New customs classification for vaccines to strengthen emergency preparedness

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3 February 2026

The World Health Organization, in collaboration with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and World Customs Organization (WCO), has helped update the system countries use to classify goods at customs. Thirty-eight new customs codes for human vaccines and other essential medical products, such as facemasks and personal protective equipment, ambulances and mobile clinics will enter into the Harmonized System (HS) on 1 January 2028 (HS 2028). The updated system will make it easier to track vaccine and medical products shipments worldwide and ensure faster, more coordinated responses during future health emergencies.

Used by more than 200 countries and economies, the HS is the global customs standard used to classify traded products, set tariffs, and compile comparable trade statistics. By expanding the number of customs codes for vaccines, trade policies can better align with public health goals. Concretely, this initiative will facilitate expedited customs procedures for essential vaccines during emergencies. It will also improve access to global vaccine trade data, enhancing transparency and working towards WHO’s long-term mission of equitable access to vaccines worldwide.

WHO contributed significantly to the updated system by assessing which vaccines, both existing and those in the pipeline, should be included in the new classification. The WHO Market Information for Access (MI4A) peer platform, which leverages data collected from Member States, was used to help identify which vaccines represent significant current or expected trade volumes and address diseases where immunization is vital.

The strong WCO–WTO–WHO partnership to improve vaccine classification illustrates how multilateral cooperation addresses global challenges and shapes international standards.