Certificates of origin

Certificates of origin (CO) verify a product’s country of origin and state where the product was manufactured, produced or processed, though this can become more complicated when raw materials come from one country and a product is then manufactured in another.

There are two kinds of CO: non-preferential and preferential.

In essence, they provide evidence of the nationality of the product and will satisfy the Customs authorities who normally require a certificate of origin as part of the clearance process for importing goods. They are required by countries that apply tariffs to goods from certain countries or that have import quotas. For countries that share trade agreements, they will provide the evidence required for reduced tariffs. There are thus two kinds of CO: non-preferential and preferential.