El Salvador has officially joined the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, becoming the 162nd Contracting Party to this essential global trade framework. The accession was formalized on June 28, 2025, during the Council Session of the World Customs Organization (WCO), with the instrument of accession deposited to WCO Secretary-General Ian Saunders.

The Harmonized System (HS) is a standardized international nomenclature used to classify traded products. By joining, El Salvador aligns its customs and trade operations with a system utilized by the vast majority of the world’s economies, facilitating more transparent and efficient commerce.

The WCO welcomed El Salvador’s membership and praised the country for its active role in promoting digital transformation, hosting regional customs events, and enhancing international cooperation to improve border security and trade facilitation.

“El Salvador continues to advance toward a modern, technical Customs system aligned with international standards,” said Benjamín Mayorga, Director General of Customs.
He expressed gratitude to Vice Foreign Minister Adriana Mira, Ambassador Javier Reyes, and the WCO for supporting the accession process.

With this integration, El Salvador gains access to specialized technical assistance, becomes an active member with voting rights in the HS Committee, and enhances its tariff classification capabilities—a move expected to strengthen the quality and transparency of national trade statistics.

The agreement officially entered into force in El Salvador on June 30, 2025, consolidating the country’s position in the global trading system and opening new pathways for economic modernization and international integration.