A new trade deal between the United States, Mexico and Canada took effect on Wednesday. The USMCA replaces NAFTA, and with it comes a few changes of note for food and agricultural products.
An email from the Colorado Department of Agriculture, which is copied below, may be of interest for distillers doing business in Canada and Mexico
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As you may or may not know the USMCA (new NAFTA) came into effect on July 1.
With it came a few changes and the most notable for food and ag products is going to be the new process for the Certificate of Origin.
Please try not to panic, it should in theory be easier than before. They have done away with the NAFTA Certificate of Origin form.
General idea is now you are able to use your own form/invoice as long as it covers the necessary information required by Annex 5-A.
Again, don’t worry, we have broken it down for you and this is what we suggest.
To begin, use this easy form that World Trade Center Denver has created, attached.
NOTE: this is an optional form if you already have all this information somewhere else, that is ok too BUT do make sure it includes everything in this form somehow.
As mentioned, there is NO need for special format and certification of origin can be done in the invoice or any other commercial document or use one of the forms attached. The information that this “certification” MUST have is: (as per Annex 5-a)
1. Indicate who certifies (certifier): producer, importer or exporter
2. Certifier: Name, title, address (including country), telephone number and email
3. Exporter: Name, address (including country), telephone number and email (in case it is different from the certifier, and it is not mandatory if the producer has completed the certification of origin).
4. Producer: Name, address (including country), telephone number and email (if different from the certifier. If there are multiple producers or if you do not know it, you can put “several” or “available at the request of the importing authorities”).
5. Importer: Name, address, telephone number and email.
6. Merchandise: Detailed description and 6-digit tariff fraction. The originating merchandise must be described in sufficient detail to allow its identification
7. Origin Criterion: A (Entirely obtained), B (Tariff Change), C (entirely originating), or Di, Dii, Diii (Parts, regional assembly, value content)
8. Period: for a specified term of up to 12 months.
9. Signature: it must be signed and dated by the certifier and be accompanied by the following declaration:“I certify that the goods described in this document qualify as originating and that the information contained in this document is true and exact. I assume the responsibility of verifying what has been declared here and I promise to keep and present, if required, or to make available during a verification visit, the necessary documentation that supports this certification ”.