Certificate of origin

Demonstrate the correct origin of goods

When you export to a country outside of the European Union (EU), a Certificate of Origin will usually be requested in the country of import outside of the EU. A Certificate of Origin is a document that shows the product’s origin. In other words, the country in which a product is manufactured, produced or grown. Based on a Certificate of Origin, the country of import will decide whether a product may or may not be imported and whether it is eligible for the Most-Favoured Nation (MFN) import tariff. If you plan to export to a country outside of the EU, we can easily arrange the export declaration and request a Certificate of Origin on your behalf.

Can you get a higher reduction or exemption from import duties?

The EU may possibly have reached a trade agreement with the country that your goods are going to. A higher reduction of or exemption from import duties will then often apply with an EUR.1 certificate or EUR-MED. You then no longer require a Certificate of Origin. Conversely, a Certificate of Origin does not replace an EUR.1 certificate. Would you like to know what applies in your situation? If so, contact Gaston Schul and we will be happy to advise you.

Difference between provenance and origin

The words ‘provenance’ and ‘origin’ of goods are often used interchangeably. Nevertheless, they have different meanings. Particularly in the world of customs matters. ‘Provenance’ relates to the customs status of the goods. Are they Union goods (goods that are produced in the EU, or that have already been imported from a non-EU country) or non-Union goods (goods from non-EU countries)? ‘Origin’ refers to where a product is manufactured, produced or grown.

It is nowadays frequently the case that a product has not been produced in full in a specific country. Fortunately, rules are in place that determine what requirements goods have to meet and what records are needed to determine proof of preferential origin. The customs advisors at Gaston Schul will be happy to support you in collecting the required proof. To ensure there are no unpleasant surprises, a Binding Origin Information (BOI) decision can be requested; this BOI is then valid throughout the whole of the European Union (EU).