The Society for Industrial Development (SOFOFA) reported that, starting this week exporters operating between Chile and Ecuador may choose between requesting a conventional certificate of origin or require a document issued electronically with digital a signature.
After two years of negotiations, the governments of Chile and Ecuador agreed to implement a general procedure to facilitate trade between both countries under the Economic Complementation Agreement No. 65 Ecuador-Chile (ACE).
Since Monday, both the exporter and the importer may check the veracity and authenticity of the certificate of origin in real time on a web page provided by the issuer of the document.
In order to facilitate trade processing, this system will allow proving the origin of a product being exported through a digital platform developed by DIRECON and the trade organizations, producers and fruit exporters.
"The certification will allow Ecuador to access the tariff benefits depicted in the current trade agreement between both countries, more expeditiously and at lower costs," explained Paulina Nazal, head of Chile's General Directorate for International Economic Relations (DIRECON).
The Chilean official stressed that the new system was a tangible modern way of facilitating international trade, and stressed the importance that this issue currently had for the sector.
It's worth noting that the certificate of origin is a document that certifies the origin of a product being exported, according to the rules of origin previously established in trade agreements.
This document also guarantees that the goods being traded have a preferential tariff treatment.
According to Nazal, the system launched with Ecuador is the second launched by Chile with another country, Colombia. She also said that they were working to implement electronic self-certification with Costa Rica and Korea South.
The ACE, which has been in force since 2010, states that 96.3% of the products exchanged between Chile and Ecuador, that comply with the rules of origin, mechanisms to prevent sanitary and phytosanitary measures potential conflicts, technical standards and cooperation in various fields, can enter the country free of tariffs.
The latest figures released by ProChile show that trade between Chile and Ecuador reached 2.598 million dollars in 2012, with a favourable balance for Ecuador.
Source: marcotradenews.com