XportStack

Free tool

FTA eligibility checker

Which trade agreement gives you a lower duty into your destination market? Enter origin, destination, and HS code to see the best preferential rate, the MFN baseline, and your savings per shipment.

How to find the lowest duty rate in four steps

The four steps below mirror what the checker does behind the scenes. Once you run them once for a route, the answer holds until the product or the destination's FTA schedule changes.

  1. 1. Enter origin and destination

    First, select where your goods are produced (origin) and where they are landing (destination). The checker queries every FTA covering that pair. Then it compares each one against the MFN baseline that would apply if no Certificate of Origin were filed.

  2. 2. Enter the HS code

    Next, paste the 6-digit HS code for your product. If you don't have one yet, use the HS Code Lookup. Some FTAs have sensitive-list exclusions for specific HS chapters. The checker flags when an agreement excludes your product so you don't waste time getting a Certificate of Origin that customs will reject.

  3. 3. Review applicable agreements and pick the lowest

    The checker lists every FTA covering your pair, the preferential rate under each, and the MFN baseline. For example, Malaysia to Japan is often covered by both RCEP and the bilateral MJEPA. So pick the lowest rate, but verify you can meet that agreement's Rules of Origin (typically a regional value content threshold or tariff-shift rule).

  4. 4. Obtain a Certificate of Origin to claim the rate

    Finally, get the Certificate of Origin that the agreement requires. Most ASEAN countries issue it through a government trade ministry (Malaysia uses MITI via the ePCO system). Japan, New Zealand, and parts of Europe use authorised chambers of commerce. Modern FTAs like CPTPP, USMCA, and the EU REX system allow exporter self-certification on the commercial invoice. Without a valid CoO or self-certification, destination customs defaults to the MFN rate, often a 5 to 25 percent margin hit on the shipment.

FTA eligibility: FAQ

The questions F&B exporters ask when choosing which agreement to claim.

What is an FTA (Free Trade Agreement)?

A Free Trade Agreement is a treaty between two or more countries that reduces or eliminates import duties on goods originating in member countries. FTAs come in three forms: bilateral (two countries, e.g. MAFTA between Malaysia and Australia), regional (a bloc, e.g. ATIGA covering all 10 ASEAN members), and mega-regional (multi-country, e.g. RCEP with 15 Asia-Pacific members, or CPTPP with 11 Pacific Rim members). For F&B exporters, FTAs typically eliminate duty on chapters 01-21 and most non-alcoholic beverages in chapter 22.

What are Rules of Origin?

Rules of Origin (RoO) are the criteria each FTA uses to determine whether a product is genuinely 'originating' in a member country and therefore qualifies for the preferential rate. Common rule types: wholly obtained (e.g. raw agricultural products grown in the origin country), regional value content (a minimum percentage of the product's value added in member countries, typically 35-50%), and tariff-shift (the HS code of the final product must differ from the HS codes of imported inputs). For F&B, RoO usually focus on the origin of key ingredients.

Can I use multiple FTAs for the same shipment?

No. For any single shipment, you elect one FTA and submit one Certificate of Origin. You cannot stack preferential rates from different agreements. However, you can choose which FTA to use shipment-by-shipment based on which gives the lowest duty AND which Rules of Origin you can satisfy. For example, Malaysia to Japan F&B exporters often choose between RCEP and the bilateral MJEPA depending on which has the lower rate for their specific HS code.

What's the difference between RCEP, CPTPP, and ASEAN AFTA?

ATIGA (the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, sometimes called ASEAN AFTA) is the intra-ASEAN agreement covering BN, ID, KH, LA, MM, MY, PH, SG, TH, VN. It eliminated duty on most F&B by 2010-2015. RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) adds Australia, China, Japan, Korea, and NZ to the 10 ASEAN members for a 15-country bloc, effective 2022. CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership) links Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, with UK joining in 2024. CPTPP has stricter Rules of Origin but broader country coverage including the Americas.

How much can FTA preferential rates save per shipment?

It depends on the destination's MFN rate. For F&B, the savings range from 5% to 25% of CIF value, occasionally higher. Example: exporting confectionery (HS 1704) from Malaysia to China. MFN is 10%. ACFTA preferential rate is 0%. On a USD 50,000 shipment, that's USD 5,000 saved per container. Across a year of containers, the savings compound and frequently dwarf the cost of obtaining Certificates of Origin.