Duty-free status or lower duties when exporting to other countries

In order to receive this, the following requirements must be met:

• the item must be within the scope of a free trade agreement
• you must complete a proof of origin

Is the item covered by a free trade agreement?

In all agreements, there are requirements that must be met for the item to obtain originating status. The requirements vary depending on the type of goods in question. You can find out what kinds of requirement apply to your item from the rules of origin in the free trade agreements. In many cases, you can adjust the production process so that it fulfills these requirements.

The rules of origin set the criteria for the items nationality and the advantages and obligations for you resulting from the items origin. They are included with the individual free trade agreements in the form of protocols or annexes.

Proof of origin

There are several types of proofs of origin. The most commonly used are Movement Certificate EUR.1 and Origin Declarations. As an exporter, you are responsible for ensuring that a proof of origin has been issued and that it accompanies the item when it is exported.