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North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

Part Two: Trade in Goods

Chapter Four: Rules of Origin

Article 401: Originating Goods

Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, a good shall originate in the territory of a Party where:

Article 402: Regional Value Content

1. Except as provided in paragraph 5, each Party shall provide that the regional value content of a good shall be calculated, at the choice of the exporter or producer of the good, on the basis of either the transaction value method set out in paragraph 2 or the net cost method set out in paragraph 3.

2. Each Party shall provide that an exporter or producer may calculate the regional value content of a good on the basis of the following transaction value method:

RVC = (TV-VNM / TV) x 100

where

RVC is the regional value content, expressed as a percentage;

TV is the transaction value of the good adjusted to a F.O.B. basis; and

VNM is the value of non-originating materials used by the producer in the production of the good.

3. Each Party shall provide that an exporter or producer may calculate the regional value content of a good on the basis of the following net cost method:

RVC = (NC-VNM / NC) x 100

where

RVC is the regional value content, expressed as a percentage;

NC is the net cost of the good; and

VNM is the value of non-originating materials used by the producer in the production of the good.

4. Except as provided in Article 403(1) and for a motor vehicle identified in Article 403(2) or a component identified in Annex 403.2, the value of non-originating materials used by the producer in the production of a good shall not, for purposes of calculating the regional value content of the good under paragraph 2 or 3, include the value of nonoriginating materials used to produce originating materials that are subsequently used in the production of the good.

5. Each Party shall provide that an exporter or producer shall calculate the regional value content of a good solely on the basis of the net cost method set out in paragraph 3 where:

6. If an exporter or producer of a good calculates the regional value-content of the good on the basis of the transaction value method set out in paragraph 2 and a Party subsequently notifies the exporter or producer, during the course of a verification pursuant to Chapter Five (Customs Procedures), that the transaction value of the good, or the value of any material used in the production of the good, is required to be adjusted or is unacceptable under Article 1 of the Customs Valuation Code, the exporter or producer may then also calculate the regional value content of the good on the basis of the net cost method set out in paragraph 3.

7. Nothing in paragraph 6 shall be construed to prevent any review or appeal available under Article 510 (Review and Appeal) of an adjustment to or a rejection of:

8. For purposes of calculating the net cost of a good under paragraph 3, the producer of the good may:

provided that the allocation of all such costs is consistent with the provisions regarding the reasonable allocation of costs set out in the Uniform Regulations, established under Article 511 (Customs Procedures Uniform Regulations).

9. Except as provided in paragraph 11, the value of a material used in the production of a good shall:

10. Except as provided in Article 403(1), any self-produced material, other than a componenet identified in Annex 403.2, that is used in the production of a good may be designated by the producer of the good as an intermediate material for the purpose of calculating the regional value content of the good under paragraph 2 or 3, provided that where the intermediate material is subject to a regional value-content requirement used in the production of that intermediate material may itself be designated by the producer as an intermediate material.

11. The value of an intermediate material shall be:

12. The value of an indirect material shall be based on the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles applicable in the territory of the Party in which the good is produced.

Article 403: Automotive Goods

1. For purposes of calculating the regional value content under the net cost method set out in Article 402(3) for:

the value of non-originating materials used by the producer in the production of the good shall be the sum of the values of non-originating materials, determined in accordance with Article 402(9) at the time the non-originating materials are received by the first person in the territory of a Party who takes title to them, that are imported from outside the territories of the Parties under the tariff provisions listed in Annex 403.1 and that are used in the production of the good or that are used in the production of any material used in the production of the good.

2. For purposes of calculating the regional value content under the net cost method set out in Article 402(3) for a good that is a motor vehicle provided for in heading 87.01, tariff item 8702.10.aa or 8702.90.aa (vehicles for the transport of 16 or more persons), subheading 8704.10, 8704.22, 8704.23, 8704.32 or 8704.90, or heading 87.05 or 87.06, or for a component identified in Annex 403.2 for use as original equipment in the production of the motor vehicle, the value of non-originating materials used by the producer in the production of the good shall be the sum of:

3. For purposes of calculating the regional value content of a motor vehicle identified in paragraph 1 or 2, the producer may average its calculation over its fiscal year, using any one of the following categories, on the basis of either all motor vehicles in the category or only those motor vehicles in the category that are exported to the territory of one or more of the other Parties:

4. For purposes of calculating the regional value content for any or all goods provided for in a tariff provision listed in Annex 403.1, or a component or material identified in Annex 403.2, produced in the same plant, the producer of the good may:

5. Notwithstanding Annex 401, and except as provided in paragraph 6, the regional value-content requirement shall be:

6. The regional value-content requirement for a motor vehicle identified in Article 403(1) or 403(2) shall be:

Article 404: Accumulation

1. For purposes of determining whether a good is an originating good, the production of the good in the territory of one or more of the Parties by one or more producers shall, at the choice of the exporter or producer of the good for which preferential tariff treatment is claimed, be considered to have been performed in the territory of any of the Parties by that exporter or producer, provided that:

2. For purposes of Article 402(10), the production of a producer that chooses to accumulate its production with that of other producers under paragraph 1 shall be considered to be the production of a single producer.

Article 405: De Minimis

1. Except as provided in paragraphs 3 through 6, a good shall be considered to be an originating good if the value of all non-originating materials used in the production of the good that do not undergo an applicable change in tariff classification set out in Annex 401 is not more than seven percent of the transaction value of the good, adjusted to a F.O.B. basis, or, if the transaction value of the good is unacceptable under Article 1 of the Customs Valuation Code, the value of all such non-originating materials is not more than seven percent of the total cost of the good, provided that:

2. A good that is otherwise subject to a regional value-content requirement shall not be required to satisfy such requirement if the value of all non-originating materials used in the production of the good is not more than seven percent of the transaction value of the good, adjusted to a F.O.B. basis, or, if the transaction value of the good is unacceptable under Article 1 of the Customs Valuation Code, the value of all non-originating materials is not more than seven percent of the total cost of the good, provided that the good satisfies all other applicable requirements of this Chapter.

3. Paragraph 1 does not apply to:

4. Paragraph 1 does not apply to a non-originating single juice ingredient provided for in heading 20.09 that is used in the production of a good provided for in subheading 2009.90, or tariff item 2106.90.cc (concentrated mixtures of fruit or vegetable juice, fortified with minerals or vitamins) or 2202.90.bb (mixtures of fruit or vegetable juices, fortified with minerals or vitamins).

5. Paragraph 1 does not apply to a non-originating material used in the production of a good provided for in Chapter 1 through 27 of the Harmonized System unless the non-originating material is provided for in a different subheading than the good for which origin is being determined under this Article.

6. A good provided for in Chapter 50 through 63 of the Harmonized System that does not originate because certain fibers or yarns used in the production of the component of the good that determines the tariff classification of the good do not undergo an applicable change in tariff classification set out in Annex 401, shall nonetheless be considered to originate if the total weight of all such fibers or yarns in that component is not more than seven percent of the total weight of that component.

Article 406: Fungible Goods and Materials

For purposes of determining whether a good is an originating good:

Article 407: Accessories, Spare Parts and Tools

Accessories, spare parts or tools delivered with the good that form part of the good's standard accessories, spare parts, or tools, shall be considered as originating if the good originates and shall be disregarded in determining whether all the non­originating materials used in the production of the good undergo the applicable change in tariff classification set out in Annex 401, provided that:

Article 408: Indirect Materials

An indirect material shall be considered to be an originating material without regard to where it is produced.

Article 409: Packaging Materials and Containers for Retail Sale

Packaging materials and containers in which a good is packaged for retail sale shall, if classified with the good, be disregarded in determining whether all the nonoriginating materials used in the production of the good undergo the applicable change in tariff classification set out in Annex 401, and, if the good is subject to a regional valuecontent requirement, the value of such packaging materials and containers shall be taken into account as originating or non originating materials, as the case may be, in calculating the regional value content of the good.

Article 410: Packing Materials and Containers for Shipment

Packing materials and containers in which the good is packed for shipment shall be disregarded in determining whether:

Article 411: Trans-shipment

A good shall not be considered to be an originating good by reason of having undergone production that satisfies the requirements of Article 401 if, subsequent to that production, the good undergoes further production or any other operation outside the territories of the Parties, other than unloading, reloading or any other operation necessary to preserve it in good condition or to transport the good to the territory of a Party.

Article 412: NonQualifying Operations

A good shall not be considered to be an originating good merely by reason of:

Article 413: Interpretation and Application

For purposes of this Chapter:

Article 414: Consultation and Modifications

1. The Parties shall consult regularly to ensure that this Chapter is administered effectively, uniformly and consistently with the spirit and objectives of this Agreement, and shall cooperate in the administration of this Chapter in accordance with Chapter Five.

2. Any Party that considers that this Chapter requires modification to take into account developments in production processes or other matters may submit a proposed modification along with supporting rationale and any studies to the other Parties for consideration and any appropriate action under Chapter Five.

Article 415: Definitions

For purposes of this Chapter:

class of motor vehicles means any one of the following categories of motor vehicles:

F.O.B . means free on board, regardless of the mode of transportation, at the point of direct shipment by the seller to the buyer;

fungible goods or fungible materials means goods or materials that are interchangeable for commercial purposes and whose properties are essentially identical;

goods wholly obtained or produced entirely in the territory of one or more of the Parties means:

identical or similar goods means "identical goods" and "similar goods", respectively, as defined in the Customs Valuation Code;

indirect material means a good used in the production, testing or inspection of a good but not physically incorporated into the good, or a good used in the maintenance of buildings or the operation of equipment associated with the production of a good, including:

intermediate material means a material that is self-produced and used in the production of a good, and designated pursuant to Article 402(10);

marque means the trade name used by a separate marketing division of a motor vehicle assembler;

material means a good that is used in the production of another good, and includes a part or an ingredient;

model line means a group of motor vehicles having the same platform or model name;

motor vehicle assembler means a producer of motor vehicles and any related persons or joint ventures in which the producer participates;

new building means a new construction, including at least the pouring or construction of new foundation and floor, the erection of a new structure and roof, and installation of new plumbing, electrical and other utilities to house a complete vehicle assembly process;

net cost means total cost minus sales promotion, marketing and aftersales service costs, royalties, shipping and packing costs, and nonallowable interest costs that are included in the total cost;

net cost of a good means the net cost that can be reasonably allocated to a good using one of the methods set out in Article 402(8);

non-allowable interest costs means interest costs incurred by a producer that exceed 700 basis points above the applicable federal government interest rate identified in the Uniform Regulations for comparable maturities;

non-originating good or non-originating material means a good or material that does not qualify as originating under this Chapter;

producer means a person who grows, mines, harvests, fishes, traps, hunts, manufactures, processes or assembles a good;

production means growing, mining, harvesting, fishing, trapping, hunting, manufacturing, processing or assembling a good;

reasonably allocate means to apportion in a manner appropriate to the circumstances;

refit means a plant closure, for purposes of plant conversion or retooling, that lasts at least three months;

related person means a person related to another person on the basis that:

royalties means payments of any kind, including payments under technical assistance or similar agreements, made as consideration for the use or right to use any copyright, literary, artistic, or scientific work, patent, trademark, design, model, plan, secret formula or process, excluding those payments under technical assistance or similar agreements that can be related to specific services such as:

sales promotion, marketing and after-sales service costs means the following costs related to sales promotion, marketing and aftersales service:

self-produced material means a material that is produced by the producer of a good and used in the production of that good;

shipping and packing costs means the costs incurred in packing a good for shipment and shipping the good from the point of direct shipment to the buyer, excluding costs of preparing and packaging the good for retail sale;

size category means for a motor vehicle identified in Article 403(1)(a):

total cost means all product costs, period costs and other costs incurred in the territory of one or more of the Parties;

transaction value means the price actually paid or payable for a good or material with respect to a transaction of, except for the application of Article 403(1) or 403(2)(a), the producer of the good, adjusted in accordance with the principles of paragraphs 1, 3 and 4 of Article 8 of the Customs Valuation Code, regardless of whether the good or material is sold for export;

used means used or consumed in the production of goods; and

underbody means the floor pan of a motor vehicle.

Annex 403.1

List of Tariff Provisions for Article 403(1)

Note: For purposes of reference only, descriptions are provided next to the corresponding tariff provision.

List of Tariff Provisions
40.09tubes, pipes and hoses
4010.10rubber belts
40.11tires
4016.93.aarubber, gaskets, washers and other seals for automotive goods
4016.99.aavibration control goods
7007.11 and 7007.21laminated safety glass
7009.10rearview mirrors
8301.20locks for the kind used on motor vehicles
8407.31engines of a cylinder capacity not exceeding 50cc
8407.32engines of a cylinder capacity exceeding 50cc but not exceeding 250cc
8407.33engines of a cylinder capacity exceeding 250cc but not exceeding 1000cc
8407.34.aaengines of a cylinder capacity exceeding 1000cc but not exceeding 2000cc
8407.34.bbengines of a cylinder capacity exceeding 2000cc
8408.20diesel engines for vehicles of Chapter 87
84.09parts of engines
8413.30pumps
8414.80.aaturbochargers and superchargers for motor vehicles, where not provided for under subheading 8414.59
8414.59.aaturbochargers and superchargers for motor vehicles, where not provided for under subheading 8414.80
8415.81 through 8415.83air conditioners
8421.39.aacatalytic convertors
8481.20, 8481.30 and 8481.80valves
8482.10 through 8482.80ball bearings
8483.10 through 8483.40transmission shafts and housed ball bearings
8483.50flywheels
8501.10electric motors
8501.20electric motors
8501.31electric motors
8501.32.aaelectric motors that provide primary source for electric powered vehicles of subheading 8703.90
8507.20.aa, 8507.30.aa, 
8507.40.aa and 8507.80.aa
batteries that provide primary source for electric cars
8511.30distributors
8511.40starter motors
8511.50other generators
8512.20other lighting or visual signalling equipment
8512.40windscreen wipers, defrosters
ex 8519.81cassette decks
8527.21radios combined with cassette players
8527.29radios
8536.50switches
8536.90junction boxes
8537.10.aamotor control centers
8539.10seal beamed headlamps
8539.21tungsten halogen headlamps
8544.30wire harnesses
87.06chassis
87.07bodies
8708.10.aabumpers but not parts thereof
8708.21safety seat belts
8708.29.aabody stampings
8708.29.ccdoor assemblies
8708.30brakes and servo-brakes, and parts thereof
8708.40gear boxes, and parts thereof
8708.50drive axles with differential, whether or not provided with other transmission components and parts thereof; non-drive axles and parts thereof; half-shafts and drive-shafts 
8708.70.aaroad wheels, but not parts or accessories thereof
8708.80suspension shock-absorbers, and parts thereof 
8708.91radiators, and parts thereof 
8708.92silencers (mufflers) and exhaust pipes, and parts thereof 
8708.93.aaclutches, but not parts thereof
8708.94steering wheels, steering columns and steering boxes, and parts thereof 
8708.95safety airbags with inflator systems, and parts thereof;
8708.99.aavibration control goods containing rubber
8708.99.bbdouble flanged wheel hub units
8708.99.eeother parts for powertrains
8708.99.hhother parts and accessories not provided for elsewhere in subheading 8708.99
9031.80monitoring devices
9032.89automatic regulating instruments
9401.20seats

Annex 403.2

List of Components and Materials

1. Component: Engines provided for in heading 84.07 or 84.08

Materials: cast block, cast head, fuel nozzle, fuel injector pumps, glow plugs, turbochargers and superchargers, electronic engine controls, intake manifold, exhaust manifold, intake/exhaust valves, crankshaft/camshaft, alternator, starter, air cleaner assembly, pistons, connecting rods and assemblies made therefrom (or rotor assemblies for rotary engines), flywheel (for manual transmissions), flexplate (for automatic transmissions), oil pan, oil pump and pressure regulator, water pump, crankshaft and camshaft gears, and radiator assemblies or chargeair coolers.

2. Component: Gear boxes (transmissions) provided for in subheading 8708.40

Materials: (a) for manual transmissions transmission case and clutch housing; clutch; internal shifting mechanism; gear sets, synchronizers and shafts; and (b) for torque convertor type transmissions transmission case and convertor housing; torque convertor assembly; gear sets and clutches; and electronic transmission controls.

Annex 403.3

Regional Value-Content Calculation for CAMI

1. For purposes of Article 403, in determining whether motor vehicles produced by CAMI Automotive, Inc. ("CAMI") in the territory of Canada and imported into the territory of the United States qualify as originating goods, CAMI may average its calculation of the regional value content of a class of motor vehicles or a model line of motor vehicles produced in a fiscal year in the territory of Canada by CAMI for sale in the territory of one or more of the Parties with the calculation of the regional value content of the corresponding class of motor vehicles or model line of motor vehicles produced in the territory of Canada by General Motors of Canada Limited in the fiscal year that corresponds most closely to CAMI's fiscal year, provided that:

2. If GM acquires less than 75 percent by unit of quantity of the class of motor vehicles or model line of motor vehicles, as the case may be, that CAMI has produced in the territory of Canada in CAMI's fiscal year for sale in the territory of one or more of the Parties, CAMI may average in the manner set out in paragraph 1 only those motor vehicles that are acquired by GM for distribution under the GEO marque or other GM marque.

3. In calculating the regional value content of motor vehicles produced by CAMI in the territory of Canada, CAMI may choose to average the calculation in paragraph 1 or 2 over a period of two fiscal years in the event that any motor vehicle assembly plant operated by CAMI or any motor vehicle assembly plant operated by General Motors of Canada Limited with which CAMI is averaging its regional value content is closed for more than two consecutive months:

The averaging may be for CAMI's fiscal year in which a CAMI or any General Motors of Canada Limited plant with which CAMI is averaging is closed and either the previous or subsequent fiscal year. In the event that the period of closure spans two fiscal years, the averaging may be only for those two fiscal years.

4. For purposes of this Article, where as a result of an amalgamation, reorganization, division or similar transaction:

Date Modified: