The Regional Convention on Pan Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of Origin

The rules of origin state how a product shall be manufactured in order to obtain preferential status. If the product has preferential status, it may be entitled to reduced or zero duty. 

The convention has two set of rules, "the old rules" that all free trade partners may use and "the transitional rules" that are included as optional ruels for the free trade partners mentioned below. The reason for this is that not all contracting parties to the convention, up until recently, have agreed to accept the transitional and more liberal rules of origin. 

The transitional rules were adopted on 7 December 2023 by all contracting parties. They come into force on 1 January 2025, subject to the fact that they are implemented in each individual agreement.

• Read more on how to obtain origin with the old rules
• Read more on how to obtain origin with the transitional rules

With the transitional and more liberal rules, it is, in most cases, easier to obtain origin status. They entail:

• an increase of the percentage of third material that may be used in production
• an increase of the rule of tolerance from 10 to 15 percent
• the deletion of the demands of the nationality for captain, officers and crew for fishing vessels.

Electronic proofs of origin

All countries agreed in December 2023 an recommendation to accept such proofs.  

Alternative rules

If the liberal rules do not give origin status, you may use the alternative rules of origin. These rules demand a manufacture that used some specific processes, i.e., hydrolysis, oxidation and reaction with water. This applies only to goods of Chapter 27-40 in the Customs Tariff. You may use the alternative rules when you apply the liberal rules.

• Read more about the alternative rules (page 44-49)

Export of fish with the transitional and more liberal rules

As the demands of the nationality for captain, officers and crew are deleted, exporters of fish may benefit from using the transitional and more liberal rules of origin. The EEA agreement, the bilateral quotas and the compensation agreements may all use these rules.

Please note that with the "Fish letter" you may not use the transitional rules as this still has demands regarding the nationality of the captain, officers and crew. 

Proofs of origin

If the transitional rules are applied, the following must be written in box 7 on the Movement Certificate EUR.1: “transitional rules”. Yoy may not use Certificate EUR-MED.

If an Origin Declaration is used, it shall have the following wording: 

“The exporter of the products covered by this document (customs authorization No………) declares that, except where otherwise clearly indicated, these products are of ……………..  preferential origin according to the transitional Rules of origin." You may not use Origin Declaration EUR-MED.

The following countries, that Norway through EFTA has signed free trade agreements with, have joined to convention:  EU, EFTA, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine and Palestine.

Even if the changes are not implemented until 1 January 2025, you may use the transitional rules in the following agreements:

Attachments

• The Regional Convention on Pan Euro-Mediterranean Preferential rules of origin
• Transitional rules of origin with annexes