EU Repeals Certificate of Origin Requirement for Textiles and Apparel
(World Trade Interactive)
The European Union issued Oct. 4 a regulation that eliminates effective from Oct. 24 the current requirement to present a certificate of origin (or an invoice declaration of origin in certain cases) to be able to import most apparel and a range of textile products into the EU.
The regulation acknowledges that there is no reason to demand proof of origin when the products at hand can be imported into the EU without any constraints. The EU already has a comprehensive system to track the origin of imported merchandise, including a requirement to enter the country of origin in Box 34 of the single administrative document that importers have to complete for the release of goods for free circulation and an ex-post statistical surveillance system that monitors the impact of textile and apparel imports on the EU market.
However, companies doing business in the EU should keep in mind that textile and apparel products claiming preferential duty treatment still need to comply with all applicable certificate of origin and other documentary requirements to benefit from such preferential treatment.
Date: October 6, 2011
