of problems that have occurred (interpretation, methodology, etc) A common question relates to technology. Computers, software and CDs are difficult to find and classify in the tariff. Another example is grains for animal consumption and human consumption. In this case the words 'animal consumption' and 'human consumption' are hidden in the Harmonized System Explanatory Notes' rather than explicitly in the classification itself. |
| 20 | Users of the classification for non-statistical purposes
Please give the names of institutions that use the classification for non-statistical purposes (as opposed to statistical purposes in question 13). Also indicate the kind of use (e.g. tax offices, social security, customs, enterprise register etc.) | Classifications are used for the following purposes: Australian Customs Service - Customs
Australian Quarantine Inspection Service - Quarantine facilitation
Department of Industry Science and Resources - Setting duty rates
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - Tariff bindings Classifications are also used by importers, exporters and import and export agents. |
| 21 | Alternative classifications used by other institutions of the economy
Please indicate if these classifications are available and useful for the Statistical Office. | N/A |
| 22 | Name of former (previous) national classification
(full name in both national tongue and in English with acronyms in brackets, should be given) | Imports: Australian Imports Commodity Classification (AICC); and Customs Tariff with Statistical Key (Simplified Tariff).
Exports: Australian Exports Commodity Classification (AECC) |
| 23 | Link of former classification to international classifcations | They were based on the international classifications of the time. |
| 24 | Levels in the structure (of former classification) | Again they were extended using additional digits for an Australian perspective of the international classification. |
| 25 | Number of items at the most detailed level | Unknown. |
| 26 | Do conversion tables exist between former and current classification? | Yes, the historical concordances are available as at 1 January 1988. |
| 27 | Date of implementation of former classification | Imports: 1981
Exports: 1981 |
| 28 | Which statistical data are currently collected or published according to the former classification?
Please indicate if this statistical data is collected or published by the Statistical Office or elsewhere. | None |
