The NAFTA Certificate of Origin

NAFTA experts say that over 50 percent of all NAFTA Certificates of Origin (the required document for receiving duty-free entry for goods entering each of the three countries) are completed incorrectly, resulting in the loss of both money and time due to delays at the border, customs audits, and the fees associated with both. This workshop will provide the step-by-step process of how to complete this all-important document. In addition, the workshop will include a useful general overview of NAFTA, tariff rates, rules of origin, and record-keeping in an easy to understand presentation, using specially prepared workshop materials.

Workshop Outline

• Brief micro/macro explanation of NAFTA
• How to identify the HS Number
• Tariff rates: MFN versus NAFTA
• Rules of origin: Interpreting and examples
• Tariff shifts and regional value content
• Preference criterion
• Completing the NAFTA Certificate of Origin
• Record keeping

Louisa Elder has been the director of the State of Illinois NAFTA Opportunity Center at NORBIC since 1998, successfully taking member companies through custom audits with significant financial savings, acting as a liaison between manufacturing and U.S. Customs, creating courses, and training companies and federal trade specialists on the intricacies of NAFTA qualification and documentation. She is a self-appointed advocate for U.S. manufacturing, encouraging better support and training from the federal government for small and mid-size companies to better compete with international trade agreements. Ms. Elder graduated from Indiana University with a BS in Spanish and vocal performance. She also obtained an MBA in International Management from Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management.

Sponsoring Organizations

New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center

Louisiana District Export Council

City of New Orleans
Port of New Orleans
World Trade Center of New Orleans

In Cooperation With

Ark-La-Tex Regional Export & Technology Center

Baton Rouge Center for World Affairs

Consular Corps of New Orleans

International Trade Council/Red River Region

Louisiana International Trade Center/SBDC

Louisiana Technology Council

World Affairs Council of New Orleans

World Trade Club of Greater New Orleans

Cost: $30 for members of the sponsoring organizations and companies. 
$35 for non-members.