New Set of Amendments to the Harmonized System Explanatory Notes (Part II)

(This is Part II of a multi-part series of summaries on this amending supplement. See future issues of ITT for additional summaries.)

The following are short summaries of the amendments made to the ENs by this latest amending supplement:

1. Tableware, Kitchenware, Etc. in HS 3924

Amends sentence (D) in the description of the articles of plastics included in HS 3924 on page 743 by inserting between "eye baths" and "soap dishes" the following phrase: "teats for baby bottles (nursing nipples) and fingerstalls."

2. Other Articles of Plastics, Etc. in HS 3926

Amends sentence (1) in the description of articles included in HS 3926 on page 744 by adding between "raincoats" and "etc." the following items: "dress shields."

Renumbers the current sentence (11) in the list of articles included in HTS 3926 on page 745 as sentence (12) and inserts a new sentence (11) which reads: "Pacifiers (or "baby's dummies"); ice-bags; douche bags, enema bags, colostomy bags and fittings therefor; invalid and similar nursing cushions; pessaries; sheath contraceptives (prophylactics); bulbs for syringes."

3. Hygienic or Pharmaceutical Articles, Etc. in HS 4014

Amends the paragraph describing HS 4014 on page 773 by inserting after the word "teats" the following: "(nursing nipples)."

4. Fibreboard of Wood or Other Ligneous Materials in HS 4411

Amends the text describing HTS 4411 on page 813 to read as follows:

The categories of fibreboard of this heading can be distinguished according to their production process and they include:

(A) Fibreboard obtained by the "wet production process"

This group includes the following types of fibreboard:

(1) Hardboard, which is manufactured in a wet production process in which the wood fibres in suspension in water are compressed in the form of a mat under high temperature and high pressure on a metallic mesh. In the unworked state this type of fibreboard has one smooth and one rough surface with a mesh pattern. However, it can sometimes also have two smooth surfaces obtained by special surface treatment or a special production process. It generally has a density exceeding 0.8g/cm³. Hardboard is mainly used for furniture, in the automotive industries, for doorskins and for packaging, especially fruit and vegetable packaging.

(2) Mediumboard, which is manufactured in a way similar to the one for hardboard but at a lower pressure. It generally has a density exceeding 0.35g/cm³ but not exceeding 0.8g/cm³. The main application is in furniture production and for interior or exterior walls.

(3) Softboard. This fibreboard is not compressed as other types of fibreboard obtained by the web production process. It generally has a density of 0.35g/cm³ or less. These boards are used mainly for thermal or sound insulation in building. Special types of insulating board are used as sheathing or sarking materials.

(B) Fibreboard obtained by the "dry production process"

This group includes, in particular, medium density fibreboard (MDF), which is manufactured in a process in which additional thermosetting resins are added to the dried wood fibres in order to assist the bonding process in the press. The density generally ranges from 0.45 g/cm³ to 1 g/cm³. In the unworked state it has two smooth surfaces. It can be used in many different applications such as furniture, interior decoration and in building.

Medium density fibreboard of a density exceeding 0.8 g/cm³ is sometimes also referred to by the trade as "high density fibreboard (HDF)."

(See ITT's Online Archives or 08/31/04 news, 04083130, for BP summary of Part I.)

Information about the Harmonized System is available on the WCO Web site at http://www.wcoomd.org/ie/En/Topics_Issues/topics_issues.html

EN amendments available at http://www.wcoomd.org/ie/En/Topics_Issues/HarmonizedSystem/Enhs33en.pdf