Origin
Other origin certificate instead of EUR.1 under PEM: technical defect or fatal flaw?
Omer Wagner03 Sep 2026
Other origin certificate instead of EUR.1 under PEM: technical defect or fatal flaw?
Even when a certificate definitively states the product’s origin, it may not secure preferential treatment if it was not issued in the required form. Importers can then face a substantial retrospective customs debt, even after the goods have been released and sold. This occurred in the context of preferential trade...
Origin
Country update
Steel imports from 1 October 2026: no evidence of the country of 'melt and pour', no release
Editorial Board01 Sep 2026
Steel imports from 1 October 2026: no evidence of the country of 'melt and pour', no release
From 1 October 2026, imports of the steel products covered by the new EU Steel Regulation must be accompanied by evidence of the country in which the steel was melted and poured. This is not a condition for a tariff quota or a preference. It is a condition for the...
Origin
News in focus
UCC change for US imports: proof of origin now includes direct transportEditorial Board26 Jul 2026
UCC change for US imports: proof of origin now includes direct transport
Since 1 July 2026, most industrial goods originating in the United States enter the EU duty-free, and a range of US agricultural and seafood products benefit from tariff quotas. Importers might assume that proving US origin is the whole job - it is not. A new provision of the UCC...
Origin
News in focus
India-UK CETA and its rules of origin: a new chapter in India’s preferential trade architecture
Bhupender Singh12 Jul 2026
India-UK CETA and its rules of origin: a new chapter in India’s preferential trade architecture
Editorial note: With the EU-India FTA near conclusion and the UK-India CETA entering into force on 15 July 2026, exporters to India face a market that is liberalising at the border while tightening on origin. Using the newly notified UK-India rules of origin as a working template for how India...
Origin
Trade policy
Country update
Rules of origin under free trade agreements: compliance vs usability
Rules of origin under free trade agreements: compliance vs usability
21 Jun 2026
According to the European Commission’s report, trade agreements have strengthened the EU’s global competitiveness, improved EU companies’ access to third-country markets, and supported exports in key sectors. However, their full potential is not yet realised, as EU FTAs remain underutilised in practice. Low preference utilisation is often associated with complex...
Origin
Perspective
Understanding the EU–Mercosur Agreement: a practical guide for businesses
Marc Bauer02 Jun 2026
Understanding the EU–Mercosur Agreement: a practical guide for businesses
The EU–Mercosur Agreement opens new opportunities for businesses trading between the EU and South America. However, benefiting from preferential tariffs requires more than simply knowing that an agreement exists. Companies must understand how the rules of origin work, how preferential origin should be proven, and how tariff reductions are calculated...
Origin
Trade policy
Topic spotlight
EU-UK TCA: when the rules of origin rule nothing out
Enrika Naujokė31 May 2026
EU-UK TCA: when the rules of origin rule nothing out
A ruling by the Lithuanian Supreme Administrative Court has brought to a close a dispute that passed through three instances: whether worn clothing imported from the United Kingdom is entitled to a zero-rate duty under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The answer is no. However, the questions that remain...
Origin
Case law
FTAs vs GSP: understanding key differences and practical implications for companies
Annette Reiser23 Apr 2026
FTAs vs GSP: understanding key differences and practical implications for companies
This article explores the practical differences between free trade agreements (FTAs) and the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) scheme. As they operate in fundamentally different ways, they also influence internal company processes differently. It explains why origin information relevant to the GSP may still be included in suppliers’ declarations and...
Origin
Topic spotlight
Steel and rules of origin: new US-EU developments 
Antonio Castagnini21 Oct 2025
Steel and rules of origin: new US-EU developments
In recent months, the steel sector has once again come under the spotlight of international regulatory scrutiny. Legislative measures are proliferating, aimed at strengthening controls over the origin of materials and preventing duty circumvention practices. Among these, the US Section 232 regulation is particularly notable, as it extends declaration requirements...
Origin
Topic spotlight
Non-preferential origin: theory and practice
Non-preferential origin: theory and practice
20 Jul 2025
The increasing number of US tariffs, sanctions and sustainability-related regulations has made the issue of non-preferential origin critical in today's global trade. This shift is raising numerous questions. What are the consequences of the lack of harmonised origin rules? Are the processes used to determine the origin of imports and...
Origin
Topic spotlight
Origin – two examples where the customs definition does not apply
Michael Lux06 Jul 2025
Origin – two examples where the customs definition does not apply
The concept of “origin” plays a central role not only in customs legislation but increasingly across various EU regulatory frameworks. This article explores the difference on how origin is defined and applied under the Union Customs Code (UCC) and certain sustainability regulations. Please note that the following is – for...
Origin
Topic spotlight
New US tariffs and origin of goods
Mark Rowbotham06 Apr 2025
New US tariffs and origin of goods
All products originating in the UK are now subject to a baseline US tariff of 10%. Compare this with the tariffs levied against the EU (20%) and China (54%) and it can be seen that the origin of products exported to the US is crucial. The condition is that UK...
Origin
Trade policy
Topic spotlight
Implications of the latest Harley-Davidson ruling
Anna Jerzewska02 Feb 2025
Implications of the latest Harley-Davidson ruling
It is no secret that non-preferential origin can actually be more difficult to determine than preferential origin. The importance of non-preferential origin, in the age of new trade wars and border-applied sustainability policies is increasing. For that reason, the recent judgement by the Court of Justice of the European Union...
Origin
Case law
Should the UK rejoin PEM?Anna Jerzewska12 Jan 2025
Should the UK rejoin PEM?
Whenever the topic of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) review comes up, the Pan-European Mediterranean (PEM) origin cumulation zone is one of the topics mentioned as potentially in scope. Recently, several reports and organizations have included rejoining PEM as one of the recommendations for the new Government. Rejoining PEM...
Origin
Country update
From textiles to motor vehicles: a sectoral study of rules of origin complexity
Guillaume Gerout29 Dec 2024
From textiles to motor vehicles: a sectoral study of rules of origin complexity
In their recent report, the World Customs Organization (WCO) proposed a new methodology for classifying and comparing product-specific rules of origin between agreements. This new conceptual tool: the "drafting complexity index" (DCI) was used to provide insights into rules for automotive and textile sectors.
Origin
Topic spotlight
ICC Genesis: a new approach to origin certification?
Bert Van Leeuwen20 Aug 2024
ICC Genesis: a new approach to origin certification?
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has recently, after several pilots (amongst others in the Netherlands), launched an online tool for the verification of preferential origin statements. The tool is named Genesis, after the ancient Greek word for origin, which is also the name of the first book of the...
Origin
Perspective