What Is a CPC Code? Central Product Classification (CPC) Explained (UN Standard)
What is a CPC code? The Central Product Classification (CPC) is the United Nations’ product classification that covers goods and services in a single coherent structure. CPC is used to organize product information for statistics on production, consumption, prices, and trade, and to support comparability across countries by applying shared product concepts, definitions, and rules.
What CPC is designed to do
CPC exists to standardize product reporting across economic statistics. It is commonly used when datasets must describe what is produced or transacted (the product), rather than who produces it (the industry).
- Product comparability: A consistent “product language” for statistics across countries and time.
- Cross-domain coordination: Supports production statistics, price statistics, supply-use frameworks, and trade-related product reporting.
- Goods + services together: Designed to cover the full modern economy, including services that are not “transportable goods.”
Scope boundary: CPC is a statistical product standard. It is not a tariff schedule and it is not a legal classification for customs duties.
How to read a CPC code
CPC is hierarchical. The decimal structure allows aggregation from broad product categories to detailed subclasses.
Visual hierarchy example (CPC)
Construction and construction services
Constructions
Buildings
Non-residential buildings
Industrial buildings
CPC linkages: products, industries, and traded goods
CPC is most powerful when used as the “bridge” between other standards:
- ISIC: classifies economic activity (industry/production origin). CPC connects products to producing activities.
- HS (Harmonized System): classifies transportable goods in international trade for customs and trade statistics. CPC is broader (goods and services).
| Standard | What it classifies | Primary purpose | Typical user workflow |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPC (UN) | Goods and services (products) | Economic statistics comparability | Harmonize product reporting across production/consumption/price/trade datasets |
| HS (WCO) | Transportable goods in international trade | Customs tariffs & trade statistics | Classify goods for import/export documentation and duty/tariff schedules |
| ISIC (UN) | Economic activities (industries) | Comparable industry statistics | Classify establishments by primary activity; link outputs via CPC |
Related standards on SICCODE.com: ISIC (industry standard) · HS (trade goods standard)
CPC 3.0 status (current revision cycle)
The UN classification program has progressed CPC beyond Version 2.1, with CPC Version 3 introduced for discussion and adoption through UN statistical governance processes. The CPC 3 revision program emphasizes clearer coverage for modern product areas, including expanded treatment of digital and technology-enabled services and strengthened categories used in environmental and sustainability-related analysis.
- Operational baseline: CPC Version 2.1 remains a widely cited operational reference in many statistical systems.
- Transition reality: Adoption of CPC 3 occurs through national programs and dataset vintages; cross-version mappings should be documented as conversions.
- Modernization intent: CPC 3 materials emphasize improved coverage for emerging product/service areas and clearer explanatory notes for boundary cases.
Best practice for analysts: Record the CPC version used in any dataset extract or publication (e.g., “CPC Ver. 2.1” or “CPC Ver. 3”) so results remain auditable over time.
The data bridge: activity → product → traded goods
Many real-world datasets require moving between an industry view (ISIC), a product view (CPC), and a trade view (HS). This worked example shows the linkage logic:
Worked example
Industry (ISIC):
ISIC 1071 — Manufacture of bakery products
Product (CPC):
CPC 23410 — Crispbread, rusks, toasted bread, and similar toasted products
Trade (HS):
HS 190540 — Rusks, toasted bread, and similar toasted products
Interpretation rule: The industry identifies the primary activity, CPC identifies the output product, and HS is applied when the output is a transportable good being traded across borders.
Why CPC codes are used
- Statistical compilation: Standardize product reporting across production, expenditure, and price statistics.
- Supply-use integration: Improve coherence across datasets that describe industries, products, and transactions.
- International comparability: Provide a shared product vocabulary for cross-country analysis.
- Crosswalk support: Enable linkages between product classifications (CPC), activity classifications (ISIC), and traded goods classifications (HS).
FAQ
- Is CPC the same as HS?
No. HS classifies transportable goods for customs and trade statistics. CPC classifies goods and services for economic statistics. HS is commonly used at borders; CPC is commonly used in economic accounts and product statistics. - Why does CPC link to ISIC?
ISIC classifies activities (industries). CPC classifies outputs (products). Linking them helps answer questions like “which industries produce this product?” and supports coherent supply-use analysis. - Which CPC version should I reference in 2026?
CPC Version 2.1 remains widely used as an operational reference, while CPC Version 3 is the active modernization track under UN statistical governance. For auditability, record the version used and treat cross-version conversions as mappings. - Does CPC include services and digital products?
Yes. CPC covers goods and services. The CPC 3 modernization track emphasizes clearer coverage and explanatory notes for modern service categories, including technology-enabled and digital service areas used in contemporary datasets. - Where does CPC fit alongside NAICS?
NAICS classifies establishments by industry (activity). CPC classifies products (outputs). In many datasets, NAICS/ISIC is used to define the producer, and CPC is used to define the product produced or transacted.
Guidance sources
The following official references define the UN Central Product Classification (CPC), its revision history, and its relationship to international trade and industry standards. These sources are provided for verification and technical reference and do not represent endorsement by SICCODE.com.