Changes to Documentation from 1st January 2021

4th January 2021

The UK left the European Customs Union and Single Market on 1st January 2021. Changes in regards to Certificates of Origin and Preferential Trade certificates were introduced on this date.

The 11^th hour trade agreement signed between the UK and the EU27 has created further changes.  Do you understand these changes?

Changes include:

EC Certificates of Origin

SITC will cease to use the EC certificates at midnight on 31st December 2020, however we do have stocks of the new UK Certificates of Origin, which will be used from 1st January 2021. We will not be able to issue EC certificates from midnight 31st December 2020. Those companies who have stocks of blank EC certificates for express applications will need to return these to us as soon as possible. We will replace these with the equivalent number of the new UK Certificates of Origin’s.  Please ensure you have listed Certificate of Origin numbers on a separate sheet, so we can cross reference with our records.

EUR1’s

Similar to Certificates of Origin, we will not be able to use EC EUR1’s from 31st December 2020.  We do have stocks of the new UK EUR1’s.  Those companies who have stocks of blank EC EUR1 certificates for express applications will need to return them to us as soon as possible. We will replace these with the equivalent number of the new UK EUR1’s. Please ensure you have listed the certificate numbers on a separate sheet so we can cross reference with our records.

ATR

ATR documentation will no longer be used. The new UK -EU trade agreement has automatically created a trade agreement between the UK and Turkey.

UK Certificates of Origin’s will be processed if your customer requests this documentation. Otherwise, self-certification of origin on your commercial invoice will suffice.

Please ensure that you return any unused ATR certificates to our office in early January.

Rules of Origin

Full and Diagonal cumulation of origin will no longer apply as this is not within the EU-UK FTA.  However Bilateral Cumulation is allowed. We expect EU countries receiving goods that have been shipped from the UK will be scrutinising the origin of the goods.  Please ensure the back-up information and proof of origin is accompanying each application shipment from UK to the EU in case of request from UK or EU customs Authorities.

We have now designed a useful ‘Origin Calculator’ that can be used to assess the Net Cost Value and the Transaction Value cost of the goods to prove the 60/40% rule of origin has been met.

For more information, or to speak to a member of the International Trade team, call 0114 201 8888 or email international@scci.org.uk.