1. How can I find out whether my goods qualify for customs preference when imported into Cyprus?
The subject is treated in the country article on Cyprus and in the general section of the Guide, pp. 30-1 in the current issue. Goods qualify if they are of EC origin. If any raw materials or intermediates are not of EC origin or any manufacturing or packaging process takes place outside the EC, you should consult your customs local officer (telephone number in the directory) and study customs public notice 828 obtainable from him. This is important both to establish whether your goods qualify for preference but to see whether there are any other customs regimes - such as inward or outward processing relief - from which you might benefit. Beware that the origin rules applied by customs differ from those used by chambers of commerce when issuing EC certificates of origin. It may help you to ask HM Customs for binding tariff information on your products (general section, p. 33). The situation is subject to change: member countries of the World Trade Organisation are committed to phasing out preferences during the next few years in favour of lower tariffs all round, although little progress has been made so far. Value limits which determine what documents to use when claiming preference also change from time to time.
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