Know Your Origin – Avoid Customs Chaos
- Arne Mielken
- Jul 6
- 4 min read
Rules of Origin define everything: your tariff rate, your legal risk, and your global market access. Get them wrong, and pay the price.
In today’s high-stakes environment of global Customs Compliance, few issues are as misunderstood—and as financially dangerous—as the Rules of Origin. Whether you’re managing imports into the EU, UK, or USA, or handling exports under Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), origin isn’t just a box on your declaration—it defines your duty rates, regulatory exposure, and even your market access.
Yet every week, I see companies gamble with unverified origin claims, often based on guesswork or assumptions. That’s not just risky—it’s reckless. For Customs professionals, compliance officers, and export managers, mastering origin rules is no longer optional. It’s a core compliance obligation that directly impacts your bottom line.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the critical differences between preferential and non-preferential origin, the consequences of getting it wrong, and the practical steps you must take to protect your business from avoidable Customs and trade liabilities.
Key Questions Covered in This Blog
What’s the difference between preferential and non-preferential origin?
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