Certificate of Origin is a certificate that proves the country/region of origin of specific imported and exported goods. It proves that a batch of goods originated in a certain country or region, or was manufactured in a certain country or region. Its main function is to apply for tariff reductions and exemptions from the importing country (the main purpose of the preferential certificate of origin) and to facilitate the importing country to implement specific trade controls (the main purpose of the non-preferential certificate of origin).
for example:
China and Pakistan have signed the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement. As long as the products exported from China to Pakistan comply with the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement Rules of Origin, our exporters can apply for the China-Pakistan Free Trade Area Preferential Origin. Certificate of Origin China-Pakistan FTA (Form P), Pakistani importers can enjoy Certain tariff reductions and other preferential treatment.
Another example:
The United States has imposed economic, military and other sanctions on Iran. Specific products originating in or manufactured in Iran cannot be imported into the United States or are subject to strict restrictions.
The certificates of origin issued by China for export goods are mainly divided into three categories:
1) Non-preferential certificate of origin
2) Preferential certificate of origin
3) Special certificate of origin
Notice:
The institutions authorized by the state to issue certificates of origin are the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). Other institutions have no authority to issue certificates of origin.
The Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau can issue all types of certificates of origin – mainly issuing various preferential certificates of origin; the Council for the Promotion of International Trade mainly issues non-preferential general certificates of origin.
If the foreign party has no special requirements, it can be issued by the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau or the Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
2. What is the purpose of the certificate of origin?
In international trade, the certificate of origin plays a very important role. Sometimes, it is impossible to clear customs without a certificate of origin. It is an important document for customs to collect tariffs. Preferential certificates of origin can enjoy specific tariff reductions and exemptions.
The main functions of the certificate of origin issued by the exporting country on the importing country are:
1) The main basis for determining tax rate treatment (whether to grant specific preferential treatment)
2) An important basis for trade statistics (statistics on the country/region of origin of imported goods)
3) The basis for implementing import quantity control, anti-dumping, countervailing and other foreign trade control measures (determine which foreign trade control measures are applicable based on the place of origin)
4) Control the import of goods from specific countries and determine the basis for release or disapproval (specific control based on the “nationality” status of the goods)
5) The basis for proving the inherent quality of the goods or the settlement of exchange (for example, Tokaj wine represents a certain recognized specific quality)
Different types of certificates of origin have different requirements.
for example:
The certification requirements for the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area Certificate of Origin (FORM E Certificate) are:
1) The header of customs clearance documents such as packing lists, invoices and bills of lading must be consistent with the header of the FORM E certificate. The header of the FORM E certificate is the first column: 1. Goods consigned from (exporter’s business name, address, country)
2) When applying for the issuance of a FORM E certificate, these documents must be provided – a copy of the original bill of lading, a copy of the export declaration, packing list and invoice.
3. What are the three categories of certificates of origin?
my country’s certificates of origin are mainly divided into three categories – non-preferential certificates of origin, preferential certificates of origin and special certificates of origin.
1) Non-preferential certificate of origin
Commonly known as general certificate of origin or ordinary certificate of origin, the English name is Certificate of origin, abbreviated as C/O or CO. Those who issue such certificates usually export to countries in the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, Central and South America, etc.
2) Preferential Certificate of Origin
Preferential certificates of origin include the GSP treatment granted to my country by most developed countries (FORM A certificate), as well as bilateral or variable preferential trade agreements signed between China and some countries or regions (FORM B certificate, FORM E certificate, FORM F certificate, FORM P certificate, FORM N certificate, FORM X certificate, etc.). Preferential certificates of origin are generally issued by local entry-exit inspection and quarantine agencies.
3) Special certificate of origin
The special certificate of origin is a certificate of origin that is specially designed for special products in some special industries, such as agricultural products, wine, tobacco, cheese products, rough diamonds, etc., and is generated according to the special needs of import and export supervision. Special products in these special industries should comply with certain rules of origin before they can be legally imported and exported.
The basis for visas for special certificates of origin is bilateral or multilateral agreements signed between the Chinese government and foreign governments.
Special certificates of origin mainly include:
“Certificate of Origin for Agricultural Products Exported to the EU”, “Tobacco Authenticity Certificate”, “Kimberley Process International Certificate”, “Certificate of Origin for Handmade Products”, “Certificate of Origin Marking”, etc., as well as various origin naming certificates such as “Cheese Products” Certificate”, “Tokaj Wine Certificate of Origin”, “Emperor Brand Wine Authenticity Certificate”…
4. What is a preferential certificate of origin?
Preferential certificates of origin are mainly used to enjoy preferential treatment such as tariff reductions and exemptions from the importing country.
Preferential certificates of origin can be divided into unilateral preferential GSP certificates of origin (FORM A, 39 developed countries, except the United States) and reciprocal regional preferential certificates of origin (such as FORM B, FORM E, FORM P, etc.) .
Preferential certificates of origin are generally issued by entry-exit inspection and quarantine agencies in various places.
5. What are the types of preferential certificates of origin?
1) Generalized System of Preferences Certificate of Origin (FORM A)
The certificate of origin issued in accordance with the rules of origin and relevant requirements of the GSP beneficiary country is the FORM A certificate. The FORM A certificate is issued when goods from the beneficiary country (mainly developing countries) are exported to the beneficiary country (mainly developed countries). Certificate of origin to enjoy preferential tariff treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences. The goods listed on the FORM A certificate are eligible for tariff reductions only if they comply with the GSP rules of origin of the corresponding favor-giving country.
There are 39 countries that grant China GSP treatment:
United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, Ireland, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Cyprus, Malta, There are 39 countries in total including Bulgaria, Romania, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Turkey.
The United States is weird and has never given China GSP treatment.
What is the Generalized System of Preferences?
The GSP, also known as the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), is a tariff system that refers to a universal, non-standard tariff granted by industrialized countries to manufactured or semi-manufactured products exported by developing countries or regions. A discriminatory and non-reciprocal (obviously different from reciprocal and non-universal certificates of origin such as FORM B, FORM E, FORM F, FORM P, etc.) tariff preference system aimed at increasing export earnings of developing countries, promoting industrialization, and accelerating economic growth wait.
2) “Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement” Certificate of Origin (FORM B)
It is an official certificate of origin issued in accordance with the requirements of the rules of origin of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement and enjoys reciprocal tariff reduction and exemption treatment for specific products among the member countries that signed the agreement (different from the non-reciprocal FORM A certificate).
Countries that can issue FORM B certificates are: China, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Laos and South Korea (member states of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement).
3) China-ASEAN Free Trade Area Certificate of Origin (FORM E)
It is an official certificate of origin issued in accordance with the “Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations” and enjoys reciprocal tariff reduction and exemption treatment for specific products between the member countries that signed the agreement.
The countries that can issue FORM E certificates are: China, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore (ASEAN member states).
4) China-Pakistan Free Trade Zone Certificate of Origin (FORM P)
It is an official origin that enjoys reciprocal tariff reductions and exemptions for specific products between China and Pakistan issued in accordance with the “China-Pakistan Agreement on the Early Harvest Plan of the Free Trade Agreement” and its “China-Pakistan Free Trade Area Rules of Origin” certified documents.
5) China-Chile Free Trade Zone Certificate of Origin (FORM F)
It is an official certificate of origin issued in accordance with the “China-Chile Free Trade Agreement” and the “China-Chile Free Trade Zone Rules of Origin” under which it enjoys reciprocal tariff reductions and exemptions for specific products between China and Chile.
6) China-New Zealand Free Trade Area Certificate of Origin (FORM N)
It is an official certificate of origin issued in accordance with the “China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement” and the “Administrative Measures for the Origin of Imported and Exported Goods under the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement” to enjoy reciprocal tariff reductions and exemptions for specific products between China and New Zealand.
7) China-Singapore Free Trade Zone Preferential Certificate of Origin (FORM X)
It is an official certificate of origin issued in accordance with the “China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement” and the “Administrative Measures for the Origin of Imported and Exported Goods under the China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement” to enjoy reciprocal tariff reductions and exemptions for specific products between China and Singapore.
8) China-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement Certificate of Origin (FORM S)
It is an official certificate of origin issued in accordance with the requirements of the China-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement and its related regulations to enjoy reciprocal tariff reductions and exemptions for specific products between China and Switzerland.
9) China-Peru Free Trade Zone Preferential Certificate of Origin (China-Peru FTA Certificate)
It is an official certificate of origin issued in accordance with the “China-Peru Free Trade Agreement” and its “China-Peru Free Trade Zone Rules of Origin” to enjoy reciprocal tariff reductions and exemptions for specific products between China and Peru.
10) China-Costa Rica Free Trade Zone Preferential Certificate of Origin (FORM L)
It is an official certificate of origin issued in accordance with the “China-Costa Rica Free Trade Agreement” and its “China-Costa Rica Free Trade Zone Rules of Origin” to enjoy reciprocal tariff reductions and exemptions for specific products between China and Costa Rica.
11) China-Korea Free Trade Agreement Certificate of Origin (FORM K)
The FORM K certificate is issued in accordance with the “China-Korea Free Trade Agreement” and its “China-Korea Free Trade Agreement Rules of Origin and Origin Implementation Procedures” and enjoys reciprocal tariff reductions and exemptions for specific products between China and South Korea. Official document proving origin. South Korea can issue either the China-Korea Free Trade Area FROM K certificate or the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement FORM B certificate.
Notice:
Different types of certificates of origin have different requirements for issuance. Different preferential certificates of origin may have special requirements. If you do not meet the requirements, you will not be able to enjoy tariff reductions and exemptions, etc., so you must pay attention to it. For details, please consult the agent who issued the certificate of origin. people.
6. What is a non-preferential certificate of origin?
Non-preferential certificate of origin is commonly known as general certificate of origin or ordinary certificate of origin. The English name is Certificate of origin, abbreviated as C/O or CO.
This type of certificate of origin is generally issued by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (referred to as the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade). The basis for the visa is “China’s Regulations on Certificate of Origin for Imported and Exported Goods” and “Regulations on Substantial Change Standards in Non-Preferential Rules of Origin”.
The full English name of the Council for the Promotion of International Trade is China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, or CCPIT for short.
Most developing countries (except those that have signed a free trade agreement with China), such as most countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Central and South America, need this kind of general certificate of origin issued by the Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
Special note: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, etc. also require that the general certificate of origin (issued by the Council for the Promotion of International Trade) must be stamped with the “China Chamber of Commerce Seal”. Since the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade is the China Chamber of Commerce, the “China Chamber of Commerce Seal” stamped on it is “CHINA CONUCIL FOR THE PROMOTION OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE IS CHINA CHAMBER OF INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE”, which means “China Council for the Promotion of International Trade is the China Chamber of Commerce”.
7. What is the difference between non-preferential and preferential certificates of origin?
According to whether you can enjoy specific tariff reduction and exemption benefits, it can be divided into preferential certificates of origin and non-preferential certificates of origin.
1) The preferential certificate of origin is mainly used to enjoy preferential treatment such as tariff reduction and exemption in the importing country.
2) Non-preferential certificates of origin do not have preferential treatment such as tariff reductions and exemptions. The main uses of non-preferential certificates of origin (general certificates of origin) are the basis for imposing tariffs, trade statistics, safeguard measures, discriminatory quantity restrictions, anti-dumping, countervailing, In terms of government procurement and other aspects, my country mainly issues non-preferential certificates of origin for most developing countries.
3) Preferential certificates of origin are divided into Generalized System of Preferences certificates of origin (FORM A, facing 39 developed countries, except the United States) and regional preferential certificates of origin (such as FORM B, FORM E, FORM P, etc.).
In short, the main difference between non-preferential certificates of origin and preferential certificates of origin is whether they can enjoy tariff reductions and exemptions. The main purposes of non-preferential certificates of origin and preferential certificates of origin are different.
The full name of commodity inspection is commodity inspection, which means that the commodity inspection agency issues a document to prove the quality and quantity of the goods after inspection. Buyers can know whether the quality of the goods is consistent with their needs by relying on the commodity inspection document issued.
The CO certificate of origin is what we call the general certificate of origin. It is a certification document used to prove the export goods and manufacturing place. It is the “origin” certificate of the goods in international trade. In certain circumstances, the importing country will treat the goods accordingly. Imported goods are given different tariff treatment.
Generally, certificates of origin can be divided into two types, one is issued by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (referred to as CCPIT), and the other is issued by the National Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Agency (referred to as CIQ). Among them, CCPIT is an organization that can represent the China Chamber of International Commerce. Therefore, when foreign importers require the exporter to issue a CO issued by the China Chamber of Commerce, they can go to the Council for the Promotion of International Trade to stamp “CCPIT represents the China Chamber of Commerce”.
Preparation:
(1)Submit the original and a copy of the company’s business license.
(2) Submit the original and a copy of the “Foreign Trade Operator Registration Form”, or the original and a copy of the “Foreign-Invested Enterprise Approval Certificate”, or the original and a copy of the “Import and Export Enterprise Qualification Certificate”.
(3) Submit the original and a copy of the enterprise’s customs registration certificate.
(4) A copy of the “General Certificate of Origin Registration Form”.
Process:
(1) Submit an application for certificate of origin in the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade certificate of origin declaration system
Unregistered units must first apply for registration according to the registration procedures. Applicant units that have registered with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade should submit an application for a certificate of origin in the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Certificate of Origin Application System.
(2) Review
In accordance with the rules, regulations and relevant provisions of the People’s Republic of China, the visa agency will review the relevant data of the certificate of origin submitted by the applicant through the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Certificate of Origin Application System. The certificate can be issued only after passing the review. After review, if the goods containing imported components do not meet the standards of the country of origin, you should apply for a “Processing and Assembly Certificate” or “Re-export Certificate”.
(3) Issuance
After passing the review, the applicant should go to the visa agency to collect the paper certificate with the commercial invoice, packing list, blank certificate of origin stamped and signed in column 11, and other documents required by the visa agency. After the visa agency verifies that the documents submitted by the applicant are correct, it will stamp the “Special Seal for Document Certification of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade” uniformly engraved by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade on the twelfth column of the certificate of origin, and it will be signed by the authorized visa officer; the visa agency Only one original certificate of origin and three copies will be issued, of which one original and two copies shall be handed over to the applicant. Another copy, commercial invoice and other relevant documents shall be archived by the visa agency.
(4) Change, supplement and re-issuance of certificate of origin
If the applicant requires to change or supplement the content of the issued certificate of origin, it must state the reasons for the change and provide the basis. After being reviewed by the visa agency and meeting the requirements, it will re-go through the application procedures, withdraw the original certificate of origin, and issue a new certificate; if it has been issued If the certificate of origin is lost or damaged, within six months from the date of issuance, the applicant must explain the reasons and provide solid basis to the visa agency, and re-apply after being reviewed and approved by the visa agency. The visa agency will add “Certificate No. Dated is cancelled” in English in the fifth column of the new visa certificate. The dates in the eleventh and twelfth columns of the certificate should be the actual application date and issuance date of the reissued certificate.
1. How to apply for FORM E certificate of origin?
There are many countries involved in the FORM E certificate of origin, and the customs clearance requirements of each country are not consistent, so I will explain it in detail here. You can read it patiently. The FORM E certificate of origin is jointly issued by the two departments of the Council for the Promotion of International Trade/General Administration of Customs. You You can handle it yourself or find our foreign trade documents service company.
However, many customers are not very willing to accept the FORM E certificate of origin issued by the certificate of origin agency. They require their own company’s certificate of origin. Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia have three countries that have this requirement. Other countries can still accept the FORM issued by the agency. E certificate of origin.
If your foreign customers can accept the FORM E certificate of origin issued by a certificate of origin agency, they can directly handle it with our foreign trade document service provider. This saves you worry and effort and eliminates the cumbersome business registration, product registration, seal registration, etc. process. The FORM E certificate of origin can be issued in 1-2 working days.
If your foreign customers do not accept the certificate of origin agency to issue the FORM E certificate of origin, you can apply for the FORM E certificate of origin yourself. To apply for the certificate of origin yourself, you need to register a single window account, enterprise registration, product pre-examination registration, seal registration, and claimant Registration, etc.; and if your export products require product pre-review and registration, the foreign trade company cannot carry out product pre-review and registration, so the manufacturer must cooperate with the product pre-review and registration. In fact, many goods manufacturers do not have a single window account Even after hearing about the registration, I was afraid of the impact on the company and refused to cooperate with the work. In fact, the product pre-review and registration for the certificate of origin has no impact on the manufacturer. If the manufacturer does not know how to do the product pre-review and registration, you can find us at Foreign Trade The document service provider will assist in solving the problem;
A reminder: When applying for a FORM E certificate of origin, not all issuing customs require product pre-examination and filing. However, most areas will still conduct product pre-examination and filing before applying for a FORM E certificate of origin, such as: Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chongqing, etc. The local customs can directly apply for a FORM E certificate of origin without product pre-examination and filing.