Changes to Nice 11 - What you need to know for 2020

CHANGES TO NICE 11

The 2020 version of the 11th edition of the Nice Classification came into effect in January. A number of changes (some significant) were made to Nice 11 - which may have you passed you by. We mentioned them in our earlier blog, The Ghosts of Nice 11's Past, Present & Future, but thought it was worth fleshing them out here.

Since 2013, due to the accelerated level of change globally, there have been annual amendments to Nice 11. So much so, that there are new editions coming out every five years and a new version annually. Every 1st  of January, we prepare ourselves for the changes!

Here are the main changes to the Nice 11 Classification for 2020:

Changes to Class Headings – An Unusual Change

The 2020 annual update brings some significant changes to some of the services class headings:

Class 37 “Construction services; installation and repair services; mining extraction; oil and gas drilling”  

Construction services; installation and repair services; mining extraction, oil and gas drilling

The word ‘building’ has disappeared from the class heading. Although class 37 was conceived of as a building and repair class, mining, extraction, oil and black gas drilling (which were looking for a home) ended up here. Their inclusion has now been made official, giving class 37 more of a construction and excavation feel.

Class 40 “Treatment of materials; recycling of waste and trash; air purification and treatment of water; printing services; food and drink preservation.”

This class heading hadn’t changed at all since the inception of Nice. Class 40 started out as ‘treatment of materials’ but ended up covering all manner of services. It will now include recycling of waste and trash, air purification and treatment of water, printing services, food and drink preservation just to make things really clear!

Class 42 “Scientific and technological services and research and design relating thereto; industrial analysis; industrial research and industrial design services; quality control and authentication services; design and development of computer hardware and software”.

This was already a difficult one and it’s not getting any easier. Class 42 will now include industrial design, quality testing, authentication.

Class 44 “Medical services; veterinary services; hygienic and beauty care for human beings or animals; agriculture, aquaculture, horticulture, and forestry services.”

Originally the agriculture class, class 44 now welcomes aquaculture (for services relating to breeding and harvesting of fish, shellfish and aquatic plants) too.

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