ASEAN - China
Free Trade Area (ACFTA)

• Tariff elimination for 94.6% of all tariff lines for Singapore’s originating exports to China.
• Allows for back-to-back shipment of goods within member countries:. ACFTA originating goods brought into Singapore from ASEAN countries or China and are re-exported within these countries, without any processing in Singapore, can enjoy tariff concessions. Originating products passing through Parties can also retain their originating status.
• Allows for third-party invoicing of goods.: Customs authorities in the importing country may accept a Certificate of Origin when the sales invoice is issued from a different country or company exporting the originating goods in various sectors, provided that the good meets the necessary requirements. This invoice can come from countries that are not Parties to this Agreement.
• Allows for Regional Cumulation:. Originating raw materials souorced from other ASEAN Member States and China can be taken into account when assessing the origin criteria of final products manufactured in Singapore. This makes it easier for Singapore exporters’ products to meet the criteria for preferential treatment.
• Enhanced Product Specific Rules of Origin (PSRs) are more liberal, flexible and business friendly, and allow businesses to qualify for the benefits under the ACFTA more easily.
• Safeguards market access and ensures a more predictable operating environment for service suppliers.
• Greater market access and improved foreign equity thresholds in six of China’s services sectors.
• Protection for investors and investments in ASEAN and China. This creates a more transparent, facilitative, and secure environment for investors.
• Expanded Economic Cooperation and Technical Cooperation provisions relating to information sharing and capacity building allow Singapore’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to enhance their capabilities.

• July 2005 – Trade in Goods
• July 2007 – Trade in Services
• August 2009 – Investment
• September 2016 – Upgrade Protocol
• September 2019 – Rules of Origin provisions of the ACFTA Upgrade Protocol

Step 2: Find out your product's rules of origin

 

Rules of origin are a set of criteria which determine a product's originating status in each respective FTA. It is put in place to ensure that only goods originating from the FTA partner countries will benefit from tariff concessions.

Is your product obtained/produced entirely within Singapore?		Wholly Obtained Rule applies
Does your product fall under the list for 'Product Specific Rules'? Click here to find out		Product Specific Rule applies
40% of its content must originate from the ASEAN-China region

Is your product obtained/produced entirely within Singapore?
	Wholly Obtained Rule applies
Does your product fall under the list for 'Product Specific Rules'? Click here to find out
	Product Specific Rule applies
40% of its content must originate from the ASEAN-China region

Singapore Customs is the authorised body in Singapore for FTA Preferential Certificate of Origin (PCO) application. Below are the three general documentary processes in using FTA.

The process from registration to receiving PCO would typically take less than one month. Please refer here for more information.

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