Reduced duties in some markets.
WHAT THEY ARE
Arrangements between countries reducing or removing duties on qualifying goods.
WHY THEY MATTER
They can make exports competitive that otherwise would not be.
WHAT REGIONAL ARRANGEMENTS EXIST
Agreements covering trade within the region and continent.
WHAT SCHEMES SOME DEVELOPED MARKETS OFFER
Preferential access for goods from certain countries.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Whether your product and your country qualify for anything.
WHAT QUALIFICATION USUALLY DEPENDS ON
Rules of origin.
WHAT RULES OF ORIGIN ARE
Requirements about where and how the goods were produced.
WHY THEY EXIST
To prevent goods merely passing through a country claiming its preferences.
WHAT THEY TYPICALLY REQUIRE
Production wholly in the country, or Sufficient transformation there, or A minimum proportion of local content
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Which rule applies to your product.
WHAT EVIDENCE IS REQUIRED
A certificate of origin, and supporting records.
WHAT RECORDS TO KEEP
Where inputs came from What processing occurred Costs supporting any local content calculation
WHY
Claims are audited, and unsupported claims produce penalties.
WHAT TO DO
Establish the position before claiming anything.
WHERE TO CHECK
The export promotion body and the destination's customs authority.
WHAT TO VERIFY
Current arrangements, which change.
