How to Prepare a Certificate of Origin for Export

If you’ve ever shipped goods overseas, you already know that global trade runs on verification. One of the strongest forms of verification is the Certificate of Origin (COO/Surat Keterangan Asal) — a document that confirms where a product was made or produced. This is not just formality, it directly affects import duty rates, trade agreement benefits, product admissibility, and customs trust level.

In 2025, COO becomes even more strategic as countries tighten supply-chain traceability, enforce sustainability rules, and digitize customs profiling. For exporters, especially those dealing with fish and seafood products like your company’s field, COO also supports claims about processing location, raw material source, and eligibility for preferential tariffs under trade agreements such as ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) or Indonesia’s bilateral trade schemes.

Why Certificate of Origin Matters

A COO determines whether your buyer can receive lower or zero import duties through preferential trade agreements. It also helps customs verify HS Codes, validate invoices, and ensure the product is not falsely declared. For regulated goods like seafood, COO supports the product’s legality by proving the export is coming from an approved origin country or processing facility. Some countries even use COO data for anti-dumping analysis, embargo checks, and supply-chain risk engines.

COO is basically your product’s passport in international markets.

Types of COO Exporters Should Understand

There are two main types:

1. Preferential COO → used when goods qualify for special tariff benefits under a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Example: Form D for ATIGA (ASEAN countries).
2. Non-Preferential COO → used when no FTA benefits are applied, but the destination country still needs proof of origin. Often issued as General COO.

The key difference is not appearance — it’s benefit. One reduces import tax, the other simply verifies source.

Who Issues COO in Indonesia

In Indonesia, the COO is commonly issued by:

• Dinas Perdagangan (Trade Office) → for General COO / Non-Preferential COO.
• Kementerian Perdagangan via INSW (Indonesia National Single Window) → for some digital COO applications.
• KADIN Indonesia (Kamar Dagang dan Industri) → one of the authorized issuing bodies for COO.
• Other designated institutions depending on product category and destination regulation.

So you don’t issue it yourself, but you are fully responsible for preparing the data correctly before submission.

Step-by-Step Guide to Prepare COO Correctly

Here is the workflow exporters should follow:

Start by ensuring the goods truly originate from Indonesia — either fully obtained (caught, harvested, or produced domestically) or processed locally with verifiable sourcing. Then prepare supporting export documents such as commercial invoice, packing list, Bill of Lading or AWB, and product permits if needed.

Next, identify whether your shipment qualifies for a preferential trade agreement. If yes, confirm the correct COO form required by the destination country (for ASEAN seafood exports, it is often Form D).

After that, draft the COO data with accuracy. This includes exporter and importer details, shipment method, port of loading and discharge, product description, HS Code, invoice number, weight information, and manufacturing or processing declaration. Make sure the product description matches your invoice and packing list — inconsistencies are the number one cause of customs friction.

Submit the COO request to the authorized issuing institution either physically or through the available digital platform. Once reviewed, the issuing body will approve, sign, and stamp the COO.

Finally, send the original COO to your buyer or logistics partner before the goods arrive at the destination port to avoid import clearance delays.

Common Tips to Avoid Rejection or Inspection

Use the same product naming across all export documents. Never manipulate origin claims — customs systems are now integrated globally. If you export frozen seafood, include processing location honestly, especially if raw fish was sourced domestically but processed in cold storage or production houses in Indonesia.

Also, apply early. COO processing can take time, especially during peak export seasons. Late COO equals late clearance.

Conclusion

A Certificate of Origin is not just an export document — it is a tariff key, compliance proof, and trust signal in global shipping. In 2025, when customs risk engines and digital verification systems dominate clearance decisions, COO accuracy becomes a direct competitive advantage.

For Indonesian fish exporters, COO ensures that international buyers can claim the best possible import duty benefits, while customs authorities gain confidence in the shipment’s legitimacy. A clean COO backed with consistent invoice and packing list data means fewer inspections, faster port release, and lower dispute potential.

When your cargo reaches foreign borders, COO is the document that introduces your business before you do. Make it accurate, make it early, and let it work for you — not against you.