Export documents: current developments

Armenia: temporary cut in import duties

Since 10 October 2026, you have paid no or lower import duties on many goods from Armenia. The EU has reached temporary agreements with Armenia about this. You can find all the details in Regulation (EU) 2026/2269, including the list of products eligible for lower import duties. These products are listed by their commodity code in Annexes I and II of the Regulation.

A tariff quota applies to products listed in Annex II. This means that the EU will reduce the import duty until the maximum quantity of these products, expressed in tonnes, has been imported. For the products listed in Annex I, there is no tariff quota and no maximum quantity applies. The agreement runs until 11 October 2028. No reduced import duties have been agreed for exports to Armenia.

Proof of origin

You will only receive a reduction in import duties if you can prove that the products are of Armenian preferential origin. The rules on preferential origin can be found in Articles 59 to 70 of the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446. You must prove preferential origin to the Customs Administration of the Netherlands by providing an EUR1 certificate of origin from your supplier. You may also use a preferential invoice declaration from your supplier. This is set out in Articles 113 to 126 of the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2447.

You may use an invoice declaration if:

• the value of the consignment is less than €6,000
• if the value of the shipment exceeds €6,000 and
  your supplier holds an Approved Exporter authorisation

Digital ATA Carnet

You use an ATA Carnet for goods that you take to a country outside the EU and back again. For most countries where this document is used, a paper ATA Carnet is required. However, from 1 June 2026, the ATA Carnet for the United Kingdom, Norway, and Switzerland will be entirely digital. You will no longer need a paper document for these countries. It is likely that other countries will also go 100% digital in the near future.

More information about the ATA Carnet.

Printing Certificates of Origin on blank paper

You can print a Certificate of Origin (CVO) on blank paper. You no longer need pre-printed coloured forms. Several businesses in the Netherlands are already working this way. Foreign organisations accept the forms without any problems.

At present, almost three-quarters of the CVOs issued by the KVK are printed on plain paper. KVK is contacting customers who do not yet print their CVOs on plain paper. You can also contact them yourself.

How it works

You request your CVOs digitally from KVK. This is done in the same way as before. Once your request has been approved, you will receive a PDF file containing all the information from the CVO. The difference is that the standard layout of the CVO form is now also included in the PDF. The Certificate of Origin is valid with the digital signature and the KVK issue number. You can check this on the ICC Verification platform. There is a QR code on the CVO that allows you to easily verify this.

Advantages

Printing on blank paper has the following advantages:

• You can forward the PDF file to customers, organisations, etc.
• Everyone can print the Certificate of Origin themselves. Also your foreign customers. This will help prevent dpcuments from getting lost in the post or on delivery.
• There is no longer any need to scan the printed CVO.
• You do not need a separate printer or printer tray.
• It saves costs, because you do not use pre-printed Certificates of Origin.

First contact KVK

Would you also like to print CVOs on blank paper? KVK will first adjust the settings for printing CVOs for you. Please contact the Export Documents department for this.

• Email: Exportdocumenten regio West
  Telephone: 088 585 18 87
• Email: Exportdocumenten regio Oost/Zuid
  Telephone: 088 585 18 89

Printing on blank paper only applies to CVOs. For EUR.1 certificates, you must continue to use pre-printed forms.