WCO Explanatory Notes reproduced for reference. © World Customs Organization. Verify against official WCO publication.
72.08 - Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, of a width of 600 mm or more, hot-rolled, not clad, plated or coated (+). 7208.10 - In coils, not M e r worked than hot-rolled, with patterns in relief - Other, in coils, not W e r worked than hot-rolled, pickled : 7208.25 7208.26 7208.27 7208.36 7208.37 7208.38 7208.39 - - Of a thickness of 4.75 mrn or more - - Of a thickness of 3 mrn or more but less than 4.75 mrn - - Of a thickness of less than 3 rnm - Other, in coils, not further worked than hot-rolled : - - Of a thickness exceeding 10 rnrn - - Of a thickness of 4.75 rnm or more but not exceeding 10 mm - - Of a thickness of 3 rnm or more but less than 4.75 mm - - Of a thickness of less than 3 mm 7208.40 - Not in coils, not further worked than hot-rolled, with patterns in relief - Other, not in coils, not M 7208.51 7208.52 7208.53 e r worked than hot-rolled : - - Of a thickness exceeding 10 mrn - - Of a thickness of 4.75 mrn or more but not exceeding 10 mm - - Of a thickness of 3 mm or more but less than 4.75 mm 7208.54 - - Of a thickness of less than 3 m 7208.90 - Other Flat-rolled products are defined in Note 1 (k) to this Chapter. The products of this heading may have been subjected to the following surface treatments : (I) Descalin , picklin , scraping and other processes to remove the oxide scale and crust t f formed uring the eating of metal. (2) Rough coating intended solely to protect products from rust or other oxidation, to prevent slipptng during transport and to facilitate handling e.g., aints containing an active anti-rust p i p e n t for example, red lead, zinc powder, zinc oxi e, zinc chromate, iron oxide (iron rmniurn, jewellers rouge), and non-pigmented coatings with a basis of oil, grease, wax, paraffin wax, graphite, tar or bitumen. X (3) Polishing, burnishing or similar treatments. (4) Artificial oxidation (by various chemical processes, such as immersion in an oxidising solution), atina finishing, blueing (blue annealing), browning or bronzing (by various technicluesy, which also form a film of oxide on the surface of the product, to ~rnpmveits appearance. The operations increase resistance to rusting. (5) Chemical surface treatments, such as : - - phosphatising, which consists of immersing the product in a solution of metallic acid phosphates, particularly those of manganese, iron and zinc; this process is known as parkerising or bonderising, depending on the period of the operation and the temperature of the bath; oxalatiq, borating, etc., using methods similar to those for phosphatising, with the appropriate salts or acids; chromating, which consists of immersing the product in a solution whose main contents are chromic acid or chromates. These chemical surface treatments have the advantage of protecting the surface of metal, facilitating any later cold deformation of the products treated and the application of paints or other non-metallic protective coatings. Flat-rolIed products of this heading may have atterns in relief derived directly from rolling, such as grooves, ribs, chequers, tears, buttons, ozenges, or they may have been worked after rolling (e.g., perforated, corn ated, bevelled or rounded at the edges), provided they do not thereby assume the character o articles or products of other headings. P ? The heading does not, however, include flat-rolled products which have been coated, plated or clad with metal or coated with non-metallic substances such as paints, enamels or plastics (heading 72.10). The heading also excludes such flat-rolled products which have been clad with precious metals (Chapter 71). " Corm ated flat-rolled products " means those having a regular wave pattern in the form of a curved $e.g., sinusoidal) line. For the purpose of deterrninlng classification, the width of the corrugated side is to be taken as its effective width in the corrugated form. However, the heading excludes so-called ribbed products having an angular profile (e-g., square, triangular or trapezoidal) (generally heading 72.16). The heading also includes flat-rolled products of a shape other than rectangular or s uare, of any size, provided they do not assume the character of articles or products of other he&gs. The heading covers, inter alia, " wide coils "," sheets " and " plates ". This heading also covers certain products named" wide flats "(some of which are called " universal plates " in some parts of the world). For the purposes of this heading, " wide flats " are products of rectangular (other than s uare) cross-section, not in coils, hot-rolled on four faces in a closed box pass or universal mil ,of a thickness of not less than 4 mm, and of a width of 600 mrn or more but not exceeding 1,250 mrn. ? Therefore, "wide flats "have much straighter and more accurately finished sides and sharper edges than those of" wide coil "," sheets " or " plates ". They are never re-rolled but are used in structural steelwork, etc., without M e r machining of the edges. Wide coil "," plates " and sheets " are produced by hot-rolling ingots, slabs and sheet bars, sometimes followed by cutting transversally or longitudinally. " " " Wide coil " can be distinguished from " sheets " and " plates " since " plates " and " sheets " are presented flat while " wide coil " is presented wound m coils of successively superimposed layers with almost flat sides. Hot-rolled " wide coils " are either used direct in the same way as " sheets " and plates " or converted into other products such as " sheets and " plates ", welded tubes, formed angles, shapes or sections. " " " Sheets " and plates " are used in the construction of ships, railwa rolling-stock, tanks, boilers, bridges and other structural work where great strength requiredl~ertain'' sheets " and "plates " ma have dimensions similar to those of slabs and sheet bars. However, they can be distinguishe from slabs and sheet bars since : " d' d (I) They are most often cross-rolled (longitudinally and transversely and sometimes oblique-rolled whereas slabs and sheet bars are roughly rolled longitu inally only (in the slabbing or roughing mill). (2) Their edges are normally sheared or flame-cut and show traces of the shears or flame whereas slabs and sheet bars have round edges. (3) Tolerances as to thickness and surface defects are very strict whereas slabs and sheet bars are not of uniform thickness and show various surface defects. The heading does not cover : (a) Expanded metal of iron or steel (beading 73.14). (b) Blanks of articles of Chapter 82. Subheading Explanatory Note. Subheadin s 7208.10, 7208.25, 7208.26, 7208.27, 7208.36, 7208.37, 7208.38, 7208.39, 7208.40, 7208.51,72%8.52, 7208.53 and 7208.54 In addition to hot-rolling, the products of these subheadings may have been subjected to the following working or surface treatments : (1) Hot flattening. (2) Annealing,. hardening, tempering, case-hardening, nitriding and similar heat treatments to improve the properties of the metal. (3) Except where the context otherwise requires, the surface treatments described in Items (1) and (2) of the second paragraph of the Explanatory Note to heading 72.08. Descaling may be achieved : (a) by acid pickling or reduction treatment (chemical or heat processes), whether or not in conjunction with milk of lime treatment (liming); (b) by mechanical descaling (planing, rough grinding, rough sanding, sand-blasting, etc.). Mechanically descaled products can generally be identified by the following characteristics : (i) planed steel has a bright surface with rou continuous parallel marks which are clearly visible to the naked eye and perceptible to e touch; (ii) rou ly ground or roughly sanded surfaces are generally uneven, with a dull finish. The mar left by the grinding tool are clearly visible. Fine abrasion, on the other hand, roduces an absolutely smooth surface with a bri t finish which may even be reflective. h e n , the marks left by the working tool are vir!xa ly invisible. g T (4) Skin or pinch passing as described in the last paragraph of Section (IV)(B) of the General ExplanatoryNote to this Chapter. (5) Stamping, punching, printing, etc., with simple inscriptions, such as trademarks. (6) Cutting into rectangular (including square) shape. (7) Operations intended exclusively to detect flaws in the metal. -
Notes. 1.- In this Chapter and, in the case of Notes (d), (e) and (f) throughout the Nomenclature, the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them : (a) Pig iron Iron-carbon alloys not usefully malleable, containing more than 2 % by weight of carbon and which may contain by weight one or more other elements within the following limits : - not more than 10 % of chromium - not more than 6 % of manganese - not more than 3 % of phosphorus - not more than 8 % of silicon - a total of not more than 10 % of other elements. (b) Spiegeleisen Iron-carbon alloys containing by weight more than 6 % but not more than 30 % of manganese and otherwise conforming to the specification at (a) above. (c) Ferro-alloys Alloys in pigs, blocks, lumps or similar primary forms, in forms obtained by continuous casting and also in granular or powder forms, whether or not agglomerated, commonly used as an additive in the manufacture of other alloys or as de-oxidants, de-sulphurising agents or for similar uses in ferrous metallurgy and generally not usefully malleable, containing by weight 4 % or more of the element iron and one or more of the following : - more than 10 % of chromium - more than 30 % of manganese - more than 3 % of phosphorus - more than 8 % of silicon - a total of more than 10 % of other elements, excluding carbon, subject to a maximum content of 10 % in the case of copper. (d) Steel Ferrous materials other than those of heading 72.03 which (with the exception of certain types produced in the form of castings) are usefully malleable and which contain by weight 2 % or less of carbon. However, chromium steels may contain higher proportions of carbon. (e) Stainless steel Alloy steels containing, by weight, 1.2 % or less of carbon and 10.5 % or more of chromium, with or without other elements. (f) Other alloy steel Steels not complying with the definition of stainless steel and containing by weight one or more of the following elements in the proportion shown : - 0.3 % or more of aluminium - 0.0008 % or more of boron - 0.3 % or more of chromium - 0.3 % or more of cobalt - 0.4 % or more of copper - 0.4 % or more of lead - 1.65 % or more of manganese - 0.08 % or more of molybdenum - 0.3 % or more of nickel - 0.06 % or more of niobium - 0.6 % or more of silicon - 0.05 % or more of titanium - 0.3 % or more of tungsten (wolfram) - 0.1 % or more of vanadium - 0.05 % or more of zirconium - 0.1 % or more of other elements (except sulphur, phosphorus, carbon and nitrogen), taken separately. (g) Remelting scrap ingots of iron or steel Products roughly cast in the form of ingots without feeder-heads or hot tops, or of pigs, having obvious surface faults and not complying with the chemical composition of pig iron, spiegeleisen or ferro-alloys. (h) Granules Products of which less than 90 % by weight passes through a sieve with a mesh aperture of 1 mm and of which 90 % or more by weight passes through a sieve with a mesh aperture of 5 mm. (ij) Semi-finished products Continuous cast products of solid section, whether or not subjected to primary hot-rolling; and Other products of solid section, which have not been further worked than subjected to primary hot- rolling or roughly shaped by forging, including blanks for angles, shapes or sections. These products are not presented in coils. (k) Flat-rolled products Rolled products of solid rectangular (other than square) cross-section, which do not conform to the definition at (ij) above in the form of : - coils of successively superimposed layers, or - straight lengths, which if of a thickness less than 4.75 mm are of a width measuring at least ten times the thickness or if of a thickness of 4.75 mm or more are of a width which exceeds 150 mm and measures at least twice the thickness. Flat-rolled products include those with patterns in relief derived directly from rolling (for example, grooves, ribs, chequers, tears, buttons, lozenges) and those which have been perforated, corrugated or polished, provided that they do not thereby assume the character of articles or products of other headings. Flat-rolled products of a shape other than rectangular or square, of any size, are to be classified as products of a width of 600 mm or more, provided that they do not assume the character of articles or products of other headings. (l) Bars and rods, hot-rolled, in irregularly wound coils Hot-rolled products in irregularly wound coils, which have a solid cross-section in the shape of circles, segments of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), triangles or other convex polygons (including “flattened circles” and “modified rectangles”, of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). These products may have indentations, ribs, grooves or other deformations produced during the rolling process (reinforcing bars and rods). (m) Other bars and rods Products which do not conform to any of the definitions at (ij), (k) or (l) above or to the definition of wire, which have a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, segments of circles, ovals, rectangles (including squares), triangles or other convex polygons (including “flattened circles” and “modified rectangles”, of which two opposite sides are convex arcs, the other two sides being straight, of equal length and parallel). These products may : - have indentations, ribs, grooves or other deformations produced during the rolling process (reinforcing bars and rods); - be twisted after rolling. (n) Angles, shapes and sections Products having a uniform solid cross-section along their whole length which do not conform to any of the definitions at (ij), (k), (l) or (m) above or to the definition of wire. Chapter 72 does not include products of heading 73.01 or 73.02. (o) Wire Cold-formed products in coils, of any uniform solid cross-section along their whole length, which do not conform to the definition of flat-rolled products. (p) Hollow drill bars and rods Hollow bars and rods of any cross-section, suitable for drills, of which the greatest external dimension of the cross-section exceeds 15 mm but does not exceed 52 mm, and of which the greatest internal dimension does not exceed one half of the greatest external dimension. Hollow bars and rods of iron or steel not conforming to this definition are to be classified in heading 73.04. 2.- Ferrous metals clad with another ferrous metal are to be classified as products of the ferrous metal predominating by weight. 3.- Iron or steel products obtained by electrolytic deposition, by pressure casting or by sintering are to be classified, according to their form, their composition and their appearance, in the headings of this Chapter appropriate to similar hot-rolled products. Subheading Notes. 1.- In this Chapter the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them : (a) Alloy pig iron Pig iron containing, by weight, one or more of the following elements in the specified proportions : - more than 0.2 % of chromium - more than 0.3 % of copper - more than 0.3 % of nickel - more than 0.1 % of any of the following elements : aluminium, molybdenum, titanium, tungsten (wolfram), vanadium. (b) Non-alloy free-cutting steel Non-alloy steel containing, by weight, one or more of the following elements in the specified proportions : - 0.08 % or more of sulphur - 0.1 % or more of lead - more than 0.05 % of selenium - more than 0.01 % of tellurium - more than 0.05 % of bismuth. (c) Silicon-electrical steel Alloy steels containing by weight at least 0.6 % but not more than 6 % of silicon and not more than 0.08 % of carbon. They may also contain by weight not more than 1 % of aluminium but no other element in a proportion that would give the steel the characteristics of another alloy steel. (d) High speed steel Alloy steels containing, with or without other elements, at least two of the three elements molybdenum, tungsten and vanadium with a combined content by weight of 7 % or more, 0.6 % or more of carbon and 3 to 6 % of chromium. (e) Silico-manganese steel Alloy steels containing by weight : - not more than 0.7 % of carbon, - 0.5 % or more but not more than 1.9 % of manganese, and - 0.6 % or more but not more than 2.3 % of silicon, but no other element in a proportion that would give the steel the characteristics of another alloy steel. 2.- For the classification of ferro-alloys in the subheadings of heading 72.02 the following rule should be observed : A ferro-alloy is considered as binary and classified under the relevant subheading (if it exists) if only one of the alloy elements exceeds the minimum percentage laid down in Chapter Note 1 (c); by analogy, it is considered respectively as ternary or quaternary if two or three alloy elements exceed the minimum percentage. For the application of this rule the unspecified “other elements” referred to in Chapter Note 1 (c) must each exceed 10 % by weight.