Mettle Toledo, a multinational precision instrument manufacturer with a factory in Shanghai Free Trade Zone, exported a batch of products to Switzerland last week by making its own certificate of origin for customs clearance. This enabled it to enjoy zero tariffs in Switzerland.

It became the first company in the FTZ to adopt the self-certification scheme, instead of applying for a certificate of origin issued by an authoritative agency.

“The self-certification scheme can save us a lot of time and money and improve the efficiency of customs clearance and transportation,” said a Mettle Toledo executive in Shanghai FTZ.

Previously, exports to Switzerland were taxed due to a delay caused by a long wait for a certificate of origin, the executive said.

Now, 54 FTZ enterprises have signed up for the self-certification scheme, which is included in the China-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement. Meanwhile, more than 90 percent of imports from Switzerland also benefited from the scheme, Shanghai Customs said.

Source:china-shftz.gov.cn