What is a Certificate of Origin?
You or your customer may need a Certificate of Origin to import goods into a country outside the European Union. The producer or exporter of the goods usually makes the certificate of origin, which is then authorized by the Chamber of Commerce of the country where the goods were produced or obtained. The document proves that it has met the criteria to be considered as originating from a country. Beware that this is not necessarily the country of export. A certificate of origin can be used by the Customs or Tax Authority at the destination country to determine tariffs.
What is a EUR.1 Certificate?
The EUR1 Certificate is a Certificate of Origin of sorts. It is used for exporting goods from the EU to countries with which the EU has Free Trade Agreements. Depending on the agreement for certain goods, the importer has to pay lower import duties or even no import duties at all in the country of destination. This is called the preferential rate.
You do not have to use a EUR1 certificate, but you have to pay the full import duties without it, and you can’t benefit from preferential rates.
A EUR.1 Certificate can be requested at the Chamber of Commerce. After the EUR.1 is approved by the Chamber of Commerce, it needs to be authorized by the Customs Authority
You can find a full list of the EU Trade Agreements in place and under negotiation here.
How Can I Request a Certificate of Origin or EUR.1 Certificate?
Until April 5 2021, you could request a Certificate of Origin or a EUR.1 Certificate via regular mail, but that will no longer be possible. The Dutch Chamber of Commerce has digitalized the process, and both certificates can only be requested via a digital connection with the Chamber of Commerce.
While businesses can get the software needed to request these certificates, the process can be a lot more complicated than filling out some fields in a digital form.
When you request a Certificate of Origin or a EUR.1, you need to prove where the goods originated.
If You Produced the Goods Yourself
If you are the products’ producer, chances are you have all the access you need to any documents required to prove the origin. The origin requirements vary per country, so you need to make sure you know the destination country’s requirements.
In some cases, you need to be able to show the actual production cost of the goods. It can be challenging to get all the cost information you need.
Our highly trained and experienced specialists can help you determine the requirements and how you can meet them. They can also help you find alternative ways to prove origin if you can’t prove the origin for some of the parts you used (for example). If you are having trouble determining your goods’ actual production cost, they can assist with that as well.
If You Bought the Goods and Are Re-Selling Them
If you are not the producer of the goods but are re-selling them to a third party outside of the EU, you will still need to prove its origin. The simplest way to do this is to go back to the goods’ producer and request proof of origin from them. Unfortunately, producers don’t always honor these requests. They may want to sell their products to customers in the country you want to export to. There are many other reasons you may not be able to prove the origin from the source.
In cases like this, our specialists can work with you to find alternative ways of proving origin.
Save yourself the time and effort to find out the requirements for your destination of choice and how to meet them. Our specialists already know.
Why You Want to Get It Right the First Time
The most important thing is not to get your Certificate of Origin or EUR.1 Certificate issued by the Chamber of Commerce. The most important thing is making sure that you have met all the requirements set by the Customs Authority of the country you are shipping your goods to. You don’t want your shipment delayed or even refused, leaving your customer empty-handed.
Empowering Global Trade
Please keep in mind that if you want us to request Certificates of Origin and EUR.1 Certificates on your behalf, we will need your Power of Attorney.
Contact one of our specialists about any Certificates of Origin or EUR.1 Certificates you may need. They are always up to date on the latest requirements. Use their knowledge and experience to your advantage.
