Page 51 - Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

Article 3.24: Verification exporting Party and state the proposed date and location
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for the visit and its specific purpose.
1. For the purposes of determining whether a good imported into one
Party from another Party qualifies as an originating good under 3. On request of the importing Party, a verification visit to the
this Chapter, the competent authority of the importing Party may premises of the exporter or producer may be conducted with the
conduct a verification process by means of: consent and assistance of the exporting Party, according to the
procedures agreed between the importing Party and exporting
(a) a written request for additional information from the Party.
importer;
4. For a verification under subparagraphs 1(a) through (d), the
(b) a written request for additional information from the importing Party shall:
exporter or producer;
(a) allow the importer, exporter, producer, or the issuing body
(c) a written request for additional information to the issuing or competent authority of the exporting Party between 30
body or competent authority of the exporting Party; and 90 days from the date of receipt of the written request
for information under subparagraphs 1(a) through (c) to
(d) a verification visit to the premises of the exporter or respond;
producer in the exporting Party to observe the facilities and
the production processes of the good and to review the (b) allow the exporter, producer, or the competent authority to
records referring to origin, including accounting files; or consent or refuse the request within 30 days of the date of
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its receipt of the written request for a verification visit under
(e) any other procedures to which the concerned Parties may subparagraph 1(d); and
agree.
(c) endeavour to make a determination following a verification
2. The importing Party shall: within 90 and 180 days of the date of its receipt of the
information necessary to make the determination.
(a) for the purposes of subparagraph 1(b), send a written
request with a copy of the Proof of Origin and the reasons 5. For the purposes of paragraph 1, the importing Party shall provide
for the request to the exporter or producer of the good, and a written notification of the result of verification with the reasons
the competent authority of the exporting Party; for that result to the importer, exporter, or producer of the good,
or the issuing body or competent authority of the exporting Party
(b) for the purposes of subparagraph 1(c), send a written that received the verification request.
request with a copy of the Proof of Origin and the reasons
for the request to the issuing body or competent authority 6. The customs authority of the importing Party may suspend the
of the exporting Party; and application of preferential tariff treatment while waiting for the
result of verification. The importing Party shall permit the release
(c) for the purposes of subparagraph 1(d), request the written of the good, but may require that such release be subject to
consent of the exporter or producer whose premises are lodgment of a security in accordance with its laws and regulations.
going to be visited, and the competent authority of the

Article 3.25: Denial of Preferential Tariff Treatment
6 For the purposes of this Article, a Party may designate one of its contact points
designated pursuant to Article 3.33 (Contact Points) as a single contact point for the 1. The customs authority of the importing Party may deny
verification of its exported goods with a view to facilitating the verification. preferential tariff treatment where:

7 A verification visit under this subparagraph shall only be undertaken after a verification
process in accordance with subparagraph (c) has been conducted. (a) the good does not meet the requirements of this Chapter;

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