Lincolnshire Chamber to move to plain paper UK Certificates of Origin from 1st April 2023

Following recent communication, you will be aware that the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC), as the authorising body in the UK for Certificates of Origin has decided that plain paper United Kingdom Certificates of Origin will be issued from the 1st April 2023 in the UK.

From this date all applications will need to be made via the online Ecert platform. The layout and style of the Certificate of Origin will not change, and the use of the Standard submission method will still allow the Chamber to ink stamp UK Certificates of Origin where necessary.

What are the benefits?

Certificates of Origin printed via the online platform have additional security features such as the QR code, allowing anyone with the Certificate of Origin to scan the QR code and see an online version so they can check the document they have has not been amended or falsified.

Anyone with the Certificate of Origin will also be able to verify the authenticity of the Certificate via the ICC verification website: (https://certificates.iccwbo.org). Increasingly Customs authorities worldwide are looking to be able to verify Certificates of Origin online.

The change will also simplify the printing of Certificates of Origins for exporters, as there will no longer be the need to insert a blank pre purchased Certificate of Origin correctly into the printer before printing. However, please be aware the new format CofO’s will need to be printed in colour and to a suitable standard, that will be accepted by customs authorities.

How to prepare:

It is advised for all exporters to monitor stock levels of the pre-printed UK Certificates of Origin and take into consideration the change before purchasing anymore from the Chamber.

Over 40% of Certificates of Origin issued worldwide are now printed on plain paper and as we move into a digital future, the BCC wants the Chambers to be in the vanguard working with the Government to achieve its digital ambition for a paperless border by 2025. The move to plain paper Certificates of Origin is the first step in this journey.

For full details including answers to FAQ’s regarding this change please click here. To view our Plain Paper Key Changes Guide please click here.

Any questions in relation to this change, please don’t hesitate to contact the International Trade Team on 01522 846929, or at: international@lincs-chamber.co.uk