Singapore Customs has announced that importers may now opt for the electronic submission of the preferential certificate of origin (PCO) for claiming preferential tariff treatment for goods imported under various free trade agreements (FTAs).
In a circular dated March 13, the agency said that from April 1, an importer could choose to submit an electronic/scanned copy of the PCO or self-certification to Singapore Customs instead of a physical copy for claiming preferential treatment for the import of originating stout/porter, beer including ale, medicated samsu and other samsu products from eligible FTA partners.
With the new mode of submission, traders could scan and convert PCO or self-certification and supporting documents to common image format such as PDF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, DOC, etc. The documents should then be e-mailed to Singapore Customs.
For the submissions to be processed swiftly, traders should attach in the email a scanned copy of the PCO or self-certification (depending on the FTA); a scanned copy of the inward movement / duty payment permit or indicate the inward movement / duty payment permit number in the submission; commercial invoice; and bill of lading.
Singapore Customs also reminded importers of the importance of possessing the necessary supporting documentation and declaring the correct HS codes in the customs permits for the import to qualify for preferential tariff treatment, “failing which the imports of such products will not qualify for preferential tariff treatment.”
Photo: Merlion
