Documents
Certificate of origin (CO)
An official document that states the country where the goods were made.
In four languages
A certificate of origin confirms where the goods were produced. In China, non-preferential certificates are issued by China Customs or by CCPIT and its local branches, and should match the commercial invoice in exporter, consignee, description, HS code, quantity and invoice details. A preferential certificate can reduce duty under a free trade agreement, but there is currently no China-GCC free trade agreement in force, so goods from China to the UAE, Oman and other GCC states pay the normal duty and only a non-preferential CO applies. The CO is still widely requested for customs, attestation and letters of credit. Example: a Muscat importer of hand tools asks the Ningbo supplier to apply for a CCPIT certificate of origin before shipment, so it is ready with the invoice and packing list when the cargo reaches Sohar.
Questions
Does a certificate of origin from China reduce duty in the UAE?
No. There is no China-GCC free trade agreement in force, so the CO proves origin but the normal GCC duty, usually 5% of the CIF value, still applies.
Who issues a certificate of origin in China?
China Customs or CCPIT and its local branches. The supplier usually applies, ideally before or soon after shipment.