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The declaration of origin on the invoice is an informal proof of preferential origin. As a rule, each exporter may issue this proof up to a certain value. The value is typically limited to EUR 6,000 for all goods with preferential origin contained in a shipment. The exporter must also have the status of “Approved Exporter” (EA) or “Registered Exporter” (REX). The information below the text of the declaration of origin indicates which status is needed for which declaration of origin.

The declaration of origin appears as the last element at the bottom of the invoice. Invoice items that do not qualify for preferential origin must either be marked accordingly or listed as “excluded item(s).”

In some cases, there are multiple agreements with a single country. The various agreements are either equally valid, or they each apply to specific goods. So the agreement and text relevant to you depends in part on the type of goods you are exporting.

The agreements contain not only the wording of the declaration of origin but also footnotes with further explanations, many of which relate to the placeholders in the prescribed text (e.g. PREFERENTIAL_ORIGIN). A general overview:

Validity period:
Enter a validity period (up to 12 months) only if you wish to submit a declaration of origin for multiple shipments. Otherwise, leave the validity period empty but include it in the declaration of origin.

Authorizations/registrations:
This is where you typically enter the reference number of the authorization or registration identifying the exporter. The information below the declaration of origin text indicates which authorization or registration is required. For shipments with a value under EUR 6,000 and with no existing authorization/registration, simply leave the field blank.

Origin specification:
You must specify the origin of the goods, taking into account the specifications for indicating origin in the relevant agreement.

Cumulation note:
For “Cumulation applied with …,” indicate the Pan-Euro-Med countries (LINK) from which you have purchased primary material included as originating material in your calculation (valid proof required). Otherwise, indicate “No cumulation applied.”

Origin criterion:
Some agreements require that you specify an origin criterion. Since these criteria are not universal, they must be looked up in the agreement in question.

Place and date:
If the commercial document itself contains information on the place and date, this information does not generally need to be indicated separately.

Signature:
Typically, declarations of origin must be signed. In those cases (such as special authorization) where the exporter does not need to sign, the name of the signatory is also omitted.

The Approved Exporter (abbreviated with its German acronym EA) is a status granted to those who apply to the appropriate main customs office and satisfy the requirements, including an operational and organizational procedure. The status of “Registered Exporter” (REX) is obtained simply by registering in the database set up for this purpose.

The Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean cumulation requires information on cumulation in the declaration of origin.

For the FTAs that end with "RC" in the headings and/or contain "Regional Convention", insert the cumulation information before the date and place line as follows:

• "no cumulation applied" if the preferential origin was obtained without cumulation.
• "cumulation applied with [NAME OF COUNTRIES]" if cumulation was applied to obtain the origin and the indication of the origins with which cumulation was applied.

The revised rules to the Regional Convention, recognizable by the suffix "RC (RR)" or the mention of the revised rules in the heading additional to the Regional Convention, only provide for the cumulation note if cumulation has been applied. This then also reads:

"cumulation applied with [NAME OF COUNTRIES]"

Germany
zoll.de/ Declaration of origin on the invoice

Switzerland
ezv.admin.ch / Declaration of origin on the invoice (PDF)

UK
gov.uk / Origin declaration

European Commission
europa.eu / Proving your product’s origin