‘Certificates of origin can only be issued by authorised agencies’

New Delhi: The Commerce Ministry on Tuesday said certificates of product origin, a key document to seek duty concessions under a free trade agreement, can only be issued by authorised agencies.

The document is important to claim duty concessions under free trade agreements (FTAs). it is essential to prove where the goods come from.

An exporter has to submit the certificate at the landing port of the importing country.

“Certificates of Origin can only be issued by agencies authorised for the purpose. Exporters are mandated to use identical invoice numbers in certificates of origin and shipping bills to enable automated utilisation verification,” the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification.

It also said authorised agencies for issuance of these certificates should accept and issue only

from the designated electronic platform as specified by the DGFT.

India has signed free trade agreements with number of countries including the UAE, Australia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

Under these pacts, two countries significantly reduce and eliminate import duties on maximum number of goods traded between them.