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Preferential treatment for export goods – benefit from the EU’s trade agreements

Countries with which the EU has mutual free trade or other preferential tariff agreements, grant reduced or zero tariff rates on products originating in the EU. A proof of origin drawn up by the exporter lowers the costs of the buyer in the destination country.

In order to benefit from the savings made possible by the EU trade agreements, your company’s exports must meet three basic conditions:

  1. The export product is covered by one of the EU’s trade agreements. The newest EU trade agreements usually cover almost all industrial and agricultural products as well as foodstuffs.
  2. The product originates in the EU or in a contracting country. In other words, it is wholly obtained or sufficiently worked or processed either in the EU or in the contracting country.
  3. The product must be accompanied by a proof of origin.

Proceed in the following way:

1. Find out the export goods’ CN code and the destination country’s trade agreements

2. Find out if customs duty is levied on the goods in the destination country

3. Find out if the export product is an EU originating product under the agreement

4. Find out which proof of origin you need

5. Draw up a proof of origin and submit it to the destination country

6. Make exporting easier: apply for status as approved exporter or registered exporter

 *) Cumulation of origin means that the manufacturer in the EU (Finland) may under certain conditions use raw materials originating in a contracting country when manufacturing products despite not meeting the conditions of sufficiently worked or processed products, and the final product may still be considered as originating in the EU (Finland).