About the Product Codes used in the Canadian Importers Database

• Canada Customs Tariff
• 6 and 10-Digit Product Codes (HS6 and HS10)
• Import Statistics by Product

The most detailed product codes used in Canadian Importers Database are those that are published annually by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) in the Canadian Customs Tariff. These are the ones used to track imports into Canada.

The Canadian Customs Tariff is based on an internationally approved Harmonized System (HS) of classification. It consists of about 10,000 classification numbers. In Canada, the tariff classification number consists of 10 digits:

• the first six digits are standardized with all countries using the international tariff;
• the seventh and eighth digits distinguish break-outs for Canadian trade purposes; and
• the last two digits are for statistical purposes.

Commercial invoices, prepared by the exporter and sometimes the importer, have to provide enough detail to identify the goods, determine the quantity, and correctly establish the tariff classification. Establishing the rate of duty for an imported good depends, in part, on determining the proper classification.

The Canadian Customs Tariff is revised and re-published every year, and amendments are issued in the course of a year. Numeric codes and descriptions are subject to change from year to year in addition to duty rates.

The codes and descriptors used in the Canadian Importers Database reflect those that were in use during the year 2005 and therefore may differ from those currently used in the latest Canadian Customs Tariff.

The first 6 digits of the Harmonized System are international and this is the first level of detail (HS6) for which importer lists can be generated. More details may be available by "drilling down" to the 10-digit level specified in the Canadian Customs Tariff (HS10).

An illustration of this is shown below:

In some cases, the HS6 classification doesn't break down further - in which case the tariff code in use consists of the 6-digit code followed by four trailing zeros:

In the Canadian Importers Database, short-form descriptions are used at both the HS6 and HS10 level for ease of reference. The product descriptions may contain abbreviations, of which the most common is:

• n.e.s. or NES = not elsewhere specified

Please note that these short-form descriptors are NOT official and are employed to facilitate searches. They also apply to the tariff classification in use in 2005. For all purposes of interpreting and applying the law, the user should consult the official Customs Tariff and the Customs Act.

The reports on a product basis include a Market Concentration Summary that shows the distribution of imports for the "Major Importers" up to or near the 80% threshold. As the name implies, this shows how "concentrated" the import market is.

The total value for all imports for the specific product is also shown. This value also reflects goods brought into Canada by individuals and the total number of importers is not disclosed because of this.

Import Statistics are revised regularly by Statistics Canada. The latest revised trade statistics at the 6-digit Harmonized System level are available free of charge on Strategis in Trade Data Online. Import statistics at the 10-digit level may be purchased for a fee from Statistics Canada's Canadian International Merchandise Trade database. These other databases also offer several years of information on exports, the countries of origin (or destination), and breakdowns by province and U.S. state.