Blog
In-depth customs classification guides for the US, EU, Vietnam and China.
HS 2022 in practice: the amendments that still trip up declarants
Drones, smartphones, e-waste, novel tobacco: four years in, these HS 2022 changes still generate wrong codes daily.
7/2/2026
HS codes and certificates of origin: how classification decides your FTA savings
PSR rules are written in HS language. Get the code wrong and the C/O — Form E, EVFTA, CPTPP, RCEP — collapses with it.
6/30/2026
Sets, kits and combos: mastering GIR 3(b) and 'essential character'
E-commerce loves bundles; customs has one rule for all of them. How to classify gift sets, tool kits and product+accessory combos.
6/27/2026
Classifying parts and accessories: the Section XVI, XVII and Chapter 90 logic
"Part of a machine" is one of the hardest calls in the HS. The Notes give a strict three-step hierarchy most declarants skip.
6/24/2026
The 7 HS classification mistakes we see most — and how auditors find them
From copying the supplier's code to ignoring chapter notes: the recurring errors that cost real money in every jurisdiction.
6/21/2026
Exporting to China: the 13-digit code, CIQ digits and declaration elements
China clears goods on more than a code: GACC wants declaration elements, registrations and quarantine digits aligned. Miss one and the container waits.
6/18/2026
Importing into the EU: CN codes, TARIC measures, BTI and CBAM in one workflow
The EU hides its trade policy inside digits 9 and 10. Here is the checklist that keeps EU-bound cargo out of trouble.
6/15/2026
Vietnam HS codes: Circular 31/2022, advance determination and post-clearance audits
How Vietnam's 8-digit AHTN list works, how to lock a code before import, and where post-clearance audits catch businesses.
6/12/2026
Section 301 tariffs, HS codes and origin: what shifting supply chains get wrong
Moving assembly out of China does not automatically change origin. Classification and substantial transformation decide everything.
6/10/2026
US import classification: a practical HTS guide for exporters and importers
HTS structure, CROSS rulings, reasonable care, Section 301 stacking and the penalty framework — everything a US-bound shipper must know.
6/8/2026
Advance rulings in the US, EU, Vietnam and China — when and how to lock your code
Binding rulings are the only instrument that removes classification risk before the goods move. A comparison of all four systems.
6/5/2026
HS6 vs HTS vs TARIC vs commodity code vs AHTN — one product, five numbers
Why the same laptop is 8471.30 everywhere but 8471.30.0100 in the US, 8471 30 00 in the EU and 8471.30.20 in Vietnam.
6/3/2026
The 6 GIR rules explained with real examples
GIR 1–6 are the legal engine of every HS classification. Here is how customs authorities actually apply them.
6/1/2026