paragraph 4.2 of the ministerial decision of 19 December 2015 on
preferential rules of origin for Least Developed Countries
Communication
by Switzerland
The
following communication, dated 16 November 2016, is being circulated at the
request of the delegation of Switzerland.
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1. Introduction
The ministerial
decision of 19 December 2015 on preferential rules of origin for Least Developed
Countries states that "No later than 31 December 2016 each developed
Preference-granting Member, and each developing Preference-granting Member
undertaking the commitments in accordance with paragraph 4.1 up to that date or
thereafter, shall inform the Committee on Rules of Origin (CRO) of the measures
being taken to implement the above provisions." Accordingly, Switzerland
informs the Committee on Rules of Origin of the following.
2. The
Registered Exporter system (REX)
- General Information
The Swiss
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is an autonomous system that grants
unilateral tariff preferences to goods originating from developing countries. It also implements the arrangements granted
under the Decision on Measures in Favour of LDCs (Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration
2005) i.e. duty-free quota-free market access for goods originating in LDCs.
Switzerland is, together with the European Union and Norway, currently
introducing a new electronic system of self-certification of origin by
exporters, the so called Registered Exporter system, the REX system. The current system for proof of origin uses
certificates of origin Form A issued
by competent authorities. Under the REX
system, Form A certificates will be replaced by
statements on origin (SoO). In contrast
to the current system, SoO will be issued by exporters. For this purpose, exporters have to be registered
by the competent authorities of the exporting country.
- Conditions of carriage
In addition, the direct
transportation rule will be replaced by a non-alteration rule, which makes it possible to
split a consignment into sub-consignments without having to present a non‑manipulation
certificate mandatorily.
The introduction of the REX
system together with the non-alteration rule, will significantly
reduce administrative burdens related to documentary and procedural
requirements.
- Introduction,
notification dates and transition period
The REX system will be applicable as of 1 January 2017. Any eligible
country wishing to apply the REX system is requested to notify Swiss Customs in
writing[1].
A beneficiary country has the option to start applying the system one or
two years later, that is either on 1 January 2018 or on 1 January 2019. If a beneficiary country decides to start the
REX system on 1 January 2018 (or on 1 January 2019), the beneficiary country
shall inform Swiss customs no later than September 2017 (respectively no later
than September 2018).
Beneficiary countries will have a transitional period of 12 months to adapt
the new system of self‑certification of origin, until June 2020, irrespective of the chosen
introduction date. During the 12 month
transition period, both SoO and Form A
certificates will be recognized as valid proofs of origin. After this
deadline, tariff preferences will only be granted based on a valid SoO. The currently
used Form
A certificates will not
be valid anymore.
Switzerland
encourages all beneficiary countries of its GSP scheme to introduce the Registered
Exporter system and make use of its simplified procedures.
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[1] Directorate General of Customs, Section Free Trade and
Customs Agreements, Monbijoustrasse 40, 3003 Bern, Switzerland