A new mode has been out in place in eight cities, including Qingdao, Yantai and Weihai, according to which mutual recognition is made between the customs and CCPIT certificate of origin management information departments. This is the first time in China that the customs and the CCPIT share and mutually recognize their verifications on the origin of exports.

Following the implementation of the mode, when the customs and the CCPIT check electronic information indicated on certificates of origin for exports, they can immediately determine the origins and issue certificates if verifications on origins for a product category exported by a company within a year are published in the mutual recognition system. A repetitious verification on origins turns out to be unnecessary. Through cross-department coordination, certificates of origin can be issued under the mode featuring “one-time examination, one-time verification, holistic precautions”.

Currently, Chinese export-oriented companies are entitled to tariff concessions from 33 countries and regions in accordance with 22 free trade agreements and preferential trade provisions. Therefore, certificates of origin are important justifications for businesses to enjoy tariff concessions in importing countries. Data shows that customs offices and CCPIT branches in Shandong Province in the first two months of this year released 172,000 FTA certificate of origins, which enabled RMB 51.9 bln worth of goods to be entitled to concessions. The two figures saw a year-to-year increase of 22.2% and 4.7%, respectively.  (Liu Lanxing)

Staff members in the Qingdao Customs are checking export-bound goods.