SITC

Standard International Trade Classification — a UN-maintained product classification used in some economic research alongside or instead of HS. Less common in modern customs data.

SITC predates HS and groups goods by economic function (e.g. raw materials, machinery, manufactures) rather than by physical characteristics. Historical economic studies often use SITC because consistent series go back to the 1960s, before HS existed. Modern customs data is almost always HS, with SITC concordances published for cross-walking.