Did you know that in 2014 the Spokane metro area had a total of 14,514 export supported jobs? Small-to-medium enterprises account for 24% of Washington’s total merchandise exports and in 2013 almost 13,000 companies exported from Washington. In other words, International Trade is going places!
GSI’s International Trade program works to enhance the regional economy and support job creation through the growth of local trade activity. With more than 95 percent of the world’s population and 80 percent of the purchasing power located outside of the United States, the global marketplace represents a significant opportunity for small businesses to expand their customer base.
We were recently trained and certified by the ICC World Chambers Federation in the issuance of Certificates of Origin, which means we now offer non-preferential certificates for U.S. products to our local exporters. A certificate of origin attests to a product’s country of origin and is used by foreign customs offices to determine duties and tariffs. Additionally, particular importers may require a certificate of origin with their order.
There are two types of certificates of origin, preferential and non-preferential. A non-preferential certificate, also known as a general or generic certificate of origin, is used with countries that do not have a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States. GSI issues only non-preferential certificates of origin because the standard used to determine eligibility is different for FTA countries and only the exporter can determine that information. And, generally (other than for Israel), no Chamber is required to certify the results of an FTA certificate of origin.
Preferential certificates are used for those countries with which the U.S. has an FTA. Because FTAs include reduction or elimination of particular duties and tariffs, goods exported to an FTA partner country can receive preferential treatment. Certain FTAs, such as NAFTA, require a specific certificate of origin.
Visit GSI’s Certificate of Origin page for more information on pricing and scheduling.
Information on all U.S. FTAs can be found here. And you can find information on the NAFTA Certificate of Origin here.
If you have any specific questions about how your business might benefit from International Trade, contact Drew Repp at 509.321.3634
