What is a Certificate of Origin (CO)?

 A CO is a formal, official document which evidences in which country a good or commodity was manufactured. The certificate of origin contains information regarding the product, its destination, and the country of export.

A CO is required for most treaty agreements for cross-border trade and have become more important since Brexit (no more single market alas).

Why is a CO important?

The CO is an important document because it determines whether certain goods are eligible for import, or whether goods are subject to duties.

CO – General

Customs officials expect the CO to be a separate document from other commercial documents such as invoices or packing lists. Officials may also expect it to be signed by the exporter, the signature notarised, and the document subsequently signed and stamped by a Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, the destination Customs authority may request proof of review from a specific Chamber of Commerce.

Some countries accept electronically issued COs which have been electronically signed by a Chamber of Commerce.

Types of CO

A CO can be either in paper or digital format and must be approved by the requisite Customs Authority.

There is no standard CO document for global trade, but a CO prepared by the exporter, has at least the basic details about the product being shipped.

Non-Preferential Cos

Non-preferential COs, also known as “ordinary COs” indicate that the goods do not qualify for reduced tariffs or tariff-free treatment under trade arrangements between countries. If an exporting country does not have in place a treaty or trade agreement with the importing country, an ordinary CO will be needed.

Preferential COs

This is for shipments between countries with a trade agreement or reduced tariffs and proves the goods qualify for reduced import duties.

Legalised CO

Some countries require additional information to demonstrate the authenticity of the information in the CO. A Legalised CO is an ordinary CO that has been further authenticated. The legalisation process usually involves the CO being validated by various appropriate authorities to give more evidence to its authenticity.

Certified CO

A Certified CO is similar to a n ordinary CO. However, it has been certified by a Chamber of Commerce, government agency or other relevant authority to confirm its authenticity.

Certification involves an in-depth review of all of the information declared on the CO, as well as a thorough side-by-side comparison with the requirements of the trade agreement and regulations of the country of import to ensure full compliance.

EUR1

A EUR1 certificate is used in trade between the UK and partner countries. It is used to confirm that goods originate in the EU or a partner country so that the importer can benefit from a reduced rate of import duty.

EUR1 certificates are issued by Chambers of Commerce or Customs offices.

Contents of a CO

A CO will typically contain the following information:

• name and contact information of the manufacturer of the goods
• country of origin
• contact information of the exporting agent
• contact information of the receiver/importing agent
• description of the goods, including the appropriate product codes
• quantity, size, and weight of goods
• A waybill or bill of lading number
• means of transport and route information
• commercial invoice of payment

* A waybill is a document issued by a carrier giving details and instructions relating to the shipment of a consignment of cargo. It shows the names of the consignor and consignee, the point of origin of the consignment, its destination, and route.

How do I find out if I need a CO?

A business will need to check with its local Chamber of Commerce.