If you export goods that qualify under the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement (ILFTA), you’ll be glad to know that the hard copy certificate of origin—also known as the Green Form or Form A—has been replaced with a simple declaration, effective January 10, 2018. U.S. exporters can now prepare the declaration on either their invoice, delivery note, or on their letterhead.
We recommend that you thoroughly review the rules of origin to ensure that your goods qualify, prior to completing and signing the country of origin declaration.
Be aware that the Israeli Customs Authorities may ask you to complete a Verification Declaration to support your claim and you must retain proof of your ILFTA qualification for five years. Export.gov recommends that you keep, at least, the following information:
- A description of the article, quantity, numbers and marks of packages, invoice numbers, and bills of lading.
- A description of the operations performed during the production of the article in the U.S. and identification of the direct costs of processing operations.
- A description of any material used in production of the article, which are wholly grown, produced, or manufactured in the U.S., and a statement of the cost or value of these materials.
- A description of the operations performed on and a statement as to the origin and cost or value of any foreign (non-U.S.) materials used in the article, which are claimed to have been sufficiently processed in the U.S. making them materials produced in the U.S.
- A description of the origin and cost or value of any foreign (non-U.S.) materials used in the article, which have not been substantially transformed in the U.S.
Below is a sample declaration that you may include on your commercial invoice or have as a separate declaration on your letterhead.
U.S. Israel Origin Invoice Declaration
I, the undersigned, hereby declare that unless otherwise indicated, the goods covered by this document fully comply with the rules of origin and the other provisions of the Agreement on the Establishment of a Free Trade Area between the Government of Israel and the Government of the United States of America.
Check one that applies:
___ The Exporter
(whether the exporter is the producer or not)
___ The Producer
(is not the exporter)
Tax Identification:
Name:
Title:
Email:
Signature:
By Jim Trubits, Vice President