General Preference Code

The General Preference Code is a 3-digit code that is added to the statistics code upon clearance.

For various reasons, certain countries are given preferential treatment to other countries when it comes to the extent of import duties. The trade threshold for import duties is often lowered for poor countries for reasons of “foreign aid”.

In order to qualify for this, the importer must substantiate the origins of the goods by submitting a Form A, a certificate of origin. This moderation does not apply to other customs duties for that matter. A Certificate of Origin is not a Form A, and will not automatically be enough to claim moderation. For imports from Turkey, a valid ATR1 document must be submitted. The EU has close commercial ties with a wide range of countries (e.g. South Africa and Norway); for such countries, a Certificate of Origin is often enough.

If you want to find out if you qualify for such moderation, please ask your Embassy Freight contact person. We recommend doing this before concluding the trade agreement with your foreign supplier.

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