Country of Origin as a Tariff Mitigation Strategy in the Current Trade Environment

Event description

While country of origin determination has always been a crucial element of supply chain management, it has become even more critical in the current trade environment. The analysis of the relative value of components based on detailed Bill of Materials (BOM) is insufficient for origin determination in most cases. With FTAs in flux and new rules announced weekly, it’s not clear which trade agreements may still be used to determine origin. While USMCA origin determination remains an important tool for companies trading with Canada and Mexico, rules differ for other trade agreements and are even less defined for products of the countries that do not have FTAs with the US.

 Historically, substantial transformation and essential character have been two guiding principles for origin determination. However, the interpretation of substantial transformation has evolved, and the US Customs has been moving away from determining product origin based on the origin of the essential component. This webinar will discuss general principles of origin determination and their current interpretation by the US Customs, review trade agreements that are still applicable for origin determination and outline country of origin management strategies that can help businesses navigate the current trade environment. 

Our speaker will be:

• Matthew Bock, Managing Partner – Bock Trade Law