EIA Registration & Certificate SAPTA/SAFTA/AIFTA/APTA/ISFTA/KCEPA

Introduction

The certificate of origin can be a statement added to the commercial invoice supporting the listing of the country of origin by line item. Alternatively, it could be a separate letter or form incorporating a statement indicating that the country of origin is as stated on the commercial invoice, certifying that the document is true and correct, and then signing it by the employee of the exporter.

While exporting exporter needs to submit a certificate of origin at the landing port of the importing country, these documents is important to claim duty concessions under free trade agreements (FTA). This certificate is essential to prove from where goods are coming from, where the goods originated.

A Trade Agreement is a contractual arrangement between countries regarding their trading relations and the manner in which they trade with each other.

Trade contracts can be bilateral or multilateral and could take the form of

• Regional Trade Agreement (RTA), a mutual trade agreement between or between two or more countries
• A Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to offer preferential tariffs to developing-country imports
• The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is an arrangement whereby participating countries agree to eliminate trade barriers (importation quotas and tariffs) and to increase trade between goods and services.

Customs departments in the importing country may require a "proof of origin" to decide whether or not the imported cargo will be subject to trade measures such as preferential duty tariffs (for products imported from the PTA bloc), free trade agreements, banned products, etc.

Under the concept of WCO (World Customs Organization), a "proof of origin" is a document or declaration (either in paper or electronic format) which serves as prima facie proof of the origin of the products.

For two types of Certificate of Origin an exporter may apply:

Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin certifies that no preferential treatment is available for the country of origin of the products. This is the most common type of Certificate of Origin issued by a Chamber of Commerce and is appropriately called an "Ordinary Certificate of Origin.".

Preferential Certificate of Origin certifies that, when shipped to countries extending these benefits, products are subject to reduced tariffs or exemptions. This Certificate of Origin can be necessary to satisfy Letters of Credit, international customs requirements, or the request of a purchaser.

It claimed that the export certificate from India to Chile under a preferential trade agreement (PTA), exports to Nepal under SAFTA and SAPTA and shipments to Korea under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between India and Korea are already being applied and issued via this online platform.

Trade agreements

AIFTA

The Agreement between ASEAN and India on Trade in Services was signed in November 2014. This provides provisions relating to transparency, domestic regulations, recognition, market access, national treatment and dispute resolution. In November 2014 also the ASEAN-India Investment Agreement was signed. The investment agreement provides for investment rights to guarantee equal and equitable treatment for creditors, non-discriminatory treatment in expropriation or nationalization, and fair compensation.

SAPTA

In April 1993, the SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) which envisages the establishment of a Preferential Trading Area among the seven SAARC member states, namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, was signed in Dhaka. Sri Lanka first mooted the concept of liberalizing trade between SAARC countries at the Sixth Summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) held in Colombo in December 1991. It was agreed that SAPTA is a step towards higher levels of trade liberalization and economic cooperation between SAARC member states.

The SAPTA aims at promoting and sustaining mutual trade and economic cooperation between member states through trade concessions exchange. Therefore, SAPTA is the first step towards higher rates of trade and economic cooperation in the region.

APTA

On 2 November 2005 the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA), formerly known as the Bangkok Agreement, was signed and entered into force with effect from 1 September 2006.

The APTA member countries (Bangladesh, China, India, Laos, South Korea and Sri Lanka) have a total population of about 2.5 billion, which is a huge potential market for rising the level of intra-regional trade flows among the participating states. The third round of negotiations, which offered up to 50 percent margin of preference on existing tariffs between member countries, includes substantial tariff concessions and wider product coverage.

Procedure and Documentation

Process of Obtaining Certificate of Origin

STEP1 Go to -- https://coo.dgft.gov.in/

STEP 2 Click on Oline Exporter Register & Login

STEP 3 Verify your IEC and Mobile number and agree for the declaration

STEP 4 Fill up the exporter online registration form in which provide all the information about your company or organization and submit the form

STEP 5 On successful registration your registration ID will be generated and ID and password will be sent on your registered email id

STEP 6 Now again click on Login on home page

STEP 7 Enter your received ID and Password

STEP 8 Click on apply for a certificate of Origin

STEP 9 Fill up the form, Choose free trade agreement and provide all of the detail of Shipment like the detail of Ra Material, Product, Quantity, Exporter detail

STEP 10 Upload the digitally signed document like Invoice and other as per the demand of the department

STEP 11 Submit the form after reviewing it and signing it digitally

STEP 12 Make a payment of submitted form

STEP 13 Department will review your submitted form and may raise an objection if they need clarification for the provided information or may issue the certificate of origin.

Documents required

a. IEC

b. Company/ organization registration certificate

c. Detail of each director/Partner/Proprietor

d. Exporter detail

e. Invoice

f. Digital signature (Class II or Class III)