A Certificate of Origin gets requested on almost every cross-border order, but which document actually satisfies that request depends on the destination and whether the shipment is claiming preferential duty treatment. Treating it as one interchangeable form causes real delays at customs.
Two kinds of Certificate of Origin, with different legal effect
A non-preferential Certificate of Origin states which country goods came from for general customs, statistical and labelling purposes. It does not reduce duty on its own.
A preferential Certificate of Origin (or, increasingly, a self-certified statement of origin) certifies that goods meet the specific rules of origin of a trade arrangement — a free trade agreement or a scheme like GSP+ — and it's this document, not the non-preferential one, that unlocks reduced or zero duty at the border.
Who issues it in Pakistan — this depends on the trade lane
For general (non-preferential) trade, regional Chambers of Commerce and Industry — Sialkot, Islamabad, Lahore and others — issue the Certificate of Origin against a commercial invoice, packing list and transport document, with a standard attestation process and fee.
For preferential trade-agreement shipments, TDAP issues an electronic Certificate of Origin (E-CO) through the Pakistan Single Window portal, carrying an officer's e-signature and a QR code for online verification.
For EU-bound GSP+ shipments specifically, neither of the above applies since 1 January 2018: TDAP stopped issuing traditional Certificates of Origin for GSP+ trade with the EU, UK, Norway and Switzerland. Instead, a Registered Exporter (REX) self-certifies origin by printing a Statement on Origin directly on the commercial invoice — no separate certificate at all. Self-certification without REX registration is only permitted for consignments under €6,000; above that, the exporter must be REX-registered.
What the document typically contains
- Exporter and consignee/importer name and address
- Means of transport and route
- Country of origin and HS code
- Marks, numbers, packages and description of goods
- Certifying signature and stamp from the issuing Chamber or authority, cross-referenced to the invoice
Ask for the right thing, not just "a Certificate of Origin"
A buyer requesting documentation should specify the actual trade lane — general MFN trade, a named trade agreement, or GSP+ — rather than asking generically for "a Certificate of Origin." For EU GSP+ orders, ask whether the exporter is REX-registered and expect a Statement on Origin on the invoice, not a separate chamber-stamped certificate.
Official sources
These sources support the market or regulatory context. Supplier capability still requires product-level verification.
This guide provides general commercial education. Product-specific technical, legal and regulatory requirements should be confirmed for the selected product and destination market.