Instructions regarding implementation of Rules of Origin under Free/Preferential Trade Agreements and the verification of referential Certificates of Origin

Rules of origin verification requires Certificates of Origin, custodian comparison of specimens, and Board referral for further checks.

Implementation of Rules of Origin mandates importers to claim preferential tariff and submit a Certificate of Origin, which may be verified for genuineness or accuracy including format, signatures/seals and origin criteria; specimen seals/signatures are circulated and an ICES repository is to be built. Each Custom House must designate a JC/ADC as custodian to verify specimens locally, otherwise refer to Director (ICD), CBEC. Other verification requests require Principal Commissioner/Commissioner approval and must be sent to the Board with legible COO, invoice and Bill of Lading plus Annex information; provisional release requires security under section 18.