New Set of Amendments to the Harmonized System of Explanatory Notes (Part II)
The World Customs Organization (WCO) has issued an amending supplement (No. 4, dated August 2003) to the Harmonized System Explanatory Notes (ENs). (Although not binding on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the ENs are followed by CBP whenever possible.) (This is Part II of a multi-part series of summaries on this amending supplement. See future issues of ITT for additional summaries.)
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The following outline these amendments to the ENs:
1. Somatotropin, its derivatives and structural analogues & Leptin in HS 2937
Amends the ENs to 2937 by expanding paragraph "(1) Somatotropin, its derivatives and structural analogues" under "(A) Polypeptide Hormones, Protein Hormones and Glycoprotein Hormones, Their Derivatives and Structural Analogues" by adding to the end of the paragraph "and antagonists such as pegvisomant (INN)."
Also amends the ENs to 2937 by adding paragraph "(20) Leptin" under "(A) Polypeptide Hormones, Protein Hormones and Glycoprotein Hormones, Their Derivatives and Structural Analogues". This new paragraph reads "Leptin, a polypeptide hormone produced by adipose tissue that is thought to act on receptors in the brain to regulate body weight and fat deposition. Also included here is metreleptin (INN), the recombinant methionyl derivative of leptin, which has a similar activity and which is considered to be an analogue of leptin."
2. Exclusions to HS 2937
Expands the list of exclusions to HS 2937 by adding the following new exclusions:
- Adds to "(2) Products having a hormonal effect, but not having a hormone-like structure" new "(g) Endothelin antagonists, such as darusentan (INN) (heading29.33), atrasentan (INN) (heading 29.34) and sitaxentan (INN) (heading 29.35)."
- Amends "(4) the following products sometimes considered to be hormones but which have no real hormone activity" by:
i. expanding "(c) neurotransmitters and neuromodulators, such as dopamine (heading 29.22), acetylcholine (heading 29.23), serotonin (5-hyroxytryptamine or 5-hydroxy-3-(&946;-aminoethyl)indole) (heading 29.33), histamine (heading 29.33) and related products, such as their receptor agonist and antagonists." ("(c)" had previously referred to only serotonin.)
ii. Adding a new "(d) leukemia-inhibiting factor (human) growth factor emfilermin (INN) (heading 29.33), and fibroblast growth factor repifermin (INN) (heading29.33)."
iii. Adding a new "(e) NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartic acid) receptor antagonists, such as lanicemine (INN) (heading 29.33) and nebostinel (INN) (heading29.24)."
iv. Reordering the previous "(d)" and "(e)" as new "(f)" and "(g)", respectively.
Adds new "(6) Antagonists of thromboxanes and leukotrienes, which are classified according to their structure (e.g., seratrodast (INN)(heading 29.18) and montelukast (INN)(heading 29.33))."
Adds new "(7) Antagonists of tumor necrosis factor, such as ataquimast (INN) (heading 29.33)."
Reorders the previous "(6)" as "(8)".
3. Heterocyclic antibiotics in HS 2941
Amends the ENs to HS 2941 by expanding the examples of "Heterocyclic" contained in paragraph "(1)" by adding "faropenem (INN), doripenem (INN), monobactams (e.g. aztreonam (INN))."
4. Toxins in HS 3002
Amends the examples of "Toxins" contained in paragraph "(D)(2)" by removing the following phrases (removed text is denoted with <carrots>): (2) Toxins (poisons <secreted by bacteria>), toxoids, crypto-toxins, and anti-toxins <of microbial origin>.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 03/22/04 news, 04032225, for BP summary of Part I. See ITT's Online Archives or 06/13/03 news, (Ref:03061330), for the final part of BP's summary of the February 2003 amendments to the ENs.)
Information about the Harmonized System is available on the WCO's Web site athttp://www.wcoomd.org/ie/En/Topics_Issues/topics_issues.html
EN amendments available at
http://www.wcoomd.org/ie/En/Topics_Issues/HarmonizedSystem/ENHS31E.pdf.