Origin
Inbound
When an inbound parcel is registered in the terminal’s ERP system, CS records the non-preferential country of origin provided by the customer. The customer is required to provide this information as part of the nomination. VTTI does not accept inbound shipments for which the non-preferential country of origin cannot be identified.
The recorded origin information remains linked to the relevant parcel and traceable for as long as the goods remain at the terminal. Any proof of origin, customs status document or other relevant supporting documentation provided by the customer is also recorded and retained in VTTI’s systems. This provides an auditable record and enables VTTI to use the origin information for customs purposes and, where relevant, for determining the origin of products resulting from processing or blending at the terminal.
CS performs a reasonableness check on the origin documentation provided by the customer. This check is intended to assess whether the documentation appears complete, meets the applicable formal requirements and can reasonably be linked to the shipment concerned. Any doubt, ambiguity or apparent error is followed up with the customer and, where necessary, escalated in accordance with VTTI’s Origin Procedure.
Preferential origin becomes particularly relevant where preferential tariff treatment is claimed upon release for free circulation. VTTI will only claim such treatment where the goods qualify as originating under the applicable preferential arrangement and the required proof of origin is available and has passed the reasonableness check. If these conditions are not met, VTTI will not claim preferential tariff treatment.
Outbound
Where goods leave the terminal unchanged, VTTI relies on the origin information and supporting documentation recorded upon arrival, supplemented where necessary by additional information or documentation provided by the customer.
Where goods have undergone processing or blending at the terminal, the origin of the resulting outbound product may need to be determined. VTTI determines the origin by applying the relevant origin rules to the available information on the input materials and the operations performed at the terminal. Depending on the applicable origin rule, factors such as the origin and customs classification of the input materials and the nature of the operations performed may be relevant.
Where the customer requests a proof of preferential origin for an outbound product, VTTI assesses whether the product qualifies as originating under the applicable preferential arrangement and whether that origin can be sufficiently substantiated. VTTI will only issue, make out or otherwise facilitate a proof of preferential origin where the applicable requirements are met and the required supporting evidence is available. If preferential origin cannot be sufficiently established or substantiated, VTTI will not issue or facilitate such proof.
The outcome and basis of an origin determination, together with the relevant supporting documentation, are recorded and retained in VTTI’s systems. This provides an auditable record and enables VTTI to link the origin of the outbound product to the relevant inbound materials and the operations performed at the terminal.
More practical details on origin are included in VTTI's Origin procedure, which can be found here.
A link to "C&E - Non-preferential origin" is included here.