Revision of customs classification

Trade in hides, skins, leather and leather manufactures has undergone significant changes during the past two decades, and consequently commodity trade patterns have changed. In particular, an increasing proportion of trade is now in the form of wet-blue, crust and ready to finish leathers. Despite the significance in volume and value terms of international trade in these items, they are not identified separately in the existing international trade classifications. These tanned hide and skins are typically arbitrarily classified in trade statistics either as raw hides and skins, or as finished leather, whereas they are, in fact, neither of these. As a result, amendments to the International Trade Classification will be implemented from January 1, 2002. They are based on work by Cotance, endorsed by the FAO sub group on hides and skins and approved by the World Customs Organization. The existing system: 41.01: Raw bovine hides and skins, limed or pickled but not tanned 41.02: Raw sheep and lamb, limed or pickled but not tanned 41.03: Other raw hides and skins (includes goat, reptiles) 41.04: Bovine leather 41.05: Sheep and lamb leather 41.06: Goat and kid leather 41.07: Leather of other animals 41.08: Chamois leather 41.09: Patent leather, patent laminated and metallised leather 41.10: Parings and waste 41.11: Composition leather The new system: 41.01: Raw hides and skins of bovine (including buffalo) or equine animals (fresh, or salted, dried limed pickled or otherwise preserved, but not tanned, parchment dressed or further prepared) whether or not dehaired or split. 4101.20 - whole hides and skins of a weight per skins not exceeding 8kg when simply dried, 10kg when dry salted, or 16kg when fresh, wet salted or otherwise preserved. (The present weight criterion has been amended to increase the maximum weight from 14kg to 16kg of whole hides and skins, fresh, wet salted, or otherwise simply dried or dry salted) 4101.50 - Whole hides and skins, of weight exceeding 16kg 4101.90 - Other, including butts bends and bellies 41.02: Raw skins of sheep or lambs (fresh, or salted, dried, limed, pickled or otherwise preserved, but not tanned, parchment-dressed or further prepared), whether or not with wool on or split. These raw skins may be fresh (green) or temporarily preserved by salting, drying, liming, pickling or any other method to prevent putrefaction in the short term. They may also be cleaned, split or scraped, or may have undergone a tanning (including pre-tanning) process which is irreversible, but not subject to any other tanning or equivalent process (such as parchment-dressing) nor further prepared 4102.10 - With wool on - Without wool on 4102.21 Pickled 4102.29 Other 41.03: Other raw hides and skins 4103.10 - Of goats or kids 4103.20 - Of reptiles 4103.03 - Of swine 4103.90 - Other 41.04: Tanned or crust bovine hides and skins (including buffalo) or equine animals without hair on, whether or not split, but not further prepared. 4104.11 - Full grains, unsplit; grains split - in the wet state including wet-blue 4104.19 - Other - in the wet state including wet-blue 4104.41 - Full grains, unsplit; grains split - in the dry state crust: 4104.49 - Other - in the dry state (crust) 41.05: Tanned or crust skins of sheep and lamb skins, without wool on whether or not split, but not further prepared 4105.10 - In the wet state including wet-blue 4105.30 - In the dry state (crust) This heading covers the skins of sheep or lambs including those of crossed sheep and goats. 41.06: Tanned or crust hides and skins of other animal, without wool or hair on, whether or not split, but not further prepared. 4106.21 - Of goats or kids in the wet state including wet-blue 4106.22 - Of goats or kids in the dry state including crust 4106.31 - Of swine in the wet state including wet-blue 4106.32 - Of swine in the dry state including crust 4106.40 - Of reptiles 4106.91 - Of other animals in the wet state including wet-blue 4106.92 - Of other animals in the dry state including crust 41.07: Leather further prepared after tanning or crusting, including parchment-dressed, leather of bovine (including buffalo) or equine animals, without hair on, whether or not split, other than leather of heading 41.14. 4107.11 - Whole hides and skins full grains, unsplit 4107.12 - Whole hides and skins grains, split 4107.19 - Whole hides and skins other 4107.91 - Other including sides: full grains, unsplit 4107.92 - Other including sides: grains, split 4107.99 - Other (41.08 Chamois (including combination chamois) leather is now included in chapter 4114.10) 41.09 Patent leather and patent laminated leather; metallised leather are now included in Chapter 4114.20) 41.10 Parings and other waste of leather and leather composition leather, not suitable for the manufacture of leather article; leather dust, powder and flour are now included in 4115.20) 41.11: Composition leather with a basis of leather or leather fibre, in slabs, sheets or strips, whether or not in rolls; are now included in 4115.10 41.12: Leather further prepared after tanning or crusting, including parchment dressed, leather of sheep or lamb, without wool on, whether or not split, other than leather of heading 41.14. 41.13: Leather further prepared after tanning or crusting, including parchment dressed, leather of other animals, without wool or hair on, whether or not split, other than leather of heading 41.14. 4113.10 - Of goats or kid 4113.20 - Of swine 4113.30 - Of reptiles 4113.90 - Of others 41.14 Chamois (including combination chamois) leather: patent leather and patent laminated leather; metallised leather 4114.10 - Chamois (including combination chamois) leather 4114.20 - patent leather and patent laminated leather; metallised leather 41.15: Composition leather with a basis of leather or leather fibre, in slabs, sheets or strips, whether or not in rolls; parings and other waste of leather or of composition leather, not suitable for manufacture of leather article; leather dust, powder and flour. 4115.10 - Composition leather with a basis of leather or leather fibre, in slabs, sheets or strips, whether or not in rolls; 4115.20 - Parings and other waste of leather or of composition leather, not suitable for manufacture of leather article; leather dust, powder and flour.