15 Jun
Whether the goods you export from Australia to other countries originate in Australia or not can make a significant difference. Depending on the goods’ origination, there could be variations in:
- How the Customs treats the goods at the destination port
- Issuing of the Letter of Credit
- Tariff rates and so on
However, many exporters often confuse the right kind of document they must prepare to prove the origination of their goods. Here’s a small guide to help you.
Certificate of Origin
Firstly, a certificate of Australian origin is what you would require if your goods originate in Australia. This piece of document would allow your goods to enjoy preferential tariff rates in the importing markets as per the rules set in the Free Trade Agreements. Some examples include:
- KAFTA (while importing from Australia to Korea)
- JAEPA (for export to Japan)
- ChAFTA (for goods exported to China) and so on
A Chamber of Commerce in your region or state has the authorization to stamp a certificate of origin.
Certified Declaration of Origin
Alternatively, a certified declaration of origin is the correct document if the goods being exported didn’t originate in Australia. For example, the goods imported to Australia from China and re-exported to Korea may require this piece of document. To be precise, you may need to produce this document only if the destination country demands. Similar to the certificate of origin, you can approach a Chamber of Commerce to verify and stamp it.
In case your consignment consists of both types of goods (those originating in Australia as well as those being re-exported), a certified declaration of origin is what you may need.
Declaration of Origin
Finally, an exporter can prepare a declaration of origin for specific goods designated under certain advance rulings under different FTAs. In this case, there is no need to approach a Chamber of Commerce or any other authority to certify the document.
In any case, the document specifying the origin of goods must be accurate and as per the requirements of the applicable FTA. The failure to achieve this can cause consequences.
