NHM

The Harmonised Commodity Code (*NHM) is based on the international standard Harmonised System (HS) used to describe and code goods in international trade published by the World Customs Organisation (WCO).

(*From French “Nomenclature harmonisée des marchandises”)

Harmonised Commodity Code

Harmonisiertes Güterverzeichnis / Nomenclature harmonisée des marchandises

The Harmonised Commodity Code (NHM) is based on the international standard Harmonised System (HS) used to describe and code goods in international trade published by the World Customs Organisation (WCO). It also contains railway-specific content in chapters 27, 98 and 99.

The NHM is an important basis for conducting international freight traffic. It is a standard and compatible commodity code and thereby facilitates compilation, comparison and analysis of data exchanged between customers, railway undertakings (RU) and administrative bodies. At the same time, it assists the RUs in monitoring the market.

The NHM enables tariffs to be differentiated based on the type of commodity and contributes to the harmonisation of the tariff systems applied by RUs.

For goods with dangerous goods characteristics the “Regulations governing the international carriage of dangerous goods by rail” (RID) shall prevail and shall be observed. There is no reference to the respective UN numbers in the NHM.

Update on Harmonised Commodity Code (NHM) – Effective 1 May 2025

On 1 May 2025, the updated Harmonised Commodity Code (NHM) will come into force.

Chapter 99 remains valid for transports inside the same customs area. For further explanation and guidance on its usage outside customs areas, please consult the support documents and notes in the NHM file. The NHM code is now fully aligned with the Harmonised System (HS), with one exception: Chapter 99 – Railway-Specific Headings.

Headings 990300 and 991100 are abolished.

Other headings under Chapter 99 will remain valid, but their use will be limited. Some headings will only be permitted within the same customs territory.

For transport outside the customs territory1 and under customs procedures, the corresponding HS code must be used.

Certain Chapter 99 codes may still be used in consignment notes for standard rolling stock outside the customs area. Please refer to the PDF and NHM file (see the “In Customs Declaration” column) for detailed information.

The NHM files are now merged into a single document, containing all language versions.