Proof of Origin for CUSMA Shipments

CUSMA, USMCA, NAFTA 2.0, T-MEC; the new trade agreement between Canada, Mexico and the United States of America has many names. Regardless of what you call it, the agreement will come into force more than 3 years after the US trade representative issued notice that the NAFTA would be renegotiated. CUSMA is scheduled to come into effect on July 1st, 2020. To obtain the benefits of the trade agreement, certification of origin is required.

Certificate of Origin

The previous NAFTA certificate is no longer valid under the new agreement. There is currently no prescribed format for a certificate of origin under CUSMA, but origin will need to be proved using a minimum set of data elements. The certification of origin can be provided by the importer, exporter or producer of the goods and the importer must be in possession of this certification at the time they claim the benefits of CUSMA. The below information can be placed directly on the invoice, or it can be on a separate document.

Minimum Data Elements

• Indicate the role of the certifier (ie exporter, producer or importer)
• Name, title, phone number and address (including country) of the certifier
• Provide the name and address of the exporter, producer and importer
• Provide the description and 6 digits HS code for the goods
• Specify the criteria used to determine the origin of the goods. The various methods of calculating the origin can be found here
• Indicate the period of time that the certification is valid (can be up to 1 year)
• Certifier should sign and date and include the following statement:

I certify that the goods described in this document qualify as originating and the information contained in this document is true and accurate. I assume responsibility for proving such representations and agree to maintain and present upon request or to make available during a verification visit, documentation necessary to support this certification.”

CUSMA aims to preserve key elements of the trading relationship and promote opportunities between Canada, the US and Mexico. To obtain the benefits, proper documentation is required. All qualifying shipments from the US and Mexico imported to Canada should be accompanied by a document that contains the above info. As Canadian Customs Brokers we are here to help navigate the regulations so your imports into Canada go smoothly. Please contact us with any questions you may have.