Suppliers Declarations & EU Trade

Suppliers declarations are no longer required when exporting to the European Community as per chapter 2, “Rules of Origin, of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.”

A supplier's declaration is used when the exporter is not the producer of the exported goods. Often the exported goods or inputs used in the production of the final goods are supplied by a UK manufacturer. In such cases, an exporter would need to obtain information from the supplier, which is generally referred to as a supplier’s declaration, so that it would be possible to ascertain whether or not the goods satisfy the applicable origin criteria. A supplier´s declaration is equivalent to a proof of origin but for trade within the local market (i.e. within the UK).

As the UK is no longer part of the EU following the transition period, a supplier's declaration cannot be sent to the EU customer, as this trade is no longer seen as “within the local market”. All trade to the EU is now an export transaction, therefore the UK exporter will have to make a statement on origin on the invoice (or other commercial document) – if the goods are originating in the UK. The statement on origin is the proof of origin for the EU customer to keep for their records.

Click here for more ‘TCA: detailed guidance on the rules of origin’.

For more information call +44 (0)7827 318692 or email us.