GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 22, 2026
Customs preferences
Unlike standard most-favoured-nation (MFN) rates that apply uniformly to all trading partners, customs preferences are reduced or zero-duty rates granted exclusively to goods originating in eligible countries.
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Source: https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/general-information-customs/customs-procedures/customs-preferences_en
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Definition & Explanation
Unlike standard most-favoured-nation (MFN) rates that apply uniformly to all trading partners, customs preferences are reduced or zero-duty rates granted exclusively to goods originating in eligible countries. They stem either from multilateral frameworks such as the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which benefits developing nations, or from bilateral free trade agreements. Claiming a preference requires verified proof of preferential origin – typically a movement certificate such as EUR.1 or a supplier's origin declaration. In daily customs practice, the freight forwarder or customs broker checks preference eligibility before lodging the import declaration; unfounded claims can result in retrospective duty demands and penalties. Customs preferences should be distinguished from preferential trade agreements: the latter are the legal basis, while preferences denote the concrete tariff benefit that arises from them.
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