WORLD TRADE G/IT/5
16March 1998
ORGANIZATION(98-1051)
Committee ofParticipants ontheExpansion ofTrade Original: English
inInformation Technology Products
CLASSIFICATION OFINFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS
Communication from theWorld Customs Organization (WCO)
Thisfollowingcommunication,dated10March1998,hasbeenreceivedfromtheWorldCustoms
Organization (WCO).
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Since theHSCommittee hasbeendealing withtheclassification ofspecific products relating
totheITAwithaviewtoensuring theiruniform classification, attached isadocument outlining the
WCO 'sactions already taken ortobetaken shortly withregard tosuchproducts. Ihope thatthis
document willclarify thecurrent position oftheWCO (HSC) andwillbeuseful fortheWTO/ITA
Participants andtheWTO Secretariat.G/IT/5
Page2WCO 'saction relating totheHSclassification ofspecific products relating toWTO/ITA
ITA WCO 'saction
Attachment A,Section 1 TheHarmonized System Committee (HSC) hasbeen dealing withtheamendment oftheHSExplanatory Notes
soastoinsert references tospecific products cited inSection 1withaview toensuring their uniform
classification intheHS.
Attachment A,Section 2 TheHSC willbeasked toconsider whether toconvene aWorking Group toexamine theclassification of(i)
equipment forthemanufacture ofsemiconductor devices andflatpanel devices (FPDs) and(ii)theclassification
ofFPDs (HSC/21).
Attachment B
(No.1) Computers
(No. 5)MonitorsTheHSC examined theclassification ofPCTV (i.e., PCwhich alsofunctions asaTVreceiver) anddecided to
classify itin84.71 (8471.49) (HSC/18).
(No. 2)Electric amplifiers TheHSC willexamine theclassification ofrepeaters forLAN (HSC/21).
(No.3) Flatpanel displays Seetheexplanation forAttachment A,Section 2.
(No. 4)Network equipment TheHSC examined theclassification ofLAN equipment, inparticular, communication controllers orrouters,
cluster controllers, multistation access units (LAN hub) andoptical converters, anddecided toclassify them in
heading 84.71 (8471.80) (HSC/19). (The ECsubsequently entered areservation).
(No. 6)Optical discstorage units TheHSC examined theclassification ofCD-ROM drives anddecided toclassify them inheading 84.71
(8471.70) (HSC/17).
(No. 7)Paging alert devices TheHSC examined theclassification oftwotypes ofpaging alert devices anddecided toclassify them in
heading 85.27 (8527.90) (HSC/20).
(No. 8)Plotters TheHSC decided toclassify FIRE 1000 andFIRE 9000 (imagesetters) inheading 90.06 (HSC/20). (Canada
subsequently entered areservation).
TheHSC willbeasked toexamine theclassification ofother imagesetters (Avantra 30,Accuset 1500, etc.) a
scanner (Smart 342), digital ink-jet printer (Iris3047), adeveloper (Rapiline 51OLP). These machines are
used inprinting industry, etc.(HSC/21).
(No. 9)Printed circuit assemblies (Seeexplanation forNo.12).G/IT/5
Page3ITA WCO 'saction
(No. 10)Projection typeflatpanel
display unitsTheHSC examined theclassification ofcomputer dataandvideo projectors (i)P170 (forcomputer only), (ii)
P170v, VPH-1292Q/QM andOnline Oration Plus846(forbothcomputer andvideo signals)) anddecided to
classify (i)inheading 84.71 and(ii)inheading 85.28 (HSC/20). (The USA subsequently entered a
reservation).
(No. 11)Proprietary format storage
devicesTheHSC willbeasked toexamine theclassification ofproprietary (non-standard format) storage drives (i.e.,
"zip", "jaz", "ditto") (HSC/21).
(No. 12)Multimedia upgrade kits TheHSC might beasked toexamine asimilar multimedia upgrade kitconsisting ofaprinted circuit assembly
card, aCD-ROM (software forvideo conferencing andvideo editing) andadesktop colour video camera with
integrated microphone ("ISEEUPLUS") (HSC/21).
No.13)Settopboxes TheHSC examined theclassification ofonetypeofsettopboxcalled "Mediamaster DVB 9500C" anddecided
toclassify itinheading 85.28 (8528.12) (HSC/19).
(Note) 1. HSC/17 washeldinApril 1996
HSC/18 washeldinNovember 1996
HSC/19 washeldinApril 1997
HSC/20 washeldinNovember 1997
HSC/21 willbeheldinMarch 1998
2. Those questions withregard towhich areservation hasbeen entered willbere-examined bytheHSC atits22nd session.
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