A staff member at the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Changchun Committee verifies a certificate of origin online. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Changchun Committee in Changchun, Northeast China's Jilin province, has been making efforts in promoting business services and environment by launching a platform for self-service printing of certificates of origin.

A certificate of origin is a document issued by a specific agency in an exporting country, certifying that the goods were made or produced in that country or region. Because it can prove the nationality of merchandise, it is also called the "economic passport" for goods in international trade.

It is the basis for importing countries to implement preferential trade measures – as well as to mete out non-preferential trade policies such as anti-dumping and countervailing measures, safeguard measures, country-specific quantitative restrictions and tariff quotas.

As China signs and implements free trade agreements with more and more countries and regions, the certificate of origin has become an increasingly important document to allow exported goods to enjoy smooth customs clearance upon arrival at the importing country.

At present, the certificate of origin processing mode in Jilin province is shifting to the electronic (ECO self-printing) processing method, which realizes enterprise applications, online reviews, and self-printing, effectively reducing the enterprise's order-making cost, labor cost and time cost.

At present, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Changchun Committee has opened an independent printing service for certificates of origin for nearly 20 companies, and the certification scope covers South Korea, Japan, Germany, and Malaysia.

According to statistics, since the beginning of this year, the Changchun Committee has issued 1,500 certificates of origin for foreign trade companies in Changchun city, with a visa amount of $135 million, an increase of 30 percent and 27 percent year-on-year respectively.