The ICC Guide to Authenticate Certificates of Origin for Chambers of Commerce
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How to spot a fraudulent CO
- If a CO claims to be issued by ICC, its World Chambers Federation or one of its national committees
- If the name of the undersigned (issuing) chamber and its stamp do not match
- If the name of the undersigned (issuing) chamber and its logo do not match
Why is digitalisation essential?
In today’s ever-changing trade landscape, providing eCO (eCertificates of Origin) has become a necessity. By innovating and digitalising processes, chambers can provide a higher quality of service to all parties involved in a transaction and also:
- contribute to a more secured trading environment
- improve time and cost efficiency
- increase transparency
Why eCO are easily verifiable
Core CO data is uploaded to the ICC Verification website – a secured platform where a unique CO number and the chamber’s accreditation code can be entered to authenticate an eCO.
Basic references made available to customs authorities include:
- date of issue
- name of the applicant
- issuing chamber’s contact information
If a CO number is not issued by an accredited chamber, an immediate notification will be directly displayed on the ICC Verification website – should they be members of the CO Accreditation Chain.
For CO not bearing ICC’s official CO label, chambers are encouraged to invest in developing a verification tool or simply to join the Accreditation Chain.
Why do chambers play an essential role in the CO process?
Chambers are regarded as highly reliable sources and do not compromise on:
- integrity
- impartiality
- neutrality
What are advantages of using the ICC WCF International CO Guidelines?
The CO Guidelines aim to provide an overview of the latest developments, most notably regarding the digitalisation of the CO process. The universal set of international procedures, supplemented with samples and best practices, are an indispensable and comprehensive guide for chamber wanting to:
- guarantee their commitment to the highest level of quality
- implementing transparent and accountable issuance of CO
- establish verification procedures
What is ICC WCF’s International CO Accreditation Chain?
The International CO Accreditation Chain represents another facet of ICC and its WCF commitment to harmonising the issuing processes of CO globally. For chambers, being part of the Accreditation Chain reinforces and promotes their central role as essential trade and service facilitators.
Members of the Accreditation Chain have access to a range of tailored services including:
- inter-chamber assistance
- participation in WCF’s advocacy services to the World Customs Organization, as well as other regional and national customs groups
- research on CO trends and statistics
Why join the International CO Accreditation Chain?
Three reasons to become a member:
- For the business community: Being an accredited chamber reassures businesses, traders, banks and customs administrations that their CO have been issued according to the most stringent and comprehensive standards, boosting the status of chambers as a dependable and established source.
- For customs authorities: The ICC WCF CO quality label leverages the world business organization’s international reputation and enforces the trust of the chamber as a valid source. In addition, the use of the ICC Verification website defends against possible false declarations and fake documents, facilitating faster and easier customs clearance.
- For exporters: The ease of application for CO through accredited chambers includes savings in terms of time, cost and paperwork, making it more efficient for exporting companies to deal with chambers and importers.
To learn more on the Accreditation Chain, please visit Certificates of Origin Accreditation Chain.
