Mexico Harmonized System (HS) Changes

The Government of Mexico is open to receive public comments from May 17 to June 19 on proposed changes to its harmonized system of goods classification, commonly referred to as HS or tariff codes.  We encourage interested U.S. business associations and exporters to review these proposed changes and be aware that Mexico’s HS codes will be updated soon.  The proposed changes, in Spanish, can be found here:   https://www.snice.gob.mx/cs/avi/snice/ligie.septimaenmienda2.html
 
Specifically, the Mexican government is proposing changes to the General Import and Export Tax Law (Ley de los Impuestos Generales de Importación y Exportación, or LIGIE).  This year’s amendment consists of around 350 changes, adding some goods that must be incorporated, changing some definitions that must be improved, and deleting others which must be eliminated because the products are considered obsolete, thus removing their HS codes.
 
Since HS codes are used to establish tariff classification for goods, it is critical for U.S. exporters to be aware of their HS codes when shipping to Mexico.  The change will enter into effect on January 1, 2022, so it is important for U.S. exporters to be in contact with their Mexican clients and partners to be aware of the process and changes in the HS code system to avoid mistakes and delays at Mexican ports of entry. Simply put, using incorrect HS codes can unnecessarily complicate cross-border sales.  Earlier in 2021, some companies experienced delays in the import process due to the incorporation of “trade identification numbers/TIN – Numero de Identificacion Comercial/NICO,” the creation of 10-digit tariff bands implemented in the 2020 amendment to LIGIE.  
 
For further questions on this issue or if you encounter any problems with Mexican Customs, please Ask Manny: Manuel.Velazquez@trade.gov