ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES 
DE LA COMMISSION 
 
 
 
COLLECTION RELIEE DES 
DOCUMENTS "COM" 
 
 
 
 
COM (83) 407 
 
 
 
Vol. 1983/0 153 
  
 
Disclaimer  
Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic 
Community and the European Atomic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), this file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation. 
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen 
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983, 
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003 
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit 
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5 
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben. 
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
C0M83) 407 final 
Brussels, 4 July 1983
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC)
on the procedure to facilitate the issue of movement certificates 
EUR 1  and the making out of Forms EUR 2 under the provisions 
governing preferential trade between cerain countries 
and the European Economic Community
(submitted to the Council by the Commission)
C0MC83) 407 final

EXPLANATORY NOTE
Introduction
In 1973, it was recognized that producers in the Community had to  
be able to know to what extent the raw materials, semi-finished  
products or components they bought in from other countries inside  
the Community (which is one area for origin purposes in the context  
of the preferential Agreements) qualified the final products they  
produce to originating status. For this reason, to facilitate the  
flow of such information across the internal frontiers of the  
Community, the Council adopted Regulation 1908/73. (1)
The workings of this Regulation have been reviewed after more than  
9 years of experience and the system established has been shown to  
be deficient in a number of respects. This draft Regulation is  
designed to remedy these deficiencies and for reasons of coherence  
and clarity it has been found better to suggest the replacement of,  
rather than the modification of, Regulation 1908/73. However, the  
basic principles established in 1973 remain the same.
Basically the system of the suppliers' declarations permits exporters  
of goods to the EFTA countries, Spain, Israel, Cyprus or Malta to  
apply for the issue of a Movement Certificate, supporting their  
applications with declarations made out by their suppliers in  
those cases where they, the exporters, have not themselves carried  
out all the working or processing required to obtain originating status  
for the goods.
If the customs authorities have any reason to doubt the validity of  
a suppliers' declaration, either at the time of export or, more  
often, when they are required to verify the correctness of a Movement  
Certificate "a posteriori", they can require the exporter to produce  
an "Information Certificate" issued by the customs authorities in  
the Member State where the supplier is situated to confirm the  
correctness of the suppliers' declaration.
.../...
OJ No. L 197, of 17.7.1973, p. 1

-  2 -
2· The eriticLms of Regulation 1908/73
The present scheme suffers mainly from the following :
- a too complicated lay out of both suppliers' declarations and 
the supporting or control document, the Information Certificate;
- the possibility of revealing Commercial secrets especially in 
relation to the completion of the Information Certificate;
- the need to provide a separate suppliers' declaration for each 
and every shipment with no possibility of giving declarations 
to cover any subsequent shipments; and
- the need to sign every suppliers' declaration in manuscript 
even when it has been produced by a computer and would be the 
only document relating to t e consignment that would require 
physical signature.
3. The proposed Regulation
The proposed Regulation has been drawn up in such a way that it is 
hoped it can be more readily understood and applied. It provides 
for the suppliers' declarations to be provided either for individual 
shipments or for longer periods of time, normally up to one year, 
but with provision for longer periods if the customs authorities 
permit this under certain conditions.
The Regulation contains, in Annexes I-IV, a model declaration of 
both an individual shipment type of suppliers' declaration and a 
long term suppliers' declaration for two separate cases :
- where the goods concerned are already originating, and
- where the goods concerned, although having been worked or 
processed have not yet obtained originating status.

- 3 -
The model declaration« are accompanied by detailed instructions 
as to how they should be completed.
The Regulation also provides for a simple information certificate 
(INF.4) which replaces the present higly complex document which 
demands much more information to be given than is actually needed 
in most cases. It is this aspect of the present certificate which 
arouses fear in the minds of some suppliers of being forced to 
reveal commercial secrets. The proposed certificate is confined 
to being a confirmation of the information already given on the 
suppliers' declaration, duly certified by the customs authorities, 
but only after carrying out verification controls to see if it is 
correct.
Provision has also been made, when invoices and suppliers' declara­
tions are established by computer print out, for the declarations 
not to be physically signed providing that the customs authorities 
are satisfied that the responsible person can be identified. Provision 
has been made for Member States to lay down further conditions if they 
feel it is necessary.

P roposal fo r  a  
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC)
on the procedure to facilitate the issue of movement certificates EUR 1  and the  
making out of Forms EUR 2 under the provisions governing preferential trade  
between certain countries and the European Economic Community
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,  
and in particular Article 113 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas the provisions governing preferentia' trade between certain countries  
and the European Economic Community provide that the preferential originating  
status of goods needs to be demonstrated by he presentation of movement  
certificates EUR 1  or forms EUR 2 at import; hereas these movement c e r tific a te s  
EUR 1  are issued by the customs authorities of the Member States on the basis  
of applications made out by Community exporters and the forms EUR 2 have to  
be made out by Community exporters ;
Whereas goods may qualify as preferential originating products as a result of  
working or processing carried out in more than one Member State ;
Whereas it is therefore evident that the information relating to the working or  
processing carried out in one Member State may be required by a Community  
exporter in another Member State ;
Whereas goods imported in one Member State may have preferential origin status
and be intended either for working or processing in or for reexport in the
same state from another Member State; whereas it  is  thus evident that informati
relating to their status may have to be transmitted from one Member State to
another;
t

-  2 -
Whereas the same considerations also apply, mutatis mutandis, to transactions  
taking place within individual Member States and the procedure established to  
facilitate the passage of information between firms in different Member States  
should be extended to cover these transactions;
Whereas experience has demonstrated that the procedure set up under Council
Regulation (EEC) No 1908/73 of 4.July 1973 on the procedure to facilitate the issue of
movement certificates under the provisions governing trade between the
1European Economic Community and certain countries, for the use of suppliers'  
declarations and information certificates needs to be modified and presented  
more clearly and that the form of suppliers' declarations and the information  
certificates need to be revised ;
Whereas under the present procedure a suppliers' declaration can only apply to a  
single consignment of goods, even though over a period of time the supplier  
supplies goods,whose origin status remains constant to a particular customer;. whereas 
it is therefore sen sib le to provide for suppliers'declarations to be
made on a long term basis ;
Whereas the requirement for each supplier's declaration, which is normally given  
on a commercial invoice, to be signed in manuscript has proven burdensome when  
invoices are prepared using computer systems as it has become widespread  
commercial practice not to sign invoices in manuscript for commercial ends ; whereas for  
this reason the requirement for manuscript signature of computer-produced  
supplier declarations has been waived ;
Whereas experience has also demonstrated the need for adequate customs  
verification procedures, as provided for by the provisions of Council Regulation  
(EEC) N o 1468/81 of 19 M ay 1981 on mutual assistance between the  
administrative authorities of the Member States and cooperation between the
latter and the Commission to ensure the correct application of the law on
2customs or agricultural matters r
(1) 03 No. L 197 of 17.7.1973, p. 1
(2) 03 No. L 144 of 2.6.1981, p. 1

- 3 -
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION :
TITLE I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 1
Use of suppliers' declarations
1. Suppliers of goods which are intended subsequently to be exported from
the Community either in the same state or after further working or  
processing, may furnish a declaration concerning the status of the goods  
supplied in relation to the Communities' preferential origin rules  
hereinafter referred to as suppliers' declaration.
2. Suppliers' declarations may be used by exporters as supporting evidence
to applications made for the issue of i  'ovement certificates EUR.l or  
may be used as the basis upon which fori s EUR.2 can be completed.
Article 2
Verification
1. The customs authorities may request the production by the exporter of
an information certificate INF k to verify the accuracy or authenticity  
of any supplier's declaration.
2. The customs authorities shall have the right to call for any
documentary evidence or to carry out any check which they consider  
appropriate in order to verify the correctness of any supplier's  
declaration or information certificate.
I

- k -
TITLE II
SUPPLIERS'DECLARATIONS  
Article 3
Provision of suppliers'declarations
A separate suppliers' declaration shall, except in the cases provided for in  
Article k, be given by the supplier for each consignment of goods on the  
commercial invoice related to that shipment or in an annex to that invoice or on  
a delivery note or other commercial document related to that shipment which  
describe the goods concerned in sufficient detail to enable them to be  
identified.
Article
Long term suppliers' declarations
1. When a supplier regularly supplies a particular customer with goods  
whose origin status is expected to remain constant for considerable  
periods of time he may provide a single suppliers' declaration to cover sub­
sequent shipments of those goods, hereinafter referred to as Long­
term suppliers' declaration.
2. A long term suppliers' declaration may normally be given for a period of  
up to one year from the date of giving the declaration. The customs  
authorities may lay down the conditions under which longer periods may  
be used.
3. The supplier shall inform the customer immediately if the long-term  
suppliers' declaration is no longer valid in relation to the goods supplied.

- 5 -
Article 5
Form and completion of suppliers' declarations
1. For products having obtained preferential originating status the
suppliers' declarations shall be given in the form prescribed in Annex I,  
or,for long-term suppliers' declarations, in that prescribed in Annex II
2. For products which have undergone working or processing in the
Community without having obtained preferential originating status the  
suppliers' declarations shall be given in the form prescribed in Annex III  
or for long term suppliers'declarations in that prescribed in Annex IV.
3. The rules for making out particular suppliers' declarations are given as 
footnotes in Annexes I, II, III and IV.
4. Suppliers' declarations may be made out n  pre-printed forms.
Article 6
Signatures
1. Suppliers' declarations shall normally be signed in manuscript.
2. However, where the invoice and the suppliers' declaration are
established using electronic data processing methods the suppliers'  
declaration need not be signed in manuscript provided the responsible  
official in the supplying company is identified to the satisfaction of the  
customs authorities in the Member State where the suppliers'  
declarations are established. The said customs authorities may lay down  
conditions for the implementation of th is paragraph.
·./...

-  6 -
TITLE III
INFORMATION CERTIFICATES INF 4
Article 7
Application for and issue of information certificates
1. An information certificate INF 4 shall be issued by the appropriate  
customs office after having taken any steps necessary to verify that the  
information given on the application made out by the supplier for the  
issue of an information certificate INF 4 is correct in relation to the  
goods supplied.
2. The certificate shall be given or sent to the supplier who shall forward it 
to the buyer or to the customs office which has requested it to be produced.
3. The application form shall be kept by the issuing office for at least two  
years.
Article 8
Form of information certificate
]. The form of "information certificate INF 4" and "application for the
issue of an information certificate" given in Annex V  shall be used; it 
shall be printed in one or more of the official languages of the  
Community. Information certificates INF 4 shall be made out in one of  
those languages and in accordance with the provisions of the domestic  
law of the exporting State; if they are handwritten they shall be  
completed in ink in capital letters. They shall bear a serial number,  
whether or not printed, by which they can be identified.

2. The information certificate INF k shall be A *f format (210 x 297 mm),  
however, a tolerance of up to plus 8 mm or minus 5 mm in the length  
may be allowed. The paper used shall be white, sized for w ritin g, not  
containing mechanical pulp and weighing not less than 25g/m^.
3. The Member States may reserve the right to print the forms themselves  
or may have them printed by printers approved by them. The forms  
shall bear the name and address of the printer or a mark by which the  
printer can be identified.
TITLE IV
ADMINISTRATIVE AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
Article 9
Information
Each Member State shall inform the Commission of the steps taken for the  
application of this Regulation, and of any significant problems which have arisen  
in connection with its application. The Commission shall keep the other Member  
States informed.
Article 10
Repeal of previ ous provisions
Regulation (EEC) No 1908/73 is hereby repealed.

-  8 -
Article 1  l
Transitional provisions
1. Suppliers' declarations made and information certificates issued before  
the date of entry into force of this Regulation shall be valid as if
Regulation (EEC) No 1908/73 were still in force.
2. The form of information certificate given in Annex II to 
Regulation (EEC) No 1908/73 may be used for a period of 18 months  
after the entry into force of this Regulation under the conditions laid  
down in this Regulation.
Article 12
Entry into force
This Regulation shall enter into force on the first day of the third month  
following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all  
Member States.
Done at For the Council
The President

- 9 -
ANNEX I
DECLARATION FOR PRODUCTS HAVING PREFERENTIAL ORIGIN
STATUS
I, the undersigned, declare that the goods listed on this invoice (1) were
produced in ............ (2) and satisfy the rules of origin governing
pr
eferential trade with
.................. (3)
I  
undertake to make available to the customs authorities, if required,  
evidence in support of this declaration.
Note : The text inside the box, suitably completed in conformity with the footnotes  
below, constitutes a suppliers' declaration. The footnotes do not have to be  
reproduced.
(1) - If only some of the goods listed on the invoice are concerned they should
be clearly indicated or marked and this marking entered on the declaration  
as follows : " ..... listed on this invoice and marked .....were produced."
- 
If a document other than the invoice or an annex to the invoice is used  
(see Article 3) then, the name of the document concerned shall be  
mentioned instead of the word "invoice".
(2) The Community, Member State or partner State. Where a partner State is  
given a reference must also be made to the Community customs office  
holding the EUR l(s) or EUR 2(s) concerned, giving the No. of the  
certificate(s) or form(s) concerned and, if possible, the entry number  
involved.
(3) List partner State or States concerned.
(4) Place and date.
(5) Name and function in company.
(6) Signature.

-  10  -
ANNEX I I
LONG TERM DECLARATION FOR PRODUCTS HAVING PREFERENTIAL
ORIGIN STATUS
I, the undersigned, declare that the goods described below:
.....(1)  ......(2)
wh
ich are regularly supplied t o ............(3) were produced in ......... (4)
an
d satisfy the rules of origin governing preferential trade with ........ (5)
This 
declaration is valid for ail further shipments of these products des­
patched from .......t o ............. (6), I  undertake to inform ............ (3)
im
mediately if this declaration is no longer valid due.
I  undertake to make available to the customs authorities, if required, evidence  
in support of this declaration.
.................. (7) .................. (8)
.......................  (9)
No
te : The text inside the box, suitably completed in conformity with the footnotes
below, constitutes a suppliers' declaration. The footnotes do not have to be
reproduced.
(1) Description.
(2) Commercial designation as used on invoices, e.g. model number.
(3) Name of company being supplied.
( U ) The Community, Member State or partner State. Where a partner State is given  
a reference must be made to the Community customs office holding the EUR t(s)  
or EUR 2(s) concerned.
(5) List partner State or States concerned.
(6) Insert dates. The period should not normally, subject to the conditions laid down  
by the customs authorities, exceed 12 months.
(7) Place and date.
(8) Name and function, name and address of company.
(9) Signature.

- 11 -
ANNEX III
DECLARATION FOR PRODUCTS NOT HAVING PREFERENTIAL ORIGIN STATUS
I, the undersigned,declare that the goods listed on this invoice (1)
were produced in ............ (2) and incorporate the following components
or
 materials which do not have Community origin for preferential  
trade:
.(3), M ), .(5),
.(6)
I  undertake to make available to the customs authorities, if required,  
evidence in support of this declaration.
.(7) .(8)
.(9)
Note : The text inside the box, suitably completed in conformity with the footnotes  
below, constitutes a suppliers' declaration. The footnotes do not have to be  
reproduced.
(1)
(2)
(3)
W
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)- If only some of the goods listed on the invoice are concerned they  
should be clearly indicated or marked and this marking entered on the
declaration as follows :  "Listed on this invoice and marked ............ were
pr
oduced ............ "
- 
If a document other than the invoice or an annex to the invoice is used  
(see Article 3) then, the name of the document concerned shall be  
mentioned instead of the word "invoice".
The Community or Member State.
Description is to be given in all cases. The description must be adequate  
and should be sufficiently detailed to allow the tariff classification of  
the goods concerned to be determined.
Custom values to be given only if required.
Country of origin to be given only if required. The origin to be given  
must be a preferential origin, ail other origins to be given as "3rd  
country." _ _
"and have undergone the following processing in !_the Community_|
I  "Member State~| .................. "  to be added with a description of the
pr
ocessing carried out if this information is required.
Place and date.
Name and function in company.
Signature.

-  1 2  -
ANNEX IV
LONG TERM DECLARATION FOR PRODUCTS NOT HAVING PREFERENTIAL ORIGIN STATUS
I, the undersigned, declare that the goods described below
.................. (1 ).................. (2),which are regularly supplied
t o.................. (3) were produced in .................. (4) and incorporate
th
e following components or materials which do not have Community  
origin for preferential trade :
.................. (5), ...................(6), ................. (7)
.......................... 9 ......... ...............9  ......................... .
.......................... 9 ........................ . ......................... ..
................................................................................................( 8)
This 
declaration is valid for ail further shipments of these products
despatched from ............ to .................. (9), I  undertake to inform
............ (3) immediately if this declaration is no longer valid.
I  
undertake to make available to the customs authorities, if required,  
evidence in support of this declaration.
............................... (10) ............................... (11)
..................................( 1
2)
Note :  The text inside the box, suitably completed in conformity with the footnotes  
below, constitutes a suppliers' declaration. The footnotes do not have to be  
reproduced.
(1) Description.
(2) Commercial designation as used on invoices, e.g. model number.
(3) Name of company being supplied.
(4) The Community or Member State.
(5) Description is to be given in ail cases. The description must be adequate and  
should be sufficiently detailed to allow the tariff classification of the goods  
concerned to be determined.
(6) Custom values to be given only if required.
(7) Country of origin to be given only if required. The origin to be given must be a  
preferential origin, ail other origins to be given as "3rd Country".
(8) "and have undergone the following processing in |_the Community_| | Member
State_| ................. "  to be added with a description of the processing carried out if
this i
nformation is required.
(9) Insert dates. The periods should not normally, subject to the conditions laid down  
by the customs authorities, exceed 12 months.
(10) Place and date.
(11) Name and function, name and address of company.
(12) Signature.

1. .'•Ujjplui O'iiM M .u iif· .» H ·! .h !  Jrr.·;:;, c o rn iry)
3. Consignee; (Full nome anti address, country)
N 0 T K S
(1) The term "invoice" shall also be taken as  
including delivery notes or other commercial  
documents relating to the shipment or shipments  
concerned and upon which the declaration or  
declarations concerned were given.
(2) In die case of long term declarations it is not  
obligatory to complete this box.
(3) The goods shown in box no. 6 must be described  
in accordance with commercial practice and with  
sufiicient details to enable them to be  
identified.
(4) Indicate appropriate text.Mi
j N I · ·  o  K n a T I o N c: i: k t i f j c a t i· ;
FOR USE IN FACILITATING 'll IK  PREFERENTIAL TIÎADE 
BETWEEN n-D·: EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
and
(Name of country or countries or preferential  
arrangement)
4. Remarks
5. Invoice(s) no(s) (1)(2)
6. Item nuiiilx'j· - Marks and numbers - Numtx-r and kind oJ package·, - Descriotion of  
goods supplied (3). “ ' 7 . N ett, mas 
(Kg)
This declaration(s) concerning the origin status of the goods described above in box no. 6 made U )
1  1 on the inv°ice(s) * ^ shown m  hox no: 5 and which are attached to this certificate
□  on my long term declaration of .............................
i s
/ a r e  c o rre c t.(date)
Stamp. - .c r ,  w m r ··
c u T o  m y ,  c  k r t j f i c a t i o 
Declaration certified  
Customs decor.--nt (where njjproprj ate) : 1 yprj  
Number :
Customs office :
Issuing country or territory :
Dale· :
Signature :PI . ice
D ate
Signature of supplier

1. Supplier (Full name and address, country)
3. Consignee (Full name and address, country)M  I?  .4 No.
APPLICATION FOIL it
INFORMATION CERTIFICATE
FOR USE IN FACILITATING THE PREFERENTIAL TRADE  
BETWEEN TOE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
and ......................................................
(N
ame of country or countries or jirefcrential  
arrangement)
4. Remarks
5. Invoice(s) no(s) ( 1 ) (2 )
6. Item number - Marks and numbers - Number and kind of packages - Description of  
goods supplied (3).7. Nett mass  
(Kg)
S. 'Ibis declaration(s) concerning the origin status of the goods described above in box no. 6 made□ (  1)on the invoice(s) shown in box no.' 5 and which are attached to this certificate
□  on my long term declaration of ..........
is
/are correct.(date)
Place :
Date :
Signature of supplier :
-