Also known as: PSRO, Specific origin rule
A particular criterion established for a product or product group in a free trade agreement defining the productive transformations needed for goods to qualify as originating.
A product-specific rule of origin is the particular criterion a free trade agreement establishes for a product or product group, determining the productive processes or transformations that must occur in the treaty zone for goods to qualify as originating. The most common criteria are: tariff classification change (at chapter, heading, or subheading level), minimum regional value content (RVC), or a combination of both. Each product may have a different rule depending on sector sensitivity and member country objectives.
Rules of Origin
Criteria determining the economic nationality of goods, required to qualify for preferential tariff rates under free trade agreements.
TariffsRegional Value Content
The percentage of a product's value that must originate within a free trade agreement's region for the goods to qualify as originating and access preferential tariff treatment.
DocumentsCertificate of Origin
Document certifying that goods originate in a specific country, required to claim preferential tariff rates under trade agreements.
TradeUSMCA (T-MEC)
Trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada that replaced NAFTA in July 2020, governing trade, investment, and intellectual property rules.