Documentation
Certificate of Origin
A document certifying the country where goods were manufactured or obtained. May be required to claim preferential duty rates under free trade agreements.
In depth
Certificates of origin prove where goods were made or substantially transformed. They unlock preferential duty rates under FTAs (e.g. RCEP, CPTPP, EU trade agreements) when goods meet rules of origin. Chambers of commerce or authorised bodies often certify them.
Key points
- Preferential vs non-preferential certificates serve different purposes
- Rules of origin can require regional value content or tariff shift
- Must match HS codes and invoice description
- Digital CO schemes are expanding: check destination acceptance