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Official certificate of origin - Definition & Meaning | Logistics Glossary

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GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 16, 2026

Official certificate of origin

Freight forwarders, importers, and customs authorities turn to the official certificate of origin when legally binding, government-recognised proof of a good's geographic origin is required.

Quick Answer

Freight forwarders, importers, and customs authorities turn to the official certificate of origin when legally binding, government-recognised proof of a good's geographic origin is required.

It is issued by state-authorised bodies – chambers of commerce in EU member states, for instance – and determines whether goods qualify for preferential duty rates under a free trade agreement or…

It should not be confused with an origin declaration on a commercial invoice, which is only admissible under specific conditions, such as approved exporter status or below defined shipment values,…

Last updated: 16 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://www.ihk.de/de/Servicemarken/Aussenwirtschaft/Amtliches_Ursprungszeugnis-35930

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Official certificate of origin

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Definition & Explanation

Freight forwarders, importers, and customs authorities turn to the official certificate of origin when legally binding, government-recognised proof of a good's geographic origin is required. It is issued by state-authorised bodies – chambers of commerce in EU member states, for instance – and determines whether goods qualify for preferential duty rates under a free trade agreement or fall under the general tariff schedule. It should not be confused with an origin declaration on a commercial invoice, which is only admissible under specific conditions, such as approved exporter status or below defined shipment values, and carries a different legal standing. In anti-dumping proceedings, export control procedures, or country-specific import restrictions, the official certificate of origin may additionally be a mandatory regulatory requirement.

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Recommended format: Source: Freight Academy – Official certificate of origin (https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/official-certificate-of-origin), accessed 2026-09-12
APA style: Freight Academy Editorial Team. (2025). Official certificate of origin. Freight Academy. https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/official-certificate-of-origin
BibTeX: @misc{officialcertificateof2025, title = {Official certificate of origin}, author = {{Freight Academy Editorial Team}}, year = {2025}, url = {https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/official-certificate-of-origin}, note = {Freight Academy, accessed 2026-09-12} }

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