Deep Dive into Country of Origin

Today on the International Trade Resources Podcast, our host Kim Kirkendall is joined by Josh Rodman, a partner at Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, to discuss the complexities of Country of Origin, or COO. Country of Origin is not as simple as it seems, with different definitions by different agencies that can impact both import and export. In this episode, we dig into the details with Josh as he shares actionable steps for staying up-to-date.

First, Kim and Josh discuss how COO can affect general aspects of importing like assessing duties and tariffs.  COO regulations can be different for duties compared to the labeling of the product's country of origin.

Multiple trade agreements and agencies are interested in the COO, and they may have differing standards that impact what the final determination of COO will be - for their purposes.  It may be one COO for one purpose (duties) and another for another purpose (labeling).

Determining COO may require you to dig into the bill of materials (BOM) to identify where components and materials came from to decide. Josh talks about how It becomes more complicated if some of the parts were made in China, but finished in Mexico or Vietnam. Kim mentions how companies selling direct to consumer in the US don't necessarily consider these issues when they pivot to shipping larger quantities to the US for distribution

Lastly Kim sheds light on the political nature of many regulations and rulings in the last ten years. The layering of COO regulations between different agencies, trade agreements, and regulatory bodies that all have an interest in the outcome, means this process is not a simple decision. Josh mentions how different US acts such as Buy America, and agencies such as the ATF and FDA all rely on COO for how your product is categorized. . 

How do you stay on top of this ever-changing landscape? Learn how in this information-packed episode!

Things you’ll learn 

• How Country of Origin (COO) can require the use of different assessment methods for different agencies and purposes.
• The layering of COO regulations and some of the agencies, agreements, and regulatory bodies that have an interest in the outcome.
• How to make sure you are considering all the factors that could affect your product when you are importing. .

Episode Sponsors:  

Acclime China:

https://china.acclime.com/ 

Corporate Services and full Accounting/CPA/Tax for China.

Website: www.intltraderesources.com

Email: intltradepodcast@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or commercial advice. We provide no guarantee for the accuracy of the information provided. Reproduction or transmission of this podcast is strictly prohibited.