Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 554/2012
of 19 June 2012
concerning the classification of certain goods in the Combined Nomenclature

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 of 23 July 1987 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff, and in particular Article 9(1)(a) thereof,
OJ L 256, 7.9.1987, p. 1.
Whereas:
(1) In order to ensure uniform application of the Combined Nomenclature annexed to Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87, it is necessary to adopt measures concerning the classification of the goods referred to in the Annex to this Regulation.
(2) Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 has laid down the general rules for the interpretation of the Combined Nomenclature. Those rules apply also to any other nomenclature which is wholly or partly based on it or which adds any additional subdivision to it and which is established by specific provisions of the Union, with a view to the application of tariff and other measures relating to trade in goods.
(3) Pursuant to those general rules, the goods described in column (1) of the table set out in the Annex should be classified under the CN code indicated in column (2), by virtue of the reasons set out in column (3) of that table.
(4) It is appropriate to provide that binding tariff information which has been issued by the customs authorities of Member States in respect of the classification of goods in the Combined Nomenclature but which is not in accordance with this Regulation can, for a period of three months, continue to be invoked by the holder, under Article 12(6) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92 of 12 October 1992 establishing the Community Customs Code.
OJ L 302, 19.10.1992, p. 1.
(5) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Customs Code Committee,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1 The goods described in column (1) of the table set out in the Annex shall be classified within the Combined Nomenclature under the CN code indicated in column (2) of that table.
Article 2 Binding tariff information issued by the customs authorities of Member States, which is not in accordance with this Regulation, can continue to be invoked for a period of three months under Article 12(6) of Regulation (EEC) No 2913/92.
Article 3 This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 19 June 2012.
For the Commission, On behalf of the President,
Algirdas Šemeta
Member of the Commission
ANNEX
Description of the goods	Classification(CN code)	Reasons
(1)	(2)	(3)
A decorative sprig consisting of artificial flowers (poinsettias), foliage and fruit (conifer twigs and berries). It is made of brocaded textile material, plastics and a metal wire. The product is to be used as a candle decoration. It is presented without the candle and candle holder. The image is purely for information. See image.	6702 90 00	Classification is determined by General Rules 1 and 6 for the interpretation of the Combined Nomenclature and by the wording of CN codes 6702 and 6702 90 00. The sprig is not to be considered as a festive article of heading 9505 as it is not exclusively designed, manufactured and recognised as a festive article. It does not contain any imprints, ornaments, symbols or inscriptions and accordingly is not to be used for a specific festivity (see also the CN Explanatory Notes to heading 9505). Classification under heading 9505 as a festive article is therefore excluded. It is therefore to be classified under CN code 6702 90 00 as an article made of artificial flowers, foliage and fruit of other materials.