For energy efficiency regulations and labelling schemes to be effective, it is vital to have a robust and comprehensive system for monitoring the quantities of products sold in the market. Customs data, based on the World Customs Organization (WCO) commodity classification system can provide a metric for this.
This Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System) provides an opportunity for enhanced monitoring of lighting product import data, allowing countries to:
- Monitor trends over time for imported products.
- Apply real data to policy development.
- Boost regional harmonization amongst trading partners/countries by sharing import/export volume data in significant detail for lighting products.
- Improve the effectiveness of Monitoring, Verification and Enforcement (MVE) and Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) activities for controlled goods.
- Deploy customs/economic mechanisms, such as internal taxes, trade policies, freight tariffs, quota controls, compilation of national accounts etc.
The United for Efficiency (U4E) Guidelines on Harmonized System Customs Codes and National Statistical Codes for Energy-Efficient Lighting, provide an introduction to the structure and function of the Harmonized System for lighting products and their key role for successful MVE activities.
To view the factsheet that describes the Guidelines, click here.