CPC (Central Product Classification)

The Central Product Classification (CPC) is the United Nations framework for classifying all goods and services according to their physical nature and function. It is maintained by the UN Statistics Division and provides a common language for describing what is being produced or traded, independent of the industry that produces it.

What is CPC?

CPC organises products and services into sections (one digit), divisions (two digits), groups (three digits), classes (four digits), and subclasses (five digits). The structure covers both goods and services, making it one of the few classification systems that treats the two consistently in a single hierarchy. For example, section 8 covers Business and Production Services, and lower levels distinguish management consulting from engineering consulting. The current version is CPC Ver.2.1, published by the UN Statistics Division.

CPC is the product-side complement to isic, which classifies industries. Together they allow statisticians to link what is produced with who produces it. In international procurement, CPC is most often encountered indirectly through its role in shaping other classification systems: unspsc and cpv both drew on CPC concepts when they were designed. Some World Trade Organization commitments on services liberalisation reference CPC codes directly to define which services sectors are open to foreign suppliers under trade agreements, making CPC relevant background knowledge for firms assessing market access for their services.

Why CPC matters for bidders

For most operational procurement decisions, bidders work with unspsc or cpv rather than CPC directly. However, understanding CPC helps suppliers interpret trade agreement schedules that define which services markets are open, because WTO GPA and bilateral trade agreement annexes frequently cite CPC codes when listing covered services. A firm wondering whether its engineering or IT services qualify for national-treatment commitments under a trade deal will find CPC codes in those annexes.

FAQ

Is CPC the same as UNSPSC?

No. CPC is a UN statistical standard used in trade agreements and national accounts. UNSPSC is a procurement-oriented coding system maintained under UN auspices but designed specifically for supplier registration and tender matching. UNSPSC codes are more granular and operationally focused.

Where does CPC appear in procurement documents?

CPC codes appear most often in WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) annexes and bilateral free trade agreement service schedules, where they define which service sectors are covered by market access commitments. They rarely appear in individual tender notices.

How is CPC structured compared to NAICS?

CPC organises products and services by physical nature (what they are), while NAICS organises by industry (who produces them). CPC uses a five-level, five-digit structure; NAICS uses a six-digit structure based on production processes.