Starting January 1 next year, there will be new changes to the customs codes for LED lighting products and the registration management of customs declaration entities.

Recently, the General Administration of Customs issued an announcement stating that, to adapt to the development of international trade, the World Customs Organization has released the 2022 edition of the amendments to the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (referred to as the "Harmonized System"), which will take effect on January 1, 2022.

In recent years, LED lighting products have become the main products in China's foreign trade in the lighting industry. In the first three quarters of 2021, the total export value of China's lighting products was approximately USD 47 billion, among which the total export value of various LED lighting products was USD 33.8 billion, accounting for nearly 72% of the total export value. The growth in LED lighting product exports is mainly attributed to the high growth of LED luminaire products.

In the current 2017 version of the Harmonized System, except for LED replacement light sources which have a separate customs code, other LED lighting products do not have corresponding customs classification codes. This makes it impossible to accurately compile export data for various LED lighting products and is not conducive to implementing support policies related to the import and export trade of LED lighting products. The revised Harmonized System introduces separate tariff headings for LED replacement light sources, LED modules, as well as luminaires and lighting installations that exclusively use Light-emitting diode (LED) light sources.

Such changes, on the one hand, align with the current rapid growth in exports of products such as LED bulbs, LED tubes, and LED modules; on the other hand, they follow the industry trend toward integrated design, manufacturing, and export of LED light sources and luminaires, meeting the actual needs of China's lighting appliance industry. Against the backdrop of global promotion of green and low-carbon development, refining the classification and HS codes of LED lighting products will further facilitate the entry of various LED lighting products into overseas markets.

Since 2012, the China Association of Lighting Industry (CALI) has worked together with the Global Lighting Association (GLA) to reach a consensus on adding subheading classification codes for LED lighting products and LED luminaires, and has actively cooperated with China's customs authorities to promote the addition of subheading classification codes for LED light source products and LED luminaire products. Listed below are the adjustments and revisions to the headings and notes in Chapters 85 and 94 related to lighting in the 2022 edition of the Harmonized System Nomenclature.

Electric light source products belong to Class 16, Chapter 85

Notes for heading 85.39 have been added, with relevant provisions deleted and replaced, expanding the overall scope of heading 85.39; relevant provisions for heading 85.41 have been deleted and replaced, expanding the overall scope of heading 85.41. The relevant amendments are as follows:

Luminaire products belong to Chapter 94 of Class 20

Subheadings 9405.10 to 9405.60 have been deleted and replaced, with the addition of certain product categories related to LED, and, in accordance with the recommendations of the International Renewable Energy Agency, solar-related products have been added. The HS codes for the product categories in this chapter after revision are as follows:

On November 19, 2021, the General Administration of Customs issued Decree No. 253, promulgating the Provisions on the Record-filing Management of Customs Declaration Entities of the People's Republic of China, which came into effect on January 1, 2022. The Provisions on the Registration Management of Customs Declaration Entities of the People's Republic of China (promulgated by Decree No. 221 of the General Administration of Customs on March 13, 2014, amended by Decree No. 235 on December 20, 2017, and amended by Decree No. 240 on May 29, 2018) and the Measures for the Administration of Inspection and Quarantine Declaration Enterprises for Entry and Exit (promulgated by Decree No. 161 of the former State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine on February 15, 2015, amended by Decree No. 184 on October 18, 2016, amended by Decree No. 238 of the General Administration of Customs on April 28, 2018, and amended by Decree No. 240 on May 29, 2018) were simultaneously repealed. (Click to read the full text of the Provisions on the Record-filing Management of Customs Declaration Entities of the People's Republic of China)

The China Association of Lighting Industry (CALI) reminds all relevant export enterprises to pay attention to changes in the HS codes for LED light source products and LED luminaire products, as well as the new "Regulations on the Record-filing Management of Customs Declaration Entities". Enterprises should proactively understand and thoroughly study the impact of these regulatory changes on their production and operations based on their own business conditions, to avoid delays in customs clearance for goods export.