How to Read Rules of Origin in FTAs

Rules of Origin Explained: The Complete Guide to Reading, Understanding & Using RoO in Any Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

By Arne Mielken, Managing Director of Customs Manager Ltd

Whether you're navigating the EU–UK TCA, EU–Japan EPA, UK–Singapore FTA, or USMCA — understanding how to read and apply Rules of Origin (RoO) correctly is mission-critical. This guide shows you how to decode, interpret, and apply any FTA’s RoO, ensuring full compliance and maximizing preferential duty savings.

📚 Table of Contents

1. Introduction: What Are Rules of Origin?

2. When and Why You Need to Read the Rules

3. Find the Right Section: Where Are RoO Located in FTAs?

4. Understand Key Definitions

5. How to Classify Your Product First

6. Step 1: Determine Wholly Obtained vs. Sufficiently Processed

7. Step 2: Identify Product-Specific Rules (PSRs)

8. Step 3: Apply the Correct Rule Type

9. Step 4: Use Tolerance Rules Correctly

10. Step 5: Handle Accessories, Spare Parts & Packaging

11. Neutral Elements: What’s Excluded from Origin Calculations

12. Understand Cumulation: Combining Origin across Countries

13. How Inward Processing, Duty Drawback, and Non-Manipulation Affect Origin

14. Using Fungible Materials and Accounting Segregation

15. The Principle of Territoriality Explained

16. Rules That Apply Only to Imports

17. Rules That Apply Only to Exports

18. Proving Origin: Acceptable Documentation

19. Split Consignments and Large Machinery Imports

20. How to Get an Official Origin Ruling (BOI)

    
    

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