PROTOCOL 3

concerning the definition of the concept of ‘originating products‘�and methods of administrative cooperation

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1

Definitions

TITLE II

DEFINITION OF THE CONCEPT OF ‘極RIGINATING PRODUCTS‘�/p>

Article 2

General requirements

Article 3

Cumulation in the Community

Article 4

Cumulation in the Faroe Islands

Article 5

Wholly obtained products

Article 6

Sufficiently worked or processed products

Article 7

Insufficient working or processing

Article 8

Unit of qualification

Article 9

Accessories, spare parts and tools

Article 10

Sets

Article 11

Neutral elements

TITLE III

TERRITORIAL REQUIREMENTS

Article 12

Principle of territoriality

Article 13

Direct transport

Article 14

Exhibitions

TITLE IV

DRAWBACK OR EXEMPTION

Article 15

Prohibition of drawback of, or exemption from, customs duties

TITLE V

PROOF OF ORIGIN

Article 16

General requirements

Article 17

Procedure for the issue of a movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED

Article 18

Movement certificates EUR.1 or EUR-MED issued retrospectively

Article 19

Issue of a duplicate movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED

Article 20

Issue of movement certificates EUR.1 or EUR-MED on the basis of a proof of origin issued or made out previously

Article 21

Accounting segregation

Article 22

Conditions for making out an invoice declaration or an invoice declaration EUR-MED

Article 23

Approved exporter

Article 24

Validity of proof of origin

Article 25

Submission of proof of origin

Article 26

Importation by instalments

Article 27

Exemptions from proof of origin

Article 28

Supporting documents

Article 29

Preservation of proof of origin and supporting documents

Article 30

Discrepancies and formal errors

Article 31

Amounts expressed in euro

TITLE VI

ARRANGEMENTS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COOPERATION

Article 32

Mutual assistance

Article 33

Verification of proofs of origin

Article 34

Dispute settlement

Article 35

Penalties

Article 36

Free zones

TITLE VII

CEUTA AND MELILLA

Article 37

Application of the Protocol

Article 38

Special conditions

TITLE VIII

FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 39

Amendments to the Protocol

Article 40

Transitional provisions for goods in transit or storage

Article 41

Suspension of the cumulation of origin

List of Annexes

Annex I:

Introductory notes to the list in Annex II

Annex II:

List of working or processing required to be carried out on non-originating materials in order for the product manufactured to obtain originating status

Annex IIIa:

Specimens of movement certificate EUR.1 and application for a movement certificate EUR.1

Annex IIIb:

Specimens of movement certificate EUR-MED and application for a movement certificate EUR-MED

Annex IVa:

Text of the invoice declaration

Annex IVb:

Text of the invoice declaration EUR-MED

Joint Declarations

Joint Declaration concerning the review and the revision of the management of Protocol 3 to the Agreement by the Faroe Islands

Joint Declaration concerning the amendment of the Protocol in the framework of the system of diagonal cumulation resulting from Articles 3 and 4 of the Protocol on Origin

TITLE I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1

Definitions

For the purposes of this Protocol:

(a)	‘榤anufacture‘�means any kind of working or processing including assembly or specific operations;

(b)	‘榤aterial‘�means any ingredient, raw material, component or part, etc., used in the manufacture of the product;

(c)	‘榩roduct‘�means the product being manufactured, even if it is intended for later use in another manufacturing operation;

(d)	‘榞oods‘�means both materials and products;

(e)	‘榗ustoms value‘�means the value as determined in accordance with the 1994 Agreement on implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (WTO Agreement on customs valuation);

(f)

‘榚x-works price‘�means the price paid for the product ex works to the manufacturer in the Community or in the Faroe Islands in whose undertaking the last working or processing is carried out, provided the price includes the value of all the materials used, minus any internal taxes which are, or may be, repaid when the product obtained is exported;

(g)	‘榲alue of materials‘�means the customs value at the time of importation of the non-originating materials used, or, if this is not known and cannot be ascertained, the first ascertainable price paid for the materials in the Community or in the Faroe Islands;

(h)	‘榲alue of originating materials‘�means the value of such materials as defined in (g) applied mutatis mutandis;

(i)

‘榲alue added‘�shall be taken to be the ex-works price minus the customs value of each of the materials incorporated which originate in the other countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4 with which cumulation is applicable or, where the customs value is not known or cannot be ascertained, the first ascertainable price paid for the materials in the Community or in the Faroe Islands;

(j)	‘榗hapters‘�and ‘榟eadings‘�mean the chapters and the headings (four-digit codes) used in the nomenclature which makes up the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System, referred to in this Protocol as ‘the Harmonised System‘�or ‘楬S‘�

(k)	‘榗lassified‘�refers to the classification of a product or material under a particular heading;

(l)	‘榗onsignment‘�means products which are either sent simultaneously from one exporter to one consignee or covered by a single transport document covering their shipment from the exporter to the consignee or, in the absence of such a document, by a single invoice;

(m)	‘territories‘�includes territorial waters.

TITLE II

DEFINITION OF THE CONCEPT OF ‘極RIGINATING PRODUCTS‘�/p>

Article 2

General requirements

1. For the purpose of implementing the Agreement, the following products shall be considered as originating in the Community:

(a)	products wholly obtained in the Community within the meaning of Article 5;

(b)	products obtained in the Community incorporating materials which have not been wholly obtained there, provided that such materials have undergone sufficient working or processing in the Community within the meaning of Article 6;

(c)	goods originating in the European Economic Area (EEA) within the meaning of Protocol 4 to the Agreement on the European Economic Area.

2. For the purpose of implementing the Agreement, the following products shall be considered as originating in the Faroe Islands:

(a)	products wholly obtained in the Faroe Islands within the meaning of Article 5;

(b)	products obtained in the Faroe Islands incorporating materials which have not been wholly obtained there, provided that such materials have undergone sufficient working or processing in the Faroe Islands within the meaning of Article 6.

3. The provisions of paragraph 1(c) shall apply only provided a free trade agreement is applicable between, on the one hand, the Faroe Islands and, on the other hand, the EEA EFTA States (Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein).

Article 3

Cumulation in the Community

1. Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 2(1), products shall be considered as originating in the Community if they are obtained there, incorporating materials originating in Bulgaria, Switzerland (including Liechtenstein) (1), Iceland, Norway, Romania, Turkey or in the Community, provided that the working or processing carried out in the Community goes beyond the operations referred to in Article 7. It shall not be necessary for such materials to have undergone sufficient working or processing.

2. Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 2(1), products shall be considered as originating in the Community if they are obtained there, incorporating materials originating in the Faroe Islands or in any country which is a participant in the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, based on the Barcelona Declaration adopted at the Euro-Mediterranean Conference held on 27 and 28 November 1995, other than Turkey (2), provided that the working or processing carried out in the Community goes beyond the operations referred to in Article 7. It shall not be necessary for such materials to have undergone sufficient working or processing.

3. Where the working or processing carried out in the Community does not go beyond the operations referred to in Article 7, the product obtained shall be considered as originating in the Community only where the value added there is greater than the value of the materials used originating in any one of the other countries referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2. If this is not so, the product obtained shall be considered as originating in the country which accounts for the highest value of originating materials used in the manufacture in the Community.

4. Products, originating in one of the countries referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, which do not undergo any working or processing in the Community, retain their origin if exported into one of these countries.

5. The cumulation provided for in this Article may be applied only provided that:

(a)	a preferential trade agreement in accordance with Article XXIV of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is applicable between the countries involved in the acquisition of the originating status and the country of destination;

(b)	materials and products have acquired originating status by the application of rules of origin identical to those given in this Protocol; and

(c)	notices indicating the fulfilment of the necessary requirements to apply cumulation have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union (C series) and in the Faroe Islands according to its own procedures.

The cumulation provided for in this Article shall apply from the date indicated in the notice published in the Official Journal of the European Union (C series).

The Community shall provide the Faroe Islands, through the Commission of the European Communities, with details of the Agreements, including their dates of entry into force, and their corresponding rules of origin, which are applied with the other countries referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2.

Article 4

Cumulation in the Faroe Islands

1. Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 2(2), products shall be considered as originating in the Faroe Islands if they are obtained there, incorporating materials originating in Bulgaria, Switzerland (including Liechtenstein) (1), Iceland, Norway, Romania, Turkey or in the Community, provided that the working or processing carried out in the Faroe Islands goes beyond the operations referred to in Article 7. It shall not be necessary for such materials to have undergone sufficient working or processing.

2. Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 2(2), products shall be considered as originating in the Faroe Islands if they are obtained there, incorporating materials originating in the Faroe Islands or in any country which is a participant in the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, based on the Barcelona Declaration adopted at the Euro-Mediterranean Conference held on 27 and 28 November 1995, other than Turkey (2), provided that the working or processing carried out in the Faroe Islands goes beyond the operations referred to in Article 7. It shall not be necessary for such materials to have undergone sufficient working or processing.

3. Where the working or processing carried out in the Faroe Islands does not go beyond the operations referred to in Article 7, the product obtained shall be considered as originating in the Faroe Islands only where the value added there is greater than the value of the materials used originating in any one of the other countries referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2. If this is not so, the product obtained shall be considered as originating in the country which accounts for the highest value of originating materials used in the manufacture in the Faroe Islands.

4. Products originating in one of the countries referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 which do not undergo any working or processing in the Faroe Islands shall retain their origin if exported into one of these countries.

5. The cumulation provided for in this Article may be applied only provided that:

(a)	a preferential trade agreement in accordance with Article XXIV of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is applicable between the countries involved in the acquisition of the originating status and the country of destination;

(b)	materials and products have acquired originating status by the application of rules of origin identical to those given in this Protocol; and

(c)	notices indicating the fulfilment of the necessary requirements to apply cumulation have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union (C series) and in the Faroe Islands according to its own procedures.

The cumulation provided for in this Article shall apply from the date indicated in the notice published in the Official Journal of the European Union (C series).

The Faroe Islands shall provide the Community, through the Commission of the European Communities with details of the Agreements, including their dates of entry into force, and their corresponding rules of origin, which are applied with the other countries referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2.

Article 5

Wholly obtained products

1. The following shall be considered as wholly obtained in the Community or in the Faroe Islands:

(a)	mineral products extracted from their soil or from their seabed;

(b)	vegetable products harvested there;

(c)	live animals born and raised there;

(d)	products from live animals raised there;

(e)	products obtained by hunting or fishing conducted there;

(f)	products of sea fishing and other products taken from the sea outside the territorial waters of the Community or of the Faroe Islands by their vessels;

(g)	products made aboard their factory ships exclusively from products referred to in (f);

(h)	used articles collected there fit only for the recovery of raw materials, including used tyres fit only for retreading or for use as waste;

(i)	waste and scrap resulting from manufacturing operations conducted there;

(j)	products extracted from marine soil or subsoil outside their territorial waters provided that they have sole rights to work that soil or subsoil;

(k)	goods produced there exclusively from the products specified in (a) to (j).

2. The terms ‘their vessels‘�and ‘their factory ships‘�in paragraph 1(f) and (g) shall apply only to vessels and factory ships:

(a)	which are registered or recorded in a Member State of the Community or in the Faroe Islands;

(b)	which sail under the flag of a Member State of the Community or of the Faroe Islands;

(c)

which are owned to an extent of at least 50 % by nationals of a Member State of the Community or of the Faroe Islands, or by a company with its head office in one of these States, of which the manager or managers, Chairman of the Board of Directors or the Supervisory Board, and the majority of the members of such boards are nationals of a Member State of the Community or of the Faroe Islands and of which, in addition, in the case of partnerships or limited companies, at least half the capital belongs to those States or to public bodies or nationals of the said States;

(d)	of which the master and officers are nationals of a Member State of the Community or of the Faroe Islands; and

(e)	of which at least 75 % of the crew are nationals of a Member State of the Community or of the Faroe Islands.

Article 6

Sufficiently worked or processed products

1. For the purposes of Article 2, products which are not wholly obtained shall be considered to be sufficiently worked or processed when the conditions set out in the list in Annex II are fulfilled.

The conditions referred to above indicate, for all products covered by the Agreement, the working or processing which must be carried out on non-originating materials used in manufacturing and apply only in relation to such materials. It follows that if a product which has acquired originating status by fulfilling the conditions set out in the list is used in the manufacture of another product, the conditions applicable to the product in which it is incorporated do not apply to it, and no account shall be taken of the non-originating materials which may have been used in its manufacture.

2. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, non-originating materials which, according to the conditions set out in the list in Annex II, shall not be used in the manufacture of a product may nevertheless be used, provided that:

(a)	their total value does not exceed 10 % of the ex-works price of the product;

(b)	any of the percentages given in the list for the maximum value of non-originating materials are not exceeded by virtue of this paragraph.

This paragraph shall not apply to products falling within Chapters 50 to 63 of the Harmonised System.

3. Paragraphs 1 and 2 shall apply subject to the provisions of Article 7.

Article 7

Insufficient working or processing

1. Without prejudice to paragraph 2, the following operations shall be considered as insufficient working or processing to confer the status of originating products, whether or not the requirements of Article 6 are satisfied:

(a)	preserving operations to ensure that the products remain in good condition during transport and storage;

(b)	breaking-up and assembly of packages;

(c)	washing, cleaning; removal of dust, oxide, oil, paint or other coverings;

(d)	ironing or pressing of textiles;

(e)	simple painting and polishing operations;

(f)	husking, partial or total bleaching, polishing, and glazing of cereals and rice;

(g)	operations to colour sugar or form sugar lumps;

(h)	peeling, stoning and shelling, of fruits, nuts and vegetables;

(i)	sharpening, simple grinding or simple cutting;

(j)	sifting, screening, sorting, classifying, grading, matching; (including the making-up of sets of articles);

(k)	simple placing in bottles, cans, flasks, bags, cases, boxes, fixing on cards or boards and all other simple packaging operations;

(l)	affixing or printing marks, labels, logos and other like distinguishing signs on products or their packaging;

(m)	simple mixing of products, whether or not of different kinds;

(n)	simple assembly of parts of articles to constitute a complete article or disassembly of products into parts;

(o)	a combination of two or more operations specified in (a) to (n);

(p)	slaughter of animals.

2. All operations carried out either in the Community or in the Faroe Islands on a given product shall be considered together when determining whether the working or processing undergone by that product is to be regarded as insufficient within the meaning of paragraph 1.

Article 8

Unit of qualification

1. The unit of qualification for the application of the provisions of this Protocol shall be the particular product which is considered as the basic unit when determining classification using the nomenclature of the Harmonised System.

It follows that:

(a)	when a product composed of a group or assembly of articles is classified under the terms of the Harmonised System in a single heading, the whole constitutes the unit of qualification;

(b)	when a consignment consists of a number of identical products classified under the same heading of the Harmonised System, each product must be taken individually when applying the provisions of this Protocol.

2. Where, under General Rule 5 of the Harmonised System, packaging is included with the product for classification purposes, it shall be included for the purposes of determining origin.

Article 9

Accessories, spare parts and tools

Accessories, spare parts and tools dispatched with a piece of equipment, machine, apparatus or vehicle, which are part of the normal equipment and included in the price thereof or which are not separately invoiced, shall be regarded as one with the piece of equipment, machine, apparatus or vehicle in question.

Article 10

Sets

Sets, as defined in General Rule 3 of the Harmonised System, shall be regarded as originating when all component products are originating. Nevertheless, when a set is composed of originating and non-originating products, the set as a whole shall be regarded as originating, provided that the value of the non-originating products does not exceed 15 % of the ex-works price of the set.

Article 11

Neutral elements

In order to determine whether a product is an originating product, it shall not be necessary to determine the origin of the following which might be used in its manufacture:

(a)	energy and fuel;

(b)	plant and equipment;

(c)	machines and tools;

(d)	goods which neither enter into the final composition of the product nor are intended to do so.

TITLE III

TERRITORIAL REQUIREMENTS

Article 12

Principle of territoriality

1. Except as provided for in Article 2(1)(c), Articles 3 and 4 and paragraph 3 of this Article, the conditions for acquiring originating status set out in Title II must be fulfilled without interruption in the Community or in the Faroe Islands.

2. Except as provided for in Articles 3 and 4, where originating goods exported from the Community or from the Faroe Islands to another country return, they must be considered as non-originating, unless it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the customs authorities that:

(a)	the returning goods are the same as those exported; and

(b)	they have not undergone any operation beyond that necessary to preserve them in good condition while in that country or while being exported.

3. The acquisition of originating status in accordance with the conditions set out in Title II shall not be affected by working or processing done outside the Community or the Faroe Islands on materials exported from the Community or from the Faroe Islands and subsequently re-imported there, provided:

(a)	the said materials are wholly obtained in the Community or in the Faroe Islands or have undergone working or processing beyond the operations referred to in Article 7 prior to being exported; and

(b)

it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the customs authorities that: (i) the re-imported goods have been obtained by working or processing the exported materials; and (ii) the total added value acquired outside the Community or the Faroe Islands by applying the provisions of this Article does not exceed 10 % of the ex-works price of the end product for which originating status is claimed.

4. For the purposes of paragraph 3, the conditions for acquiring originating status set out in Title II shall not apply to working or processing done outside the Community or the Faroe Islands. However, where, in the list in Annex II, a rule setting a maximum value for all the non-originating materials incorporated is applied in determining the originating status of the end product, the total value of the non-originating materials incorporated in the territory of the party concerned, taken together with the total added value acquired outside the Community or the Faroe Islands by applying the provisions of this Article, shall not exceed the stated percentage.

5. For the purposes of applying the provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4, ‘total added value‘�shall be taken to mean all costs arising outside the Community or the Faroe Islands, including the value of the materials incorporated there.

6. The provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4 shall not apply to products which do not fulfil the conditions set out in the list in Annex II or which can be considered sufficiently worked or processed only if the general tolerance fixed in Article 6(2) is applied.

7. The provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4 shall not apply to products of Chapters 50 to 63 of the Harmonised System.

8. Any working or processing of the kind covered by this Article and done outside the Community or the Faroe Islands shall be done under the outward processing arrangements, or similar arrangements.

Article 13

Direct transport

1. The preferential treatment provided for under the Agreement applies only to products, satisfying the requirements of this Protocol, which are transported directly between the Community and the Faroe Islands or through the territories of the other countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4 with which cumulation is applicable. However, products constituting one single consignment may be transported through other territories with, should the occasion arise, trans-shipment or temporary warehousing in such territories, provided that they remain under the surveillance of the customs authorities in the country of transit or warehousing and do not undergo operations other than unloading, reloading or any operation designed to preserve them in good condition.

Originating products may be transported by pipeline across territory other than that of the Community or the Faroe Islands.

2. Evidence that the conditions set out in paragraph 1 have been fulfilled shall be supplied to the customs authorities of the importing country by the production of:

(a)	a single transport document covering the passage from the exporting country through the country of transit; or

(b)

a certificate issued by the customs authorities of the country of transit: (i) giving an exact description of the products; (ii) stating the dates of unloading and reloading of the products and, where applicable, the names of the ships, or the other means of transport used; and (iii) certifying the conditions under which the products remained in the transit country; or

(c)	failing these, any substantiating documents.

Article 14

Exhibitions

1. Originating products, sent for exhibition in a country other than those referred to in Articles 3 and 4 with which cumulation is applicable and sold after the exhibition for importation in the Community or in the Faroe Islands shall benefit on importation from the provisions of the Agreement provided it is shown to the satisfaction of the customs authorities that:

(a)	an exporter has consigned these products from the Community or from the Faroe Islands to the country in which the exhibition is held and has exhibited them there;

(b)	the products have been sold or otherwise disposed of by that exporter to a person in the Community or in the Faroe Islands;

(c)	the products have been consigned during the exhibition or immediately thereafter in the state in which they were sent for exhibition; and

(d)	the products have not, since they were consigned for exhibition, been used for any purpose other than demonstration at the exhibition.

2. A proof of origin shall be issued or made out in accordance with the provisions of Title V and submitted to the customs authorities of the importing country in the normal manner. The name and address of the exhibition shall be indicated thereon. Where necessary, additional documentary evidence of the conditions under which the products have been exhibited may be required.

3. Paragraph 1 shall apply to any trade, industrial, agricultural or crafts exhibition, fair or similar public show or display which is not organised for private purposes in shops or business premises with a view to the sale of foreign products, and during which the products remain under customs control.

TITLE IV

DRAWBACK OR EXEMPTION

Article 15

Prohibition of drawback of, or exemption from, customs duties

1.

(a) Non-originating materials used in the manufacture of products originating in the Community, in the Faroe Islands or in one of the other countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4 for which a proof of origin is issued or made out in accordance with the provisions of Title V shall not be subject in the Community or in the Faroe Islands to drawback of, or exemption from, customs duties of whatever kind. (b) Products falling within Chapter 3 and headings 1604 and 1605 of the Harmonised System and originating in the Community as provided for in Article 2(1)(c), for which a proof of origin is issued or made out in accordance with the provisions of Title V shall not be subject in the Community to drawback of, or exemption from, customs duties of whatever kind.

2. The prohibition in paragraph 1 shall apply to any arrangement for refund, remission or non-payment, partial or complete, of customs duties or charges having an equivalent effect, applicable in the Community or in the Faroe Islands to materials used in the manufacture and to products covered by paragraph 1(b), where such refund, remission or non-payment applies, expressly or in effect, when products obtained from the said materials are exported and not when they are retained for home use there.

3. The exporter of products covered by a proof of origin shall be prepared to submit at any time, upon request from the customs authorities, all appropriate documents proving that no drawback has been obtained in respect of the non-originating materials used in the manufacture of the products concerned and that all customs duties or charges having equivalent effect applicable to such materials have actually been paid.

4. The provisions of paragraphs 1 to 3 shall also apply in respect of packaging within the meaning of Article 8(2), accessories, spare parts and tools within the meaning of Article 9 and products in a set within the meaning of Article 10 when such items are non-originating.

5. The provisions of paragraphs 1 to 4 shall apply only in respect of materials which are of the kind to which the Agreement applies. Furthermore, they shall not preclude the application of an export refund system for agricultural products, applicable upon export in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement.

TITLE V

PROOF OF ORIGIN

Article 16

General requirements

1. Products originating in the Community shall, on importation into the Faroe Islands, and products originating in the Faroe Islands shall, on importation into the Community, benefit from the provisions of the Agreement upon submission of one of the following proofs of origin:

(a)	a movement certificate EUR.1, a specimen of which appears in Annex IIIa;

(b)	a movement certificate EUR-MED, a specimen of which appears in Annex IIIb;

(c)

in the cases specified in Article 22(1), a declaration, subsequently referred to as the ‘榠nvoice declaration‘�or the ‘榠nvoice declaration EUR-MED‘� given by the exporter on an invoice, a delivery note or any other commercial document which describes the products concerned in sufficient detail to enable them to be identified; the texts of the invoice declarations appear in Annexes IVa and b.

2. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, originating products within the meaning of this Protocol shall, in the cases specified in Article 27, benefit from the provisions of the Agreement without it being necessary to submit any of the proofs of origin referred to in paragraph 1.

Article 17

Procedure for the issue of a movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED

1. A movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED shall be issued by the customs authorities of the exporting country on application having been made in writing by the exporter or, under the exporter's responsibility, by his authorised representative.

2. For this purpose, the exporter or his authorised representative shall fill in both the movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED and the application form, specimens of which appear in the Annexes IIIa and b. These forms shall be completed in one of the languages in which the Agreement is drawn up and in accordance with the provisions of the national law of the exporting country. If the forms are handwritten, they shall be completed in ink in printed characters. The description of the products shall be given in the box reserved for this purpose without leaving any blank lines. Where the box is not completely filled, a horizontal line shall be drawn below the last line of the description, the empty space being crossed through.

3. The exporter applying for the issue of a movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED shall be prepared to submit at any time, at the request of the customs authorities of the exporting country where the movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED is issued, all appropriate documents proving the originating status of the products concerned as well as the fulfilment of the other requirements of this Protocol.

4. Without prejudice to paragraph 5, a movement certificate EUR.1 shall be issued by the customs authorities of a Member State of the Community or of the Faroe Islands in the following cases:

‘�/p>

if the products concerned can be considered as products originating in the Community or in the Faroe Islands without application of cumulation with materials originating in one of the other countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4, and fulfil the other requirements of this Protocol;

‘�/p>

if the products concerned can be considered as products originating in one of the countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4 with which cumulation is applicable, without application of cumulation with materials originating in one of the countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4 and fulfil the other requirements of this Protocol, provided a certificate EUR-MED or an invoice declaration EUR-MED has been issued in the country of origin.

5. A movement certificate EUR-MED shall be issued by the customs authorities of a Member State of the Community or of the Faroe Islands, if the products concerned can be considered as products originating in the Community, in the Faroe Islands or in one of the other countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4 with which cumulation is applicable, fulfil the requirements of this Protocol and:

‘�/p>

cumulation was applied with materials originating in one of the countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4, or

‘�/p>

the products may be used as materials in the context of cumulation for the manufacture of products for export to one of the countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4, or

‘�/p>

the products may be re-exported from the country of destination to one of the other countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4.

6. A movement certificate EUR-MED shall contain one of the following statements in English in Box 7:

‘�/p>

if origin has been obtained by application of cumulation with materials originating in one or more of the countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4: ‘楥UMULATION APPLIED WITH ‘︹�‘�(name of the country/countries)

‘�/p>

if origin has been obtained without the application of cumulation with materials originating in one or more of the countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4: ‘NO CUMULATION APPLIED‘�/p>

7. The customs authorities issuing movement certificates EUR.1 or EUR-MED shall take any steps necessary to verify the originating status of the products and the fulfilment of the other requirements of this Protocol. For this purpose, they shall have the right to call for any evidence and to carry out any inspection of the exporter's accounts or any other check considered appropriate. They shall also ensure that the forms referred to in paragraph 2 are duly completed. In particular, they shall check whether the space reserved for the description of the products has been completed in such a manner as to exclude all possibility of fraudulent additions.

8. The date of issue of the movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED shall be indicated in Box 11 of the certificate.

9. A movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED shall be issued by the customs authorities and made available to the exporter as soon as actual exportation has been effected or ensured.

Article 18

Movement certificates EUR.1 or EUR-MED issued retrospectively

1. Notwithstanding Article 17(9), a movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED may exceptionally be issued after exportation of the products to which it relates if:

(a)	it was not issued at the time of exportation because of errors or involuntary omissions or special circumstances; or

(b)	it is certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED was issued but was not accepted at importation for technical reasons.

2. Notwithstanding Article 17(9), a movement certificate EUR-MED may be issued after exportation of the products to which it relates and for which a movement certificate EUR.1 was issued at the time of exportation, provided that it is demonstrated to the satisfaction of the customs authorities that the conditions referred to in Article 17(5) are satisfied.

3. For the implementation of paragraphs 1 and 2, the exporter must indicate in his application the place and date of exportation of the products to which the movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED relates, and state the reasons for his request.

4. The customs authorities may issue a movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED retrospectively only after verifying that the information supplied in the exporter's application complies with that in the corresponding file.

5. Movement certificates EUR.1 or EUR-MED issued retrospectively shall be endorsed with the following phrase in English:

Movement certificates EUR-MED issued retrospectively by application of paragraph 2 shall be endorsed with the following phrase in English:

6. The endorsement referred to in paragraph 5 shall be inserted in Box 7 of the movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED.

Article 19

Issue of a duplicate movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED

1. In the event of theft, loss or destruction of a movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED, the exporter may apply to the customs authorities which issued it for a duplicate made out on the basis of the export documents in their possession.

2. The duplicate issued in this way shall be endorsed with the following word in English:

3. The endorsement referred to in paragraph 2 shall be inserted in Box 7 of the duplicate movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED.

4. The duplicate, which shall bear the date of issue of the original movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED, shall take effect as from that date.

Article 20

Issue of movement certificates EUR.1 or EUR-MED on the basis of a proof of origin issued or made out previously

When originating products are placed under the control of a customs office in the Community or in the Faroe Islands, it shall be possible to replace the original proof of origin by one or more movement certificates EUR.1 or EUR-MED for the purpose of sending all or some of these products elsewhere within the Community or the Faroe Islands. The replacement movement certificate(s) EUR.1 or EUR-MED shall be issued by the customs office under whose control the products are placed.

Article 21

Accounting segregation

1. Where considerable cost or material difficulties arise in keeping separate stocks of originating and non-originating materials which are identical and interchangeable, the customs authorities may, at the written request of those concerned, authorise the so-called ‘榓ccounting segregation‘�method (hereinafter referred to as the method) to be used for managing such stocks.

2. The method must be able to ensure that, for a specific reference period, the number of products obtained which could be considered as ‘originating‘�is the same as that which would have been obtained had there been physical segregation of the stocks.

3. The customs authorities may make the grant of authorisation referred to in paragraph 1 subject to any conditions deemed appropriate.

4. The method shall be applied and the application thereof shall be recorded on the basis of the general accounting principles applicable in the country where the product was manufactured.

5. The beneficiary of the method may make out or apply for proofs of origin, as the case may be, for the quantity of products which may be considered as originating. At the request of the customs authorities, the beneficiary shall provide a statement of how the quantities have been managed.

6. The customs authorities shall monitor the use made of the authorisation and may withdraw it whenever the beneficiary makes improper use of the authorisation in any manner whatsoever or fails to fulfil any of the other conditions laid down in this Protocol.

Article 22

Conditions for making out an invoice declaration or an invoice declaration EUR-MED

1. An invoice declaration or an invoice declaration EUR-MED as referred to in Article 16(1)(c) may be made out:

(a)	by an approved exporter within the meaning of Article 23, or

(b)	by any exporter for any consignment consisting of one or more packages containing originating products whose total value does not exceed EUR 6 000.

2. Without prejudice to paragraph 3, an invoice declaration may be made out in the following cases:

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if the products concerned may be considered as products originating in the Community or in the Faroe Islands without application of cumulation with materials originating in one of the other countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4, and fulfil the other requirements of this Protocol,

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if the products concerned may be considered as products originating in one of the countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4 with which cumulation is applicable, without application of cumulation with materials originating in one of the countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4 and fulfil the other requirements of this Protocol, provided a certificate EUR-MED or an invoice declaration EUR-MED has been issued in the country of origin.

3. An invoice declaration EUR-MED may be made out if the products concerned may be considered as products originating in the Community, in the Faroe Islands or in one of the other countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4 with which cumulation is applicable, fulfil the requirements of this Protocol and:

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cumulation was applied with materials originating in one of the countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4, or

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the products may be used as materials in the context of cumulation for the manufacture of products for export to one of the countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4, or

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the products may be re-exported from the country of destination to one of the other countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4.

4. An invoice declaration EUR-MED shall contain one of the following statements in English:

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if origin has been obtained by application of cumulation with materials originating in one or more of the countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4: ‘楥UMULATION APPLIED WITH ‘︹�‘櫬�name of the country/countries)

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if origin has been obtained without application of cumulation with materials originating in one or more of the countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4: ‘NO CUMULATION APPLIED‘�/p>

5. The exporter making out an invoice declaration or an invoice declaration EUR-MED shall be prepared to submit at any time, at the request of the customs authorities of the exporting country, all appropriate documents proving the originating status of the products concerned as well as the fulfilment of the other requirements of this Protocol.

6. An invoice declaration or an invoice declaration EUR-MED shall be made out by the exporter by typing, stamping or printing on the invoice, the delivery note or another commercial document, the declaration, the text of which appears in Annexes IVa and b, using one of the linguistic versions set out in these Annexes and in accordance with the provisions of the national law of the exporting country. If the declaration is handwritten, it shall be written in ink in printed characters.

7. Invoice declarations and invoice declarations EUR-MED shall bear the original signature of the exporter in manuscript. However, an approved exporter within the meaning of Article 23 shall not be required to sign such declarations provided that he gives the customs authorities of the exporting country a written undertaking that he accepts full responsibility for any invoice declaration which identifies him as if it had been signed in manuscript by him.

8. An invoice declaration or an invoice declaration EUR-MED may be made out by the exporter when the products to which it relates are exported, or after exportation on condition that it is presented in the importing country at the latest two years after the importation of the products to which it relates.

Article 23

Approved exporter

1. The customs authorities of the exporting country may authorise any exporter (hereinafter referred to as approved exporter) who makes frequent shipments of products under the Agreement to make out invoice declarations or invoice declarations EUR-MED irrespective of the value of the products concerned. An exporter seeking such authorisation shall offer to the satisfaction of the customs authorities all guarantees necessary to verify the originating status of the products as well as the fulfilment of the other requirements of this Protocol.

2. The customs authorities may grant the status of approved exporter subject to any conditions which they consider appropriate.

3. The customs authorities shall grant to the approved exporter a customs authorisation number which shall appear on the invoice declaration or on the invoice declaration EUR-MED.

4. The customs authorities shall monitor the use of the authorisation by the approved exporter.

5. The customs authorities may withdraw the authorisation at any time. They shall do so where the approved exporter no longer offers the guarantees referred to in paragraph 1, no longer fulfils the conditions referred to in paragraph 2 or otherwise makes an incorrect use of the authorisation.

Article 24

Validity of proof of origin

1. A proof of origin shall be valid for four months from the date of issue in the exporting country and shall be submitted within the said period to the customs authorities of the importing country.

2. Proofs of origin which are submitted to the customs authorities of the importing country after the final date for presentation specified in paragraph 1 may be accepted for the purpose of applying preferential treatment, where the failure to submit these documents by the final date set is due to exceptional circumstances.

3. In other cases of belated presentation, the customs authorities of the importing country may accept the proofs of origin where the products have been submitted before the said final date.

Article 25

Submission of proof of origin

Proofs of origin shall be submitted to the customs authorities of the importing country in accordance with the procedures applicable in that country. The said authorities may require a translation of a proof of origin and may also require the import declaration to be accompanied by a statement from the importer to the effect that the products meet the conditions required for the implementation of the Agreement.

Article 26

Importation by instalments

Where, at the request of the importer and on the conditions laid down by the customs authorities of the importing country, dismantled or non-assembled products within the meaning of General Rule 2(a) of the Harmonised System falling within Sections XVI and XVII or headings 7308 and 9406 of the Harmonised System are imported by instalments, a single proof of origin for such products shall be submitted to the customs authorities upon importation of the first instalment.

Article 27

Exemptions from proof of origin

1. Products sent as small packages from private persons to private persons or forming part of travellers' personal luggage shall be admitted as originating products without requiring the submission of a proof of origin, provided that such products are not imported by way of trade and have been declared as meeting the requirements of this Protocol and where there is no doubt as to the veracity of such a declaration. In the case of products sent by post, this declaration can be made on customs declaration CN22/CN23 or on a sheet of paper annexed to that document.

2. Imports which are occasional and consist solely of products for the personal use of the recipients or travellers or their families shall not be considered as imports by way of trade if it is evident from the nature and quantity of the products that no commercial purpose is in view.

3. Furthermore, the total value of these products shall not exceed EUR 500 in the case of small packages or EUR 1 200 in the case of products forming part of travellers' personal luggage.

Article 28

Supporting documents

The documents referred to in Articles 17(3) and 22(5) used for the purpose of proving that products covered by a movement certificate EUR.1 or EUR-MED or an invoice declaration or invoice declaration EUR-MED may be considered as products originating in the Community, in the Faroe Islands or in one of the other countries referred to in Articles 3 and 4 and fulfil the other requirements of this Protocol may consist ‘�span class="italic">inter alia