7403.12.00.00 - Wire bars

This HTS category, 7403.12.00.00, specifically covers wire bars of refined copper. Wire bars are semi-finished copper products, typically cast in long, rectangular shapes with rounded edges, designed for subsequent processing into wire. They are characterized by their relatively uniform cross-section and are intended for use in drawing operations to produce copper wire for various electrical, industrial, and commercial applications.

Distinguishing this category from its siblings, 7403.11.00.00 (cathodes and sections of cathodes) involves the form and intended processing. Cathodes are the primary product of electrolytic refining, characterized by their irregular shapes, while wire bars are a further refined and shaped product for wire production. Similarly, 7403.13.00.00 (billets) are typically cylindrical or square and are intended for extrusion or rolling into rods or bars, whereas wire bars are specifically cast for wire drawing. The residual category, 7403.19.00.00, encompasses all other unwrought refined copper not falling into the specific forms of cathodes, wire bars, or billets.

As a leaf node, 7403.12.00.00 does not have further subdivisions. Therefore, classification within this code relies on accurately identifying the material as refined copper and the physical form as wire bars, intended for wire drawing. Any deviation in material composition (e.g., alloys not classified under heading 7403) or physical form (e.g., bars intended for machining or extrusion) would necessitate classification under a different HTS code.