Certificate of Origin
A Certificate of Origin (Certificaat van Oorsprong, or CVO in Dutch) proves in which country a product was made. You sometimes need a CVO when exporting. The Netherlands Chamber of Commerce KVK issues these certificates of origin.
Why do I need a Certificate of Origin?
Some countries outside the EU require a CVO. For example, because imports of products from certain countries are restricted or banned by international sanctions or import restrictions. Some customs administrations also use the CVO to calculate the levies you have to pay, such as import duties. And in some countries, a CVO makes it easier to import goods. You usually do not need a CVO within the EU.
Check in the Access2Markets portal whether a CVO is required in your situation.
How do I request a Certificate of Origin?
You request a digital certificate of origin from KVK for each export shipment. You are responsible for completing the certificate yourself. KVK uses the documents you send to check and determine the origin of the goods. Which documents you use to prove origin depend on your situation:
You are a producer of the goods
- KVK uses your description of the production process to determine origin.
You are a trader
Are you buying the products from a supplier in the EU? Then you prove the origin, for example, with a Supplier's Declaration for goods of non-preferential origin.
Are you buying the products from a supplier outside the EU? Then you usually prove the origin with a CVA from that country.
In all of the above situations, KVK may request additional documents. For example, purchase invoices, sales invoices, authorisations, and shipping orders.
Determining the origin of a product
The origin of a product is determined through standards of origin contained in European and national legislation. For products that are produced entirely in one country, such as agricultural products, this is straightforward. For products consisting of raw materials or components sourced from several different countries, however, determining the origin is more complicated. Finished products that can be considered an entirely new product after processing are deemed to originate from the country in which they were processed. Example: if you make outdoor tables from imported Indonesian hardwood in your factory in the Netherlands, the finished product is of Dutch origin. To find out more about how to determine origin, contact KVK.
How much does a certificate of origin cost?
For the latest price, check the list of Business Register tariffs on kvk.nl.