in international trade where goods traverse borders and navigate across diverse regulations the certificate of origin co is a vital document it not only establishes a product s nationality for example a good may be marked made in the usa or made in china but also plays a crucial role in fostering fair trade practices protecting workers rights and promoting economic cooperation among nations 
cos verify that traders are following customs and tariff requirements help determine eligibility for preferential treatment under trade agreements and verify that goods aren t from a country subject to trade sanctions or restrictions or produce goods under unethical or exploitive conditions 12in the u s cos are now primarily electronic americans can obtain them from the american world trade chamber of commerce awtcc accredited by the international chamber of commerce icc to provide them below we explain what cos are why they are important and how they are obtained 3understanding certificates of origin cos cos are important tools for promoting transparency accountability and informed decision making in international commerce most cos in the u s are digital though paper versions are used more elsewhere these documents support fair labor practices protect workers rights and enable governments and intergovernmental bodies to enforce trade policies sanctions and embargoes by requiring exporters to declare the origin of their goods cos help identify products manufactured under unethical or exploitative conditions such as sweatshops or forced labor this transparency can support those wanting to take action based on ethical environmental and socioeconomic considerations for governments cos are essential in enforcing trade policies and upholding national security and foreign policy objectives customs officials rely on these electronic documents to identify and prevent the entry of prohibited goods from nations that engage in human rights abuses support terrorism or threaten international security they are also vital for implementing international treaties and agreements to protect the environment such as the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora 4 by mandating cos for certain products governments can better monitor and regulate the trade of endangered species combat illegal wildlife trafficking and promote the sustainable use of natural resources chambers of commerce designated government agencies or other authorized bodies in the exporting country issue cos they include essential information such as exporter and importer details a description of the goods the country of origin and a digital signature and verification from the issuing authority to obtain a co from the awtcc exporters can register in the awtcc s online certification system 3 they can submit their applications electronically any time of the day seven days a week and receive their certificates within the next business day the certificates issued by the awtcc display the icc accreditation logo and can be verified electronically by customs authorities worldwide 5exporters must ensure that their cos are accurate and follow the relevant international rules and guidelines failing to do so can lead to delays in shipping additional fees or the goods being turned away altogether 6sometimes the destination customs authority may request proof of review from a specific chamber of commerce chambers of commerce usually only certify verifiable information however if presented with a declaration attesting to commercial details that can t be checked the chamber will digitally stamp the document and attest to the position and identity of the signatory in addition the buyer may require a co in a letter of credit as part of the documentary requirements the letter of credit may specify additional certifications or language that must be included in the co for it to follow requirements 6the co process is increasingly paperless many countries offer an online co service allowing exporters to apply and obtain certificates online 72 this has made getting a co a lot quicker and easier with an electronic co you can submit the required documentation online get an electronic certificate stamped by a chamber of commerce in less than a day or get an expedited paper certificate overnight 8the icc issues the rules about cos and maintains a verification website for certificates which are widely used by customs authorities banks and other parties involved in international trade compliance 3types of certificates of originthere are no standard co forms in global trade but a co usually prepared by the exporter of goods has at least the essential details about the product being shipped a tariff code the exporter and importer and the country of origin the exporter with knowledge of the specific border control requirements at the importing country will document these details get the co notarized or electronically confirmed by a chamber of commerce and submit the form the details required depend on the type of goods being exported and where they are going the two main types of cos are nonpreferential and preferential 5nonpreferential cos also known as ordinary cos indicate that the goods do not qualify for reduced tariffs or tariff free treatment under trade arrangements between countries 39if an exporting country does not have a treaty or trade agreement with the importing country an ordinary co is used if a particular product being shipped has been excluded from tariff relief it also must be declared using an ordinary co preferential cos are for goods that qualify under a free trade agreement for reduced tariffs between countries 39 for example exports between the united states mexico and canada are exempt under the usmca free trade agreement they would be shipped with a preferential co 10 a commercial invoice or bill of lading is used in these and similar cases in the u s the generalized system of preferences gsp was enacted by congress in 1974 to promote economic development in developing nations and eliminate duties on thousands of products imported from over 100 countries given this status 11 countries like bolivia cambodia haiti namibia and pakistan are presently on the list as are many other developing countries 12 the eu and countries worldwide have their versions of a gsp to foster economic growth through trade with friendly nations free trade agreement certificates of originfree trade agreements between the u s and other countries often require exporters to use a specific form as proof of origin so products can qualify for preferential duty rates these forms can be found on the awtcc platform steps for obtaining a certificate of originthe icc has an online platform to assist in issuing and verifying electronic cos third parties too can be used to help with the process for the icc here are the steps accredited companies can create valid certificates on your behalf and get them certified by chambers of commerce all you need to do is provide them with all the relevant information and wait for the certificate 13certificates of origin will typically contain the following information 6