OAS

 

North American Free Trade Agreement

Chapter Four: Rules of Origin

Article 401: Originating Goods

Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, a good shall originate in the territory of a Party where:

    a) the good is wholly obtained or produced entirely in the territory of one or more of the Parties, as defined in Article 415;

    b) each of the non-originating materials used in the production of the good undergoes an applicable change in tariff classification set out in Annex 401 as a result of production occurring entirely in the territory of one or more of the Parties, or the good otherwise satisfies the applicable requirements of that Annex where no change in tariff classification is required, and the good satisfies all other applicable requirements of this Chapter;

    c) the good is produced entirely in the territory of one or more of the Parties exclusively from originating materials; or

    d) except for a good provided for in Chapters 61 through 63 of the Harmonized System, the good is produced entirely in the territory of one or more of the Parties but one or more of the non-originating materials provided for as parts under the Harmonized System that are used in the production of the good does not undergo a change in tariff classification because

      (i) the good was imported into the territory of a Party in an unassembled or a disassembled form but was classified as an assembled good pursuant to General Rule of Interpretation 2(a) of the Harmonized System, or

      (ii) the heading for the good provides for and specifically describes both the good itself and its parts and is not further subdivided into subheadings, or the subheading for the good provides for and specifically describes both the good itself and its parts,

    provided that the regional value content of the good, determined in accordance with Article 402, is not less than 60 percent where the transaction value method is used, or is not less than 50 percent where the net cost method is used, and that the good satisfies all other applicable requirements of this Chapter.

Article 402: Regional Value Content

1. Except as provided in paragraph 5, each Party shall provide that the regional value content of a good shall be calculated, at the choice of the exporter or producer of the good, on the basis of either the transaction value method set out in paragraph 2 or the net cost method set out in paragraph 3.

2. Each Party shall provide that an exporter or producer may calculate the regional value content of a good on the basis of the following transaction value method:

TV - VNM
RVC= --------------- x 100
TV

where

RVC is the regional value content, expressed as a percentage;

TV is the transaction value of the good adjusted to a F.O.B. basis; and

VNM is the value of non-originating materials used by the producer in the production of the good.

3. Each Party shall provide that an exporter or producer may calculate the regional value content of a good on the basis of the following net cost method:

NC - VNM
RVC= ---------------x 100
NC

where

RVC is the regional value content, expressed as a percentage;

NC is the net cost of the good; and

VNM is the value of non-originating materials used by the producer in the production of the good.

4. Except as provided in Article 403(1) and for a motor vehicle identified in Article 403(2) or a component identified in Annex 403.2, the value of non-originating materials used by the producer in the production of a good shall not, for purposes of calculating the regional value content of the good under paragraph 2 or 3, include the value of nonoriginating materials used to produce originating materials that are subsequently used in the production of the good.

5. Each Party shall provide that an exporter or producer shall calculate the regional value content of a good solely on the basis of the net cost method set out in paragraph 3 where:

    a) there is no transaction value for the good;

    b) the transaction value of the good is unacceptable under Article 1 of the Customs Valuation Code;

    c) the good is sold by the producer to a related person and the volume, by units of quantity, of sales of identical or similar goods to related persons during the six-month period immediately preceding the month in which the good is sold exceeds 85 percent of the producer's total sales of such goods during that period;

    d) the good is

      (i) a motor vehicle provided for in heading 87.01 or 87.02, subheading 8703.21 through 8703.90, or heading 87.04, 87.05 or 87.06,

      (ii) identified in Annex 403.1 or 403.2 and is for use in a motor vehicle provided for in heading 87.01 or 87.02, subheading 8703.21 through 8703.90, or heading 87.04, 87.05 or 87.06,

      (iii) provided for in subheading 6401.10 through 6406.10, or

      (iv) provided for in tariff item 8469.10.aa (word processing machines);

    e) the exporter or producer chooses to accumulate the regional value content of the good in accordance with Article 404; or

    f) the good is designated as an intermediate material under paragraph 10 and is subject to a regional value-content requirement.

6. If an exporter or producer of a good calculates the regional value-content of the good on the basis of the transaction value method set out in paragraph 2 and a Party subsequently notifies the exporter or producer, during the course of a verification pursuant to Chapter Five (Customs Procedures), that the transaction value of the good, or the value of any material used in the production of the good, is required to be adjusted or is unacceptable under Article 1 of the Customs Valuation Code, the exporter or producer may then also calculate the regional value content of the good on the basis of the net cost method set out in paragraph 3.

7. Nothing in paragraph 6 shall be construed to prevent any review or appeal available under Article 510 (Review and Appeal) of an adjustment to or a rejection of:

    a) the transaction value of a good; or

    b) the value of any material used in the production of a good.

8. For purposes of calculating the net cost of a good under paragraph 3, the producer of the good may:

    a) calculate the total cost incurred with respect to all goods produced by that producer, subtract any sales promotion, marketing and aftersales service costs, royalties, shipping and packing costs, and non-allowable interest costs that are included in the total cost of all such goods, and then reasonably allocate the resulting net cost of those goods to the good,

    b) calculate the total cost incurred with respect to all goods produced by that producer, reasonably allocate the total cost to the good, and then subtract any sales promotion, marketing and aftersales service costs, royalties, shipping and packing costs and non allowable interest costs that are included in the portion of the total cost allocated to the good, or

    c) reasonably allocate each cost that forms part of the total cost incurred with respect to the good so that the aggregate of these costs does not include any sales promotion, marketing and aftersales service costs, royalties, shipping and packing costs, and non-allowable interest costs,

provided that the allocation of all such costs is consistent with the provisions regarding the reasonable allocation of costs set out in the Uniform Regulations, established under Article 511 (Customs Procedures Uniform Regulations).

9. Except as provided in paragraph 11, the value of a material used in the production of a good shall:

    a) be the transaction value of the material determined in accordance with Article 1 of the Customs Valuation Code; or

    b) in the event that there is no transaction value or the transaction value of the material is unacceptable under Article 1 of the Customs Valuation Code, be determined in accordance with Articles 2 through 7 of the Customs Valuation Code; and

    c) where not included under subparagraph (a) or (b), include

      (i) freight, insurance, packing and all other costs incurred in transporting the material to the location of the producer,

      (ii) duties, taxes and customs brokerage fees on the material paid in the territory of one or more of the Parties, and

      (iii) the cost of waste and spoilage resulting from the use of the material in the production of the good, less the value of renewable scrap or byproduct.

10. Except as provided in Article 403(1), any self-produced material, other than a componenet identified in Annex 403.2, that is used in the production of a good may be designated by the producer of the good as an intermediate material for the purpose of calculating the regional value content of the good under paragraph 2 or 3, provided that where the intermediate material is subject to a regional value-content requirement used in the production of that intermediate material may itself be designated by the producer as an intermediate material.

11. The value of an intermediate material shall be:

    a) the total cost incurred with respect to all goods produced by the producer of the good that can be reasonably allocated to that intermediate material; or

    b) the aggregate of each cost that forms part of the total cost incurred with respect to that intermediate material that can be reasonably allocated to that intermediate material.

12. The value of an indirect material shall be based on the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles applicable in the territory of the Party in which the good is produced.

Article 403: Automotive Goods

1. For purposes of calculating the regional value content under the net cost method set out in Article 402(3) for:

    a) a good that is a motor vehicle provided for in tariff item 8702.10.bb or 8702.90.bb (vehicles for the transport of 15 or fewer persons), or subheading 8703.21 through 8703.90, 8704.21 or 8704.31, or

    b) a good provided for in the tariff provisions listed in Annex 403.1 where the good is subject to a regional value-content requirement and is for use as original equipment in the production of a good provided for in tariff item 8702.10.bb or 8702.90.bb (vehicles for the transport of 15 or fewer persons), or subheading 8702.xx, 8703.21 through 8703.90, 8704.21 or 8704.31,

the value of non-originating materials used by the producer in the production of the good shall be the sum of the values of non-originating materials, determined in accordance with Article 402(9) at the time the non-originating materials are received by the first person in the territory of a Party who takes title to them, that are imported from outside the territories of the Parties under the tariff provisions listed in Annex 403.1 and that are used in the production of the good or that are used in the production of any material used in the production of the good.

2. For purposes of calculating the regional value content under the net cost method set out in Article 402(3) for a good that is a motor vehicle provided for in heading 87.01, tariff item 8702.10.aa or 8702.90.aa (vehicles for the transport of 16 or more persons), subheading 8704.10, 8704.22, 8704.23, 8704.32 or 8704.90, or heading 87.05 or 87.06, or for a component identified in Annex 403.2 for use as original equipment in the production of the motor vehicle, the value of non-originating materials used by the producer in the production of the good shall be the sum of:

    a) for each material used by the producer listed in Annex 403.2, whether or not produced by the producer, at the choice of the producer and determined in accordance with Article 402, either

      (i) the value of such material that is non originating, or

      (ii) the value of non-originating materials used in the production of such material; and

    b) the value of any other non-originating material used by the producer that is not listed in Annex 403.2, determined in accordance with Article 402.

3. For purposes of calculating the regional value content of a motor vehicle identified in paragraph 1 or 2, the producer may average its calculation over its fiscal year, using any one of the following categories, on the basis of either all motor vehicles in the category or only those motor vehicles in the category that are exported to the territory of one or more of the other Parties:

    a) the same model line of motor vehicles in the same class of vehicles produced in the same plant in the territory of a Party;

    b) the same class of motor vehicles produced in the same plant in the territory of a Party;

    c) the same model line of motor vehicles produced in the territory of a Party; or

    d) if applicable, the basis set out in Annex 403.3.

4. For purposes of calculating the regional value content for any or all goods provided for in a tariff provision listed in Annex 403.1, or a component or material identified in Annex 403.2, produced in the same plant, the producer of the good may:

    a) average its calculation

      (i) over the fiscal year of the motor vehicle producer to whom the good is sold,

      (ii) over any quarter or month, or

      (iii) over its fiscal year, if the good is sold as an aftermarket part;

    b) calculate the average referred to in subparagraph (a) separately for any or all goods sold to one or more motor vehicle producers; or

    c) with respect to any calculation under this paragraph, calculate separately those goods that are exported to the territory of one or more of the Parties.

5. Notwithstanding Annex 401, and except as provided in paragraph 6, the regional value-content requirement shall be:

    a) for a producer's fiscal year beginning on the day closest to January 1, 1998 and thereafter, 56 percent under the net cost method, and for a producer's fiscal year beginning on the day closest to January 1, 2002 and thereafter, 62.5 percent under the net cost method, for

      (i) a good that is a motor vehicle provided for in tariff item 8702.10.bb or 8702.90.bb (vehicles for the transport of 15 or fewer persons), or subheading 8703.21 through 8703.90, 8704.21 or 8704.31, and

      (ii) a good provided for in heading 84.07 or 84.08, or subheading 8708.40, that is for use in a motor vehicle identified in subparagraph (a)(i); and

    b) for a producer's fiscal year beginning on the day closest to January 1, 1998 and thereafter, 55 percent under the net cost method, and for a producer's fiscal year beginning on the day closest to January 1, 2002 and thereafter, 60 percent under the net cost method, for

      (i) a good that is a motor vehicle provided for in a tariff item 8702.10.aa or 8702.90.aa (vehicles for the transport of 15 or fewer persons), or subheading 8703.21 through 8703.21 through 8703.90, 8704.21 or 8704.31, and

      (ii) a good provided for in heading 84.07 or 84.08 or subheading 8708.40 that is for use in a motor vehicle identified in subparagraph (b)(i), and

      (iii) except for a good identified in subparagraph (a)(ii) or provided for in subheading 8482.10 through 8482.80, 8483.20 or 8483.30, a good identified in Annex 403.1 that is subject to a regional value content requirement and that is for use in a motor vehicle identified in subparagraphs (a)(i) or (b)(i).

6. The regional value-content requirement for a motor vehicle identified in Article 403(1) or 403(2) shall be:

    a) 50 percent for five years after the date on which the first motor vehicle prototype is produced in a plant by a motor vehicle assembler, if

      (i) it is a motor vehicle of a class, or marque, or, except for a motor vehicle identified in Article 403(2), size category and underbody, not previously produced by the motor vehicle assembler in the territory of any of the Parties,

      (ii) the plant consists of a new building in which the motor vehicle is assembled, and

      (iii) the plant contains substantially all new machinery that is used in the assembly of the motor vehicle; or

    b) 50 percent for two years after the date on which the first motor vehicle prototype is produced at a plant following a refit, if it is a different motor vehicle of a class, or marque, or, except for a motor vehicle identified in Article 403(2), size category and underbody, than was assembled by the motor vehicle assembler in the plant before the refit.

Article 404: Accumulation

1. For purposes of determining whether a good is an originating good, the production of the good in the territory of one or more of the Parties by one or more producers shall, at the choice of the exporter or producer of the good for which preferential tariff treatment is claimed, be considered to have been performed in the territory of any of the Parties by that exporter or producer, provided that:

    a) all non-originating materials used in the production of the good undergo an applicable tariff classification change set out in Annex 401, and the good satisfies any applicable regional value-content requirement, entirely in the territory of one or more of the Parties; and

    b) the good satisfies all other applicable requirements of this Chapter.

2. For purposes of Article 402(10), the production of a producer that chooses to accumulate its production with that of other producers under paragraph 1 shall be considered to be the production of a single producer.

Article 405: De Minimis

1. Except as provided in paragraphs 3 through 6, a good shall be considered to be an originating good if the value of all non-originating materials used in the production of the good that do not undergo an applicable change in tariff classification set out in Annex 401 is not more than seven percent of the transaction value of the good, adjusted to a F.O.B. basis, or, if the transaction value of the good is unacceptable under Article 1 of the Customs Valuation Code, the value of all such non-originating materials is not more than seven percent of the total cost of the good, provided that:

    a) if the good is subject to a regional value-content requirement, the value of such non-originating materials shall be taken into account in calculating the regional value content of the good; and

    b) the good satisfies all other applicable requirements of this Chapter.

2. A good that is otherwise subject to a regional value-content requirement shall not be required to satisfy such requirement if the value of all non-originating materials used in the production of the good is not more than seven percent of the transaction value of the good, adjusted to a F.O.B. basis, or, if the transaction value of the good is unacceptable under Article 1 of the Customs Valuation Code, the value of all non-originating materials is not more than seven percent of the total cost of the good, provided that the good satisfies all other applicable requirements of this Chapter.

3. Paragraph 1 does not apply to:

    a) a non-originating material provided for in Chapter 4 of the Harmonized System or tariff item 1901.90.aa (dairy preparations containing over 10 percent by weight of milk solids) that is used in the production of a good provided for in Chapter 4 of the Harmonized System;

    b) a non-originating material provided for in Chapter 4 of the Harmonized System or tariff item 1901.90.aa (dairy preparations containing over 10 percent by weight of milk solids) that is used in the production of a good provided for in tariff item 1901.10.aa (infant preparations containing over 10 percent by weight of milk solids), 1901.20.aa (mixes and doughs, containing over 25 percent by weight of butterfat, not put up for retail sale), 1901.90.aa (dairy preparations containing over 10 percent by weight of milk solids), heading 21.05, or tariff item 2106.90.dd (preparations containing over 10 percent by weight of milk solids), 2202.90.cc (beverages containing milk) or 2309.90.aa (animal feeds containing over 10 percent by weight of milk solids);

    c) a non-originating material provided for in heading 08.05 or subheading 2009.11 through 2009.30 that is used in the production of a good provided for in subheading 2009.11 through 2009.30 or tariff item 2106.90.bb (concentrated fruit or vegetable juice of any single fruit or vegetable, fortified with minerals or vitamins) or 2202.90.aa (fruit or vegetable juice of any single fruit or vegetable, fortified with minerals or vitamins);

    d) a non-originating material provided for in Chapter 9 of the Harmonized System that is used in the production of a good provided for in tariff item 2101.10.aa (instant coffee, not flavored);

    e) a non-originating material provided for in Chapter 15 of the Harmonized System that is used in the production of a good provided for in heading 15.01 through 15.08, 15.12, 15.14 or 15.15;

    f) a non-originating material provided for in heading 17.01 that is used in the production of a good provided for in heading 17.01 through 17.03;

    g) a non-originating material provided for in Chapter 17 of the Harmonized System or heading 18.05 that is used in the production of a good provided for in subheading 1806.10;

    h) a non-originating material provided for in heading 22.03 through 22.08 that is used in the production of a good provided for in heading 22.07 through 22.08;

    (i) a non-originating material used in the production of a good provided for in tariff item 7321.11.aa (gas stove or range), subheading 8415.10, 8415.81 through 8415.83, 8418.10 through 8418.21, 8418.29 through 8418.40, 8421.12, 8422.11, 8450.11 through 8450.20 or 8451.21 through 8451.29, Mexican tariff item 8479.82.aa (trash compactors) or Canadian or U.S. tariff item 8479.89.aa (trash compactors), or tariff item 8516.60.aa (electric stove or range); and

    (j) a printed circuit assembly that is a non-originating material used in the production of a good where the applicable change in tariff classification for the good, as set out in Annex 401, places restrictions on the use of such non-originating material.

4. Paragraph 1 does not apply to a non-originating single juice ingredient provided for in heading 20.09 that is used in the production of a good provided for in subheading 2009.90, or tariff item 2106.90.cc (concentrated mixtures of fruit or vegetable juice, fortified with minerals or vitamins) or 2202.90.bb (mixtures of fruit or vegetable juices, fortified with minerals or vitamins).

5. Paragraph 1 does not apply to a non-originating material used in the production of a good provided for in Chapter 1 through 27 of the Harmonized System unless the non-originating material is provided for in a different subheading than the good for which origin is being determined under this Article.

6. A good provided for in Chapter 50 through 63 of the Harmonized System that does not originate because certain fibers or yarns used in the production of the component of the good that determines the tariff classification of the good do not undergo an applicable change in tariff classification set out in Annex 401, shall nonetheless be considered to originate if the total weight of all such fibers or yarns in that component is not more than seven percent of the total weight of that component.

Article 406: Fungible Goods and Materials

For purposes of determining whether a good is an originating good:

    a) where originating and non-originating fungible materials are used in the production of a good, the determination of whether the materials are originating need not be made through the identification of any specific fungible material, but may be determined on the basis of any of the inventory management methods set out in the Uniform Regulations; and

    b) where originating and non-originating fungible goods are commingled and exported in the same form, the determination may be made on the basis of any of the inventory management methods set out in the Uniform Regulations.

Article 407: Accessories, Spare Parts and Tools

Accessories, spare parts or tools delivered with the good that form part of the good's standard accessories, spare parts, or tools, shall be considered as originating if the good originates and shall be disregarded in determining whether all the non­originating materials used in the production of the good undergo the applicable change in tariff classification set out in Annex 401, provided that:

    a) the accessories, spare parts or tools are not invoiced separately from the good;

    b) the quantities and value of the accessories, spare parts or tools are customary for the good; and

    c) if the good is subject to a regional value-content requirement, the value of the accessories, spare parts or tools shall be taken into account as originating or non-originating materials, as the case may be, in calculating the regional value content of the good.

Continue on to Article 408: Indirect Materials