New foreign trade tool is applied in trade agreements with the European Union, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the United Kingdom.
Container ship in the Libertador Simón Bolívar Sea Port of Guayaquil.
As of December 22, 2023, the figures of authorized exporter and invoice declaration came into force in Ecuador. This applies in trade agreements with the European Union, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the United Kingdom.
According to the Ministry of Production, these mechanisms were implemented in the Ecuadorian Single Window (VUE) and the Computer System for Management of Certification of Origin (SIGCO).
The State portfolio assured that these technological advance speeds up the processing of the proof of origin for exporters previously qualified according to the regulations, allowing self-certification 24 hours a day, simplifying procedures and strengthening the competitiveness of Ecuadorian exports.
The elimination of pre-printed forms is part of this change; In general, it makes possible greater facilitation of foreign trade, he said.
The certificate of origin of products in international trade constitutes the main document required by customs authorities to recognize the tariff benefits agreed upon in trade agreements between countries.
The Ministry stressed that these mechanisms are available exclusively to authorized exporters with the qualification granted by this portfolio, in accordance with the requirements of trade agreements.
Furthermore, its use is restricted to the specific business partners with whom its application has been agreed.
The main requirements to be qualified as an authorized exporter are:
- Submit the application at the Ecuadorian Single Window-VUE
- Have carried out, for the trade agreement and the tariff subheadings that are the subject of the request, at least three exports for a value greater than USD 1,000,000, or six exports with no minimum value, during the fiscal year immediately preceding that of the request
- The Affidavit of Origin (DJO) has not been canceled in the last twelve months prior to the application submitted; and,
- Have an electronic billing system.
The exporter can choose whether to process proof of origin through a conventional certificate of origin EUR.1 for the aforementioned trade agreements or if he prefers to register as an authorized exporter and request self-certification through the invoice declaration.
For queries, technical assistance or comments on these processes, the institutional email declaracionenfactura@produccion.gob.ec was enabled, attended by specialized technical personnel from the Directorate of Supervision, Verification and Certification of Origin.
