90259000
9›Hydrometers and similar floating instruments, thermometers, pyrometers, barometers, hygrometers and psychrometers, recording or not, and any combination of these instruments
Parts and accessories
Scope of CN subheading 9025 90 - parts for instruments of heading 9025
CN subheading 9025 90 of the Combined Nomenclature covers parts and accessories exclusively or principally designed for use in instruments classified under heading 9025 - that is, thermometers, pyrometers, hygrometers, psychrometers, barometers and their recording variants. The subheading encompasses: clockwork chart drums for thermographs and hygrographs, replacement recording charts with a sensitive coating for barographs and thermohygrographs, capacitive and resistive humidity sensor modules as replaceable components for hygrometers, aneroid capsules - metal capsules that deform in response to atmospheric pressure - used in barometers and barographs, capillaries and liquid-filled measuring tubes for liquid-in-glass thermometers, housings and stands for meteorological recorders, and printed circuit board (PCB) assemblies forming an integral part of digital thermometers or hygrometers. The key classification criterion is exclusive or principal suitability for use in instruments of heading 9025. Parts of general use, capable of being used in a variety of apparatus, are classified according to their principal function - for example, stepper motors under Chapter 85, LCD displays under Chapter 85, or plastic housings under Chapter 39 or 83. Classification is performed under GIRs 1 and 6, read with Note 2(b) to Section XVI and the Notes to Chapter 90. The HS Explanatory Notes to heading 9025 and previous BTI decisions in the EBTI database should be consulted where doubt arises.
Import requirements and regulations for parts under CN 9025 90
Importing parts and accessories classified under CN 9025 90 into the European Union requires compliance with the Union Customs Code (Regulation (EU) No 952/2013). The importer must hold an EORI number and submit a customs declaration with the correct TARIC code. Required documents include a commercial invoice with a technical description of the goods confirming their exclusive suitability for instruments of heading 9025, a transport document (CMR, B/L or AWB), and a technical specification or manufacturer's catalogue. A certificate of origin or invoice declaration is required for preferential duty treatment. Electronic parts - PCB modules, humidity sensors, memory components - may be subject to RoHS II Directive (2011/65/EU) restricting the use of lead, mercury, cadmium and other hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. Parts containing mercury - such as capillaries for mercury thermometers - are subject to Regulation (EU) 2017/852 on mercury, which restricts or prohibits the placing on the market of measuring instruments containing mercury; import may require verification of the exemptions provided for in that Regulation. Chemical substances used in capacitive sensors may be subject to the REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. MFN duty rates and trade measures for subheading 9025 90 must be verified in the European Commission's TARIC database, including potential tariff suspensions for components not manufactured in the EU.
Classification boundaries and practical guidance for CN 9025 90
Correct classification under CN 9025 90 requires resolving the boundary between parts exclusively intended for instruments of heading 9025 and parts of general use. Aneroid capsules made of beryllium copper, stainless steel or similar alloy, designed solely for barometers and barographs, are classified under 9025 90 - the decisive condition is exclusive suitability for instruments of heading 9025; capsules with multi-sector application may be classified under Chapter 84 as hydraulic or pneumatic components. Capacitive humidity sensor chips - ceramic or polymer substrates with electrodes, without housing or signal-conditioning circuitry - are typically classified as electronic components under heading 8533 or 8542 rather than 9025 90; classification in 9025 90 requires demonstration of exclusive or principal suitability for instruments of heading 9025, supported by technical documentation. Clockwork chart drums used exclusively in barographs or thermohygrographs are classified under 9025 90; drums for general use fall under Chapter 91 (clockwork mechanisms) or Chapter 84. Replacement paper or sensitised chart rolls designed exclusively for recorders of heading 9025 are classified under 9025 90; general-purpose thermofax and paper rolls are classified under Chapter 48. Where the classification of a specific article is uncertain, obtaining Binding Tariff Information (BTI) ruling from the competent customs authority is recommended; a BTI is legally binding throughout the EU for three years. Current duty rates must be verified in TARIC.
Parts for measuring instruments CN 9025 90
Subheading CN 9025 90 covers parts for instruments of heading 9025: temperature probes (thermocouples, RTD), thermometer wells, humidity sensors, barometer membranes, and calibration elements. Thermocouples as standalone sensors may be classified here or under heading 9033 depending on intended use. Parts must be recognisable as intended for heading 9025 instruments.
Frequently asked questions
What does CN subheading 9025 90 cover - which parts fall within this subheading?
CN subheading 9025 90 covers parts and accessories exclusively or principally used in instruments of heading 9025 (thermometers, pyrometers, hygrometers, barometers): clockwork chart drums for barographs and thermohygrographs, replacement recording charts with a sensitive coating, capacitive and resistive humidity sensor modules as replaceable components, aneroid capsules for barometers, capillaries and liquid-filled tubes for liquid-in-glass thermometers, housings and stands for meteorological recorders, and PCB assemblies forming an integral part of digital instruments. The essential condition for classification under 9025 90 is exclusive or principal suitability for instruments of heading 9025. Duty rates must be verified in the TARIC database.
Is a humidity sensor module imported separately classified under 9025 90 or Chapter 85?
Classification of a humidity sensor module depends on its degree of completion and intended use. Capacitive or resistive humidity sensor chips - ceramic or polymer substrates with electrodes, without a housing or processing circuit - are typically classified as electronic components under heading 8533 or 8542. A humidity sensor module with a housing, connector and signal-conditioning circuitry designed exclusively for integration into instruments of heading 9025 (hygrometers, thermohygrographs) may be classified under 9025 90. The decisive criterion is demonstrating exclusive or principal suitability for instruments of heading 9025, supported by manufacturer technical documentation. Where the classification is unclear, Binding Tariff Information (BTI) ruling from the competent authority is recommended.
What regulations apply to the import into the EU of aneroid capsules used in barometers?
Aneroid capsules of subheading 9025 90 are not in principle subject to specific sectoral regulations beyond customs and general product safety rules. Import requires the correct TARIC code on the customs declaration, a commercial invoice confirming exclusive suitability for barometers and barographs of heading 9025, and a transport document. If the capsules contain chemical substances or coatings that are substances of very high concern (SVHC) under the REACH Regulation, the importer is obliged to notify recipients of their presence above the 0.1 weight percent threshold. Anti-dumping measures or tariff suspensions applicable to metals used in the manufacture of aneroid capsules - stainless steel, beryllium copper alloys - may indirectly affect import costs and should be verified in the TARIC database.
Are thermocouples classified under CN 9025 90?
Thermocouples specifically designed as parts of thermometers under heading 9025 are classified under CN 9025 90. General-purpose thermocouples for automation systems may fall under heading 9033. The key is the intended use as part of a temperature measuring instrument.
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