01What it covers
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement governs post-Brexit trade: duty-free if origin rules are met — but with full customs formalities.
Free trade agreements like this reduce tariff barriers and set common standards for non-tariff topics (standards, public procurement, investment protection). For exporters this translates into lower duties, faster clearance and more predictable compliance — provided the rules of origin are met.
02Key benefits
- No duties or quotas on origin-qualifying goods
- Transport-market access (cabotage limited)
- Customs-security cooperation
03Proof of origin and practice
REX + statement of origin. Strict bilateral cumulation rules. Third-country components quickly disqualify preferential status.
Note that rules of origin are defined product-specifically in the agreement's annexes — there is rarely a single percentage threshold. For complex goods with third-country inputs, document an origin calculation.
04Who benefits most?
The agreement pays off primarily for companies with recurring exports or imports between the parties and for products whose "normal" duty is ≥ 3–5 %. For electronic products already enjoying 0 % MFN duties, the benefit lies more in regulatory coherence than tariff elimination.
Domande frequenti
When does a product qualify for preference?
Whenever it meets the product-specific rules of origin (e.g. wholly obtained, or sufficiently worked/processed). For third-country components, a value rule ("max. 40 % non-originating value") or a chapter-change rule typically applies.