In 2010, Australia introduced a scheme called the Free Trade Agreement Certificate of Origin (FTA CoO) Recognition Scheme to formally accredit bodies to issue Certificates of Origin (CoO) to Australian exporters under Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). 

A key feature of FTAs is the inclusion of commitments on the reduction and elimination of tariffs on goods that meet the rules of origin (ROO) requirements of the relevant FTA.  In order to access such preferential tariff commitments, some FTAs require exporters to obtain a CoO from an issuing body, to confirm that the goods being exported comply with the relevant ROO requirements. While the ROO requirements differ between FTAs, they share the common purpose of providing the basis for determining which goods qualify for the preferential tariff commitments contained in the relevant FTA.

The Scheme only applies to FTAs that require or permit Australian exporters to obtain CoOs from a designated issuing body. It also does not apply to the issuing of non-preferential certificates of origin, which are widely used in trade to facilitate customs clearance or to meet commercial requirements.

Applicant CABs will need to comply with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Scheme for the Recognition of Bodies to Issue Certificates of Origin under Australia’s Free Trade Agreements (FTA CoO Recognition Scheme) Scheme Rules. 

As an inspection scheme, applicant CABs need to comply with ISO/IEC 17020:2012 – Conformity assessment – Requirements for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection, and applicable ILAC requirements for issuing accredited inspection certificates. As a regulatory scheme, DFAT retains full autonomy over whether new or updated international standard or documents apply to the scheme.

Benefits

• Provides a flexible and cost-effective path for exporters to obtain Certificates of Origin for their products to be exported under FTAs that require such Certificates to be issued by an Authorized Body.

Scheme owner

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

More information

An application pack, application form and other relevant material is not available on this site. These documents are available through our SharePoint portal. If you are a body that we currently accredit, you can access this information through the Shared CAB Portal. If you are a new applicant, please complete an application enquiry form. Once this form is submitted, the Secretariat will contact you to advise the next steps.  For other stakeholders, please submit your inquiry through the online feedback form.