Certificates of Origin
Athlone Chamber is officially authorised by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation and Chambers Ireland to issue and certify export documentation.
The Chamber handles a wide range of documents for companies including: Certificates of Origin (EU Certs, Arab/Irish Certs), Invoices, Certificates of Analysis, Packing Slips, Certificates of Incorporation, Memorandum and Articles of Association, Company Reports etc.
Our team can guide you through the export documentation process. We provide a timely, professional and efficient service to all our exporting clients. Please contact the chamber for current pricing.
What is a Certificate of Origin
A Certificate of Origin is a document attesting that goods in a particular export shipment are wholly obtained, produced, manufactured or processed in a particular country (country of origin). Virtually every country in the world considers the origin of imported goods when determining what duty will be assessed on the goods or, in some cases, whether the goods may be legally imported at all.
A Certificate of Origin facilitates the movement of goods/shipments through customs.
In Summary, a European Certificate of Origin is required for the following purposes:
- =To meet foreign customs requirements in the importing state
- =Customer (consignee) requires it
- =To meet ‘quota’ requirements imposed by the importing country
- =To comply with banking requirements / letters of credit
- =For other official and commercial reasons
Purpose of Certificates of Origin
Some countries request a Certificate of Origin with imports. This document proves the place of growth, production, or manufacture of goods, specified thereon. The type of Certificate required varies according to the destination of the goods, e.g. member States of the Arab League require an Arab-Irish Certificate Origin. The majority of Certificates of Origin issued by the Chamber will be for non-Arab destinations. In such cases the European Union Certificate of Origin is used.
Registering for a Certificate of Origin
Before a company can apply for a Certificate of Origin certain information is required by the Chamber:
An Indemnity form must be completed by the company before the Chamber can provide certification service. The undertaking of indemnification is needed with respect to information provided by the company to the Chamber. The company agrees to abide by standard rules and indemnifies the Chamber against inaccuracy of documents or misleading information. The applicant must be based in the 26 counties and be registered with the Companies Registration Office.
A list of authorised signatories for the company on the company’s headed paper, (with sample of signature). The signatories will be authorised to sign applications for certificates on behalf of the company: the (pink) application form of the European Certificate of Origin or the blue & green sheets of the Arab-Irish Certificate of Origin and documentation will only be accepted from those on the authorised list.
Service Users who are not members of Athlone Chamber of Commerce must supply the Chamber with a banker’s reference. This must confirm that the company maintains an account with the bank.
Online Certification Service
Athlone Chamber of Commerce provides exporters with the opportunity to apply for Certificates of Origin electronically via www.tradecert.com/ie. You will need to keep a stock of blank certificates of origin (provided by Athlone Chamber) in your office to enable you to print out the completed certificate. There are many benefits to the online system, details here: http://www.tradecert.com/exporters
Each Certificate of Origin issued via Tradecert is imprinted with a unique serial number and QR Code. The serial number can be inputted to the Verify a Cert website and an image of the Certificate will appear. Alternatively, the QR Code can be scanned using a mobile device. This will allow Customs officials to confirm that the Certificate is an original, that it was certified by an authorised issuing body, and that no alterations have been made since it was certified by the Chamber.
Benefits of the online system:
- =Save money on couriers, post and staff time
- =Save time as the risk of your document being rejected is eliminated
- =Maintain records of previous shipments and documentation
- =Analysis of activity on a user basis
- =Order blank certificates of origin online
Arab-Irish Certificates of Origin
Arab-Irish Certificates are required for the following countries:
- =Sultanate of Oman
- =State of Qatar
- =Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- =Somali Democratic Republic
- =Republic of Sudan
- =Syrian Arab Republic
- =Republic of Tunisia
- =United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- =Republic of Yemen
- =Peoples Democratic Republic of Algeria
- =Kingdom of Bahrain
- =Republic of Iraq
- =Republic of Djibouti
- =Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
- =State of Kuwait
- =Republic of Lebanon
- =The Great Socialist Peoples Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
- =Islamic Republic of Mauritania
- =Kingdom of Morocco
Rules to be observed regarding Arab-Irish Certificates of Origin:
All local Chambers must only issue and certify Arab-Irish Certificates of Origin for the 19 Arab countries that the Joint Arab-Irish Chamber of Commerce represents. Although some exporters may insist, under no circumstances may a European Certificate of Origin be issued or certified for an Arab Country.
Only Arab-Irish Certificates of Origin which Athlone Chamber has issued should be certified by them i.e. they are not to be certified by another Chamber. Once the Arab-Irish certificate is authorised by Athlone Chamber, exporters must then forward it to the Arab Irish Chamber for certification.
Athlone Chamber, on a quarterly basis, issues the JAICC with a list of companies who they issue Certificates of Origin to. With this list, the JAICC will know if exporters are using the Certificate of Origin correctly.
* Failure to have the Arab-Irish certificate certified by the Arab Chamber could cause shipment delays further down the line.