Types of Certificates for Cargo Transportation

In this article, we will describe the types of certificates that are necessary for those who import goods into the country or export them abroad. There are several types of certificates:

• certificates of origin of goods;
• safety or conformity certificates;
• quarantine certificates;
• veterinary certificates;
• hygienic certificate;
• fire certificate;
• refusal letter.

Certificate of Origin of Goods

This is a document that unequivocally confirms the country of origin of the goods and is issued by an authority of the exporting state, authorized in accordance with national legislation. It is usually required by the customs authorities of the importing country for tariff regulation of imported goods, obtaining preferential tariffs, duty-free import,¹ and exemption from additional taxation.

Certificates of origin of goods are issued by the chamber of commerce and industry of the state in which the goods² were produced. A certificate of origin of goods is not a mandatory document; in its absence, customs clearance of cargo is carried out in the usual manner, but the import duty benefit for the imported goods is not granted. The ST-1 Certificate of Origin is a document that unequivocally confirms that the products were wholly produced or underwent sufficient processing/reprocessing in a state participating in the Agreement on the Creation of a Free Trade Zone dated April 15, 1994. This Agreement includes 10 CIS countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine. The original certificate is provided together with the cargo customs declaration and other documents necessary for customs clearance. In accordance with bilateral Free Trade Agreements concluded between³ Ukraine and other CIS countries, goods originating from the territory of these states and imported into their territory have VAT benefits.

Safety or Conformity Certificate

The safety or conformity certificate (“certificate of conformity”, “quality certificate”, “customs certificate”) is a document confirming the conformity of products with certain quality and safety requirements established for them by applicable standards and regulations.

This certificate is required for submission to customs authorities during the customs clearance of imported goods based on the Law of Ukraine “On Protection of Consumer Rights”. Regulatory acts of the State Customs Committee and the State Standard have approved a list of goods requiring certification. The certificate is obtained by a Ukrainian entity for a batch of goods received under concluded foreign trade contracts.

Certificate of Conformity

The certificate of conformity is issued by an authorized body after testing for each type of product requiring certification. A safety certificate⁴ can be issued based on a hygienic conclusion from the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision authorities, which conduct laboratory tests of product samples. From 01/01/2004, during the customs clearance of goods subject to mandatory import certification, a copy of the certificate of conformity certified by the foreign economic activity participant is accepted for customs clearance only if the original or a duly certified copy is available⁵ (the copy can be certified notarially, by the issuing body, or by a consular institution). Conditional release of goods without providing a certificate of conformity (with subsequent provision of the certificate of conformity) is carried out only with the consent of the Main Department of Tariff and Non-Tariff Regulation (MDTNTR). Until the procedure for coordination is established, the customs authority’s OTNR must be contacted for coordination with the MDTNTR of the STCU.

Quarantine Certificate

The quarantine certificate (“phytosanitary certificate”) is an international document issued by the quarantine and/or plant protection authorities of exporting countries, certifying the phytosanitary condition of the goods, which must be attached to the transport documents accompanying the goods and is issued for the cargo, separately for each transport unit (wagon, car, ship, etc.). It confirms the absence of various diseases in a range of goods of plant or animal origin.

Veterinary Certificate

This is a document issued for animals, products, and raw materials of animal origin transported by various means of transport, which confirms the well-being of the specified animals, products, and raw materials and the places of their export regarding infectious animal diseases. Based on the received certificate, a veterinary certificate can be issued.

Hygienic Certificate

The hygienic certificate (“sanitary-epidemiological conclusion” or “hygienic conclusion”) is a document confirming that products comply with the established hygienic standards (HS) and sanitary rules (SR). The sanitary-epidemiological conclusion is issued by the sanitary and epidemiological surveillance authorities after examination of the products (production conditions, technical specifications)⁶ based on the test report and submitted documents. The reverse side describes the hygienic characteristics of the products obtained as a result of testing. The validity period of the sanitary-epidemiological conclusion is from 1 month to 5 years (depending on the type of product, the documents provided, test results, and the decision of the certifying expert). A hygienic certificate is required to obtain a safety certificate.

Fire Certificate or Fire Safety Certificate

This is a document confirming that products comply with fire safety requirements. Certification of products and services in the field of fire safety is carried⁷ out to confirm the conformity of products and services with fire safety requirements and is carried out in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine. A fire safety certificate is a mandatory component of the GOST product conformity certificate.

Refusal Letter

This is an official document confirming that the products are not subject to mandatory certification or belong to a group of products whose conformity can be confirmed by a Declaration of Conformity. The Declaration of Conformity is a document in which the manufacturer or seller declares that the products specified in the declaration⁸ comply with the established requirements (standards). This document is issued by the product manufacturer.