Photo source: WTO
WCO-WHO-WTO Revise Harmonised System to Boost Pandemic Preparedness
New HS Codes to Track Vaccines and Health Goods from 2028
Geneva: A major update to the Harmonised System (HS) for the customs classification of traded goods, published on January 21, 2026, introduces new tariff headings for human vaccines and other essential health products. The revisions, carried out by the World Customs Organization (WCO) in close cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), are aimed at strengthening global preparedness for future health emergencies and improving the visibility of vaccine flows in international trade.
The Harmonised System is the global customs standard used to classify traded products, determine tariffs and compile comparable trade statistics. The amendments will enter into force on 1 January 2028 under the HS 2028 framework. For the first time, the system will include 38 dedicated customs codes for vaccines and other essential medical goods, including facemasks and personal protective equipment, ambulances and mobile clinics.
WTO Director-General Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the update illustrates the value of technical collaboration among multilateral organisations in delivering practical benefits for people and businesses worldwide. She noted that the COVID-era discussions in the WTO Committee on Market Access showed that existing classification categories lacked sufficient detail for goods needed during health emergencies, such as vaccines, personal protective equipment and mobile clinics. The new modifications, she said, will provide policymakers with more precise tools to respond to future crises by facilitating faster importation of essential medical goods. They will also enable improved trade statistics and supply chain monitoring, contributing to stronger crisis preparedness. She emphasised that cooperation among the World Customs Organization, the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization was critical to achieving these changes.
According to the organisations involved, enhanced visibility for vaccine-related and other critical medical goods will support governments in applying more targeted trade policy measures during future health emergencies. These measures may include tariff exemptions, faster customs clearance procedures and other trade facilitation tools. The changes are also expected to improve long-term monitoring and policy planning in the health and trade sectors.
World Customs Organization Secretary-General Ian Saunders described the revisions as a positive development that allows for a clearer understanding of vaccine availability and creates greater scope for facilitated customs clearance of urgently needed vaccines and medical equipment. He said the changes represent a tangible contribution from customs administrations to global development, social protection and governments’ capacity to respond effectively to urgent demands. By specifically covering vaccines for diseases that pose endemic or pandemic risks, the new codes reflect recognition of the need for advanced preparedness and underline the role of customs authorities in safeguarding public security and welfare.
The additional detail in product classification is intended to allow the international community to better map and understand supply chains linked to the trade of critical medical products. Until now, vaccines were classified under only two broad categories—human and veterinary—making it difficult to track and analyse trade flows with sufficient precision.
Several of the HS 2028 modifications stem from discussions held in the WTO Committee on Market Access concerning trade in COVID-19 essential goods and lessons learned from the pandemic. The outcomes of those discussions were communicated to the World Customs Organization in 2022. WTO members observed that gaps in existing HS classifications for essential medical goods had delayed the adoption of targeted trade and customs measures, thereby hampering pandemic responses. The subsequent work under the joint World Customs Organization–World Trade Organization–World Health Organization partnership demonstrates how multilateral cooperation can address global challenges and influence international standards.
– global bihari bureau
