Harmonised system Codes for Hydrofluorocarbons: What are the challenges and what can be don now?

One of the important requirements of the Kigali Amendment is that an import and export licencing system for HFCs needs to be in place in each country that is Party to the Amendment (by 2021-extended deadline). To enable a licencing system to function effectively it is important that the government is able to monitor and record imports and exports of each specific HFC individually. Import and export statistics are normally collected by customs officers using the international product nomenclature system - Harmonized System (HS). However, until the HS is revised in 2022, all HFCs are contained in a single HS code which does not allow differentiation of the individual chemicals or of mixtures.
This side event will provide an overview of the issue and explain a proactive interim approach, recommended by the World Customs Organization (WCO), to establish additional digits in the existing national HS codes to identify specific HFCs. It will also provide a examples of interim approaches to address this serious challenge.