Preferential origin

Preferential origin is the economic nationality a good acquires under the origin rules of a specific free-trade agreement or preference scheme, qualifying it for a reduced or zero tariff in the partner country. It is stricter than non-preferential origin and is established by wholly-obtained criteria or by a product-specific rule such as a change of tariff heading, a regional value-content threshold, or a specified processing operation, often with cumulation between agreement parties. Eligibility is proved by an origin document: a EUR.1 movement certificate, an origin declaration on the invoice, or a registered-exporter (REX) statement on origin. Customs may verify the claim post-clearance.