We are also available as a point of contact in the technical areas of export control and, drawing on our experience, are able to support and advise you with specialist competence.
In the area of goods classification, we advise and support companies in the following areas:
Classification of your goods under the German national export list (defence goods) or under Annex I of the EC Dual-Use Regulation 428/2009 (dual-use goods)
Tariff classification: determination of the correct customs tariff number / commodity code
Ad-hoc classification and tariff classification
Applications for commodity list information (Auskunft zur Güterliste – AzG)
Obtaining Binding Tariff Information (BTI)
Classification under the Commerce Control List (CCL) of the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) (EAR goods) or under the U.S. Munitions List (USML) of the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) (ITAR goods)
Conducting mass classifications and classification projects
Classification is carried out competently by experienced lawyers and engineers. In doing so, we ensure that all relevant technical and legal requirements are taken into account with precision.
Decades of
Experience
Over 100 years of combined experience providing sound and reliable legal advice.
Interdisciplinary
Approach
Legal expertise, technical know-how and experienced project management in customs and foreign trade law.
Multiple
Awards
Recognized excellence with repeatedly awarded consulting quality at national and international level.
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
Goods classification involves assessing whether your product is subject to export control requirements (e.g. under German, European, and/or U.S. export control law). It concerns licensing obligations. Tariff classification, on the other hand, serves to determine the correct customs tariff number, which forms the basis for, among other things, the applicable duty rate and statistical reporting. Both are required independently of one another. We support you in both areas.
Goods classification is the systematic categorisation of products, materials, software, or technologies according to defined legal criteria — for example, under the lists of the Dual-Use Regulation or the U.S. Export Administration Regulations. It determines which licensing obligations and trade restrictions apply.
For companies, correct classification is essential in order to avoid legal risks such as delivery delays, fines, or even criminal proceedings, and to ensure that trade processes are conducted securely and efficiently. Errors can have long-term consequences — from additional assessments by authorities to exclusion from markets.
For companies, correct classification is essential in order to avoid legal risks such as delivery delays, fines, or even criminal proceedings, and to ensure that trade processes are conducted securely and efficiently. Errors can have long-term consequences — from additional assessments by authorities to exclusion from markets.
1. Part I, Sections A and B of the German Export List (defence goods)
- Section A – List of weapons, ammunition, and defence materiel
- Section B – List of nationally controlled dual-use goods
2. Annex I of the European Dual-Use Regulation (dual-use goods)
And, where applicable, the U.S. control lists:
3. United States Munitions List (USML) under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (defence goods)
4. Commerce Control List (CCL) under the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (dual-use goods)
- Section A – List of weapons, ammunition, and defence materiel
- Section B – List of nationally controlled dual-use goods
2. Annex I of the European Dual-Use Regulation (dual-use goods)
And, where applicable, the U.S. control lists:
3. United States Munitions List (USML) under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (defence goods)
4. Commerce Control List (CCL) under the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (dual-use goods)
Whenever a so-called "U.S. nexus" exists. This is the case in the following situations:
- Goods located in the United States
- U.S.-origin goods outside the United States
- Non-U.S. goods (foreign-made commodities) that contain more than a certain proportion of controlled U.S. goods, U.S. software, or U.S. technology (10% / 25%)
- Non-U.S. goods that are the direct product of certain U.S. technology or U.S. software (foreign-made direct products)
- Non-U.S. goods that are manufactured in a plant, or with a major component of a plant, where the plant or that component is itself the direct product of certain U.S. technology or U.S. software
- Goods located in the United States
- U.S.-origin goods outside the United States
- Non-U.S. goods (foreign-made commodities) that contain more than a certain proportion of controlled U.S. goods, U.S. software, or U.S. technology (10% / 25%)
- Non-U.S. goods that are the direct product of certain U.S. technology or U.S. software (foreign-made direct products)
- Non-U.S. goods that are manufactured in a plant, or with a major component of a plant, where the plant or that component is itself the direct product of certain U.S. technology or U.S. software
Together with you, we analyse your product data, technical documentation, and intended uses. We compare these against the lists of the relevant legal instruments (Foreign Trade and Payments Regulation, EU Dual-Use Regulation, and where necessary the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR)), document the classification in a comprehensible and traceable manner, and, where required, obtain binding information from the relevant authorities. For mass classification projects, we offer scalable solutions with clear processes and risk-based prioritisation.
