Council Decision (EU) 2025/1308 of 23 June 2025 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council in relation to a WCO Article 16 Recommendation amending the Harmonised System
Date: 2025-06-23
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Combined Nomenclature, World Customs Organisation, customs cooperation, customs harmonisation, international convention, recommendation, revision of an agreement




L_202501308EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/1308


2.7.2025







            COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2025/1308
         
of 23 June 2025
         
on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council in relation to a WCO Article 16 Recommendation amending the Harmonised System


THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 31 and Article 207(4), first subparagraph, in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,


Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:







(1)


The International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (the ‘HS Convention’) was concluded by the Union by Council Decision 87/369/EEC (1) and entered into force on 1 January 1988.












(2)


Pursuant to Article 7 of the HS Convention, the Harmonized System Committee may propose to the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council proposals for amendments to the Harmonized System Nomenclature (the ‘HS Nomenclature’). Pursuant to Article 16 of the HS Convention, the WCO Council may recommend amendments to the Contracting Parties.












(3)


The WCO Council is expected to decide on a draft Recommendation to the Contracting Parties for an amendment to the HS Nomenclature at its June 2025 sessions (the ‘draft Recommendation’). The draft Recommendation is to be adopted on the basis of a proposal prepared by the Harmonized System Committee and finalised during its 75th meeting on 10-21 March 2025. It is to enter into force on 1 January 2028.












(4)


It is of utmost importance that the HS Nomenclature be kept up-to-date and in line with the evolution of trade patterns and the development of new technologies, and that it reflect as closely as possible the needs of the users. The draft Recommendation includes numerous sets of amendments that take into account the need to modernise or adapt the HS Nomenclature to its environment.












(5)


It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the WCO Council in relation to the draft Recommendation, as once accepted under Article 16 of the HS Convention, the Recommendation will have legal effects on the Union and be capable of decisively influencing the content of Union law, in particular Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 (2).












(6)


The position of the Union within the WCO Council should be to support the draft Recommendation, as well as any minor editorial changes that may be deemed necessary,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1

1.   The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council at its June 2025 sessions shall be to accept the draft Recommendation under Article 16 of the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (the ‘HS Convention’) concerning the amendment to the Harmonized System as set out in Annex Q to Document NC3358Ba (Report HSC/75/March 2025).


2.   The representatives of the Union within the WCO Council may agree to minor editorial changes to the draft Recommendation under Article 16 of the HS Convention in light of developments at the upcoming WCO Council sessions, in consultation with Member States during on-the-spot coordination meetings, without a further decision of the Council.



Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.




Done at Luxembourg, 23 June 2025.


For the Council


The President

C. SIEKIERSKI
            





(1)  Council Decision 87/369/EEC of 7 April 1987 concerning the conclusion of the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System and of the Protocol of Amendment thereto (OJ L 198, 20.7.1987, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/1987/369/oj).

(2)  Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 of 23 July 1987 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff (OJ L 256, 7.9.1987, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/1987/2658/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/1308/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)