Important Changes for UK Certificates of Origin

Chambers of Commerce across the UK, together with the British Chambers of Commerce, as the authorising body for UK certificates of origin, have agreed that plain paper United Kingdom certificates of origin can now begin to be introduced.

Over 40% of Certificates of Origin worldwide are now printed on plain paper.  We are working with the government to achieve its digital ambition for a paperless border by 2025.  The move to plain paper certificates of origin is the first step on this journey.

We will notify each individual company of this transfer of procedure in due course and from then on all applications for the future will have to be processed through the online platform eCert system, which most exporters already use.

Certificates of Origin printed via eCert have additional security features such as the QR code allowing anyone with the Certificate of Origin to scan the QR code and see an online version of the Certificate so they can check the version they hold has not been amended or falsified.  Anyone with the Certificate of Origin will also be able to verify the authenticity of the Certificate via the ICC verification website.  Increasingly Customs authorities worldwide are looking to be able to verify Certificates of Origin online.

This will also simplify the printing of Certificates of Origin by exporters as they will no longer need to insert a blank pre-printed document correctly in the printer before printing.  Certificates will in future be printed in colour on standard-grade white plain paper.

We can still prepare and complete applications for you on eCert, or where wet stamp legislation is required by an importer, bank, or destination country customs authority, although additional fees may apply.

If you have any questions relating to this change, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our International Trade Team at export@doncaster-chamber.co.uk