Friday, March 19, 2010

Revised D-Memoranda: NAFTA Rules of Origin

(CBSA)

Memorandum D11-5-1 NAFTA Rules of Origin

• The title of this memorandum has been changed from NAFTA Rules of Origin Regulations to NAFTA Rules of Origin.

• This memorandum has been revised to reflect recent amendments to the NAFTA Rules of Origin Regulations as a result of the modifications to the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System which came into force on January 1, 2007. These amendments make a number of changes to the numbering of headings, subheadings or tariff items. They are technical in nature and do not represent a change in policy.

• Also, this revised memorandum will provide a stable link to the official version of the NAFTA Rules of Origin Regulations. The NAFTA Rules of Origin Regulations are no longer fully excerpted in this memorandum.

• These Regulations, amending the NAFTA Rules of Origin Regulations as a result of the modifications to the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, came into force on September 1, 2009.

Memorandum D11-5-2 NAFTA – Specific Rules of Origin

• The title of this memorandum has been changed from NAFTA Rules of Origin Regulations – Amendments to Schedule I – Specific Rules of Origin to NAFTA – Specific Rules of Origin.

• This memorandum has been revised to provide a stable link to the official version of the NAFTA Rules of Origin Regulations – Schedule I – Specific Rules of Origin. The NAFTA line-by-line rules are no longer fully excerpted in this memorandum.

• Amendments to the Schedule I – Specific Rules of Origin have been made to reflect modifications to the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) which came into force on January 1, 2007, and a liberalization of the rules of origin by the three NAFTA Parties.

• Changes to the numbering of headings, subheadings or tariff items to reflect modifications to the HS are technical in nature and do not affect the origin of goods. The changes to reflect the liberalization of the rules of origin act to ease the origin requirements for herbs and spices, petroleum, leather, certain textiles and apparel, aluminium, diesel engines, gas turbines and parts, valves, electric transformers, primary cells and batteries, telephonics, televisions, locomotives and parts, medical appliances and parts, and other instruments.