(1)

Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 establishes a goods nomenclature (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Combined Nomenclature’ or ‘CN’) to meet, at one and the same time, the requirements of the Common Customs Tariff, the external trade statistics of the Union, and other Union policies concerning the importation or exportation of goods.

(2)

That Regulation also establishes an Integrated Tariff of the European Union (hereinafter referred to as the ‘TARIC’), which meets the requirements of the Common Customs Tariff, external trade statistics, the commercial, agricultural and other Union policies concerning the importation or exportation of goods.

(3)

In order for the Union to monitor statistics related solely to the importation of specific goods, the creation of statistical subheadings in TARIC is the most appropriate tool; such TARIC statistical codes are laid down in Annex 10 ‘Statistical TARIC codes’ of Part Three (Tariff Annexes) of Annex I to Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87.

(4)

The COVID-19 pandemic situation is ongoing in the Union and, therefore, the demand for certain medical goods in the Member States, in particular protective face masks, is high and imports of such goods brings additional challenges to the customs authorities.

(5)

The increasing use of and demand for protective face masks in the Union is significant in the current situation as Member States are fighting against the spread of COVID-19 and its importance will likely remain high into the future.

(6)

In order to facilitate and harmonise the customs controls in the Member States at Union level, it is appropriate to create additional TARIC subheadings corresponding to a higher level of detail for different protective face masks, in accordance with their filtering capacities. These additional subheadings would allow to faster distinguish the products concerned from others under the same subheading, thus mitigating the impact of possible delays in the supply chain during the pandemic.

(7)

In addition, such additional TARIC subheadings should be created in order to ensure better monitoring of the trade flows of these protective face masks.

(8)

Such additional TARIC subheadings would also facilitate the implementation by Member States of Commission Decision (EU) 2020/491 (2). As protective face masks are amongst the most imported products, their specific identification in the TARIC would allow for a quicker declaration process by distinguishing such products from other products currently classified under the same subheading.

(9)

Annex 10 in Part Three of Annex I to Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(10)

In order for the customs authorities, which are implementing Commission Decision (EU) 2020/491, to benefit from this measure as soon as possible and to facilitate the fast supply chain of such products, this Regulation should therefore enter into force as a matter of urgency.

(11)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Customs Code Committee,