EUR.1 Certificate for Exporting Goods to the EU or Importing to Ukraine

Q: How long is the EUR.1 certificate valid?

The standard validity period is 4 months from the date of issue by the customs authority. In certain cases (sea transport) it may be extended up to 10 months.

If you export goods from Ukraine to European Union countries, you have probably heard about preferential import duty rates. This is not just luck — it is the result of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, which opened access for Ukrainian business to the European market on very favorable terms.

But you cannot take advantage of this benefit automatically. Your European buyer must prove at customs that the goods are indeed of Ukrainian origin. This is exactly what the EUR.1 certificate is for.

What a EUR.1 certificate is and why it is needed in Ukraine

The EUR.1 certificate is an official document that confirms that your goods truly have preferential origin, i.e., they are produced in Ukraine or in the European Union. Simply put, it is your pass to zero or reduced customs duties.

Without it, the European importer will be forced to pay standard import duties. This makes Ukrainian goods more expensive, and therefore less competitive in the market.

Incidentally, the same document is required when importing goods into Ukraine from the EU. The Association Agreement works mirror-wise in both directions and allows all parties to avoid unnecessary duties.

When is EUR.1 needed, and when is it not?

This is an important point that often causes confusion. It is not always necessary to obtain a separate certificate form.

The EUR.1 certificate is needed if:

the consignment value exceeds 6,000 € and you do not have the Authorized Exporter status;
you want to officially confirm the preferential origin of the goods for EU customs.

You do not need to obtain a EUR.1 in the following cases:

Small consignments up to 6,000 €: if the invoice amount does not exceed 6,000 €, you can manage without a separate certificate. It is enough to add a special declaration text directly to the commercial invoice — this is called an invoice declaration of origin.
"Authorized Exporter" status: if your company regularly supplies products to the EU in large volumes, it makes sense to obtain the status of an authorized (approved) exporter from customs. It gives the right to independently declare the origin of goods of any value directly in invoices — without applying to customs for EUR.1.

Invoice declaration of origin — what is it? Instead of applying to customs each time for a EUR.1 form, the Ukrainian exporter can simply add a standard declaration text directly to the commercial invoice, packing list, or delivery note. A separate certificate is not needed, and European customs will accept such a declaration on a par with EUR.1.

Who issues the EUR.1 certificate in Ukraine?

The EUR.1 certificate is issued by the State Customs Service of Ukraine (Derzhmytsluzhba). An important note: issuing the certificate is free. You only pay for the services of a customs broker if you use their help.

You must apply to the customs authority at the place of export clearance of the cargo.

Step-by-step process for obtaining a EUR.1 certificate

The process is not complicated, but requires a strict sequence. Any mistake in the documents — and you will get a refusal.

Step 1. Determine the origin criterion of the goods

Before going to customs, you need to understand on what basis your goods are considered Ukrainian. Customs accepts two options:

Wholly produced in Ukraine — for example, grown grain, extracted ore, handmade goods without foreign materials.
Sufficiently processed in Ukraine — if imported components were used in production, but as a result of processing the finished goods received a new code according to CN (the first four digits of the code differ from the codes of foreign raw materials).

Step 2. Collect a package of supporting documents

This is the most critical stage. Customs must clearly see the entire chain: what the goods were made from and how.

Step 3. Fill in the certificate form and the application

The EUR.1 form is filled in English or another official EU language — strictly according to international rules. In parallel, an application for the certificate issuance is filled in, in which you as the exporter assume legal responsibility for the accuracy of all data.

Errors and corrections in the EUR.1 form are not allowed. If you make a mistake — you need a new form.

Step 4. Submit the documents to customs

The entire package — application, completed form and supporting documents — is submitted to the customs authority where the export clearance of the cargo will take place.

According to regulations, customs officers have up to 3 working days for verification. In practice, if the documents are filled in correctly, everything happens faster.

Step 5. Receive the original and hand it over to the driver

After verification, the customs inspector certifies the EUR.1 form with their signature and personal numbered stamp. The original certificate is handed over to the driver together with the CMR waybill and the invoice. These are the documents they will present at the European border and at the customs of destination.

Full list of documents for obtaining a EUR.1 certificate

To avoid going to customs twice, collect everything at once:

Application-declaration (of the established form).
Commercial invoice and packing list: data on the consignment and its value.
Foreign trade contract with the buyer from the EU: confirmation of the transaction.
Invoices for the purchase of Ukrainian raw materials: proof of local origin of materials.
Technological certificate: description of the production process.
Cost calculation: required if imported components were used in production.

Main requirements for the origin of goods according to EUR.1

This is perhaps the most difficult point in the entire process. This is where most exporters get a refusal.

Rule 1. Change of goods code (change of tariff classification): if foreign materials were used in production — no problem. The main thing is that the finished goods receive a different code according to CN than the original foreign components (at the level of the first four digits).

Example: you make wooden furniture in Ukraine, but use varnish from Germany and fittings from Poland. If the code of the finished furniture differs from the codes of the imported materials — the furniture is considered Ukrainian. If not — the origin will not be confirmed.

Rule 2. Value criterion (ad valorem share): for a number of goods (especially complex electronics, equipment, vehicles) the EU sets a limit on the share of foreign materials. Depending on the commodity item, the value of foreign components must not exceed a fixed percentage, often this is 30–40% of the price of the finished product "ex-works" (EXW). This must be confirmed by accounting calculations — customs will look at the numbers.

What must not be done: the following operations are not considered sufficient processing and do not grant the right to Ukrainian origin status:

repacking or packaging of goods;
cleaning, sorting, drying;
simple assembly of parts without changing characteristics;
painting or polishing without substantial processing.

If customs decides that you only repackaged foreign goods — the certificate will be refused.

EUR.1 certificate: why it is needed in the EU and who arranges it

In the reverse direction (when importing from the EU), so that the Ukrainian importer does not have to pay extra duties, the European seller must confirm that the goods are produced precisely in the EU (or have undergone sufficient processing there). The procedure is absolutely mirror-like — the same as in the previous variant.

Depending on the consignment value and the status of the European supplier, the confirmation may be one of two documents:

EUR.1 certificate: it is issued by the European exporter at the customs authorities of their country (e.g., in Poland, Germany, etc.) right during export clearance. The original in paper form (or in digital form, if customs support the electronic format) is handed over to the Ukrainian importer for presentation at Ukrainian customs.
Declaration of origin (Declaration on Invoice): this is a standard record (declaration text) that the European seller puts directly on the commercial invoice, packing list or delivery note. In this case, it is not necessary to obtain a separate paper EUR.1 certificate at customs in the EU.

if the consignment value is up to 6,000 €, absolutely any European seller can make the invoice declaration;
if the consignment value exceeds 6,000 €, only an authorized exporter (Approved Exporter) from the EU, having a special customs number (which they must indicate in the declaration text), has the right to make the invoice declaration. If there is no such status, the supplier will have to obtain a standard EUR.1 certificate at customs.

When the correct EUR.1 or invoice declaration is submitted, Ukrainian customs applies the preferential import duty rate. For the majority of European goods it is 0%.

For some sensitive groups of goods (e.g., for passenger cars or certain agricultural products), the duty under EUR.1 is not zeroed.

If the European seller does not provide either EUR.1 or the invoice declaration (or fills it in with errors), the Ukrainian importer will have to clear the cargo through customs at the full duty rate, which will significantly increase logistics costs and the cost of the goods.

Frequently asked questions about EUR.1

Can a EUR.1 certificate be issued retroactively?

Yes, in exceptional cases the certificate may be issued retrospectively — after the cargo has already been shipped. But this requires additional justification and the mark "ISSUED RETROSPECTIVELY" on the form.

How long is the EUR.1 certificate valid?

The standard validity period is 4 months from the date of issue by the customs authority. In certain cases (sea transport) it may be extended up to 10 months.

What to do if the EUR.1 is lost or damaged?

You can request a duplicate from the customs authority that issued the original. The duplicate will bear the mark "DUPLICATE".

Is a separate EUR.1 required for each shipment?

Yes. Each export consignment requires a separate certificate — one EUR.1 does not cover multiple shipments. The only way to simplify this task is to obtain the status of an authorized exporter (Approved Exporter).

What if the goods are transported via a third country (transit)?

EUR.1 is also valid for transit routes — the main thing is that the goods do not change in the country of transit. The customs of the transit country may stamp the passage through their territory.

Can EUR.1 be issued without a customs broker?

Yes, the exporter can obtain the certificate independently. However, if you are doing this for the first time, the help of an experienced broker significantly reduces the risk of errors and customs refusal.

Summary: EUR.1 — a small document with a big price tag

The most common mistake is to start collecting documents for EUR.1 on the day the vehicle is loaded. The customs inspector may request additional clarifications on technological maps or calculations, and then your transport will stand idle.

What to do correctly:

determine the origin criterion even before signing the contract;
prepare the technological certificate and calculation in advance;
send scanned documents to the broker for preliminary check;
submit documents to customs at least 1–2 working days before shipment.

The EUR.1 certificate occupies only one sheet, but properly executed — it saves thousands of euros on duties. The process of obtaining it is not as complicated as it seems, if you deal with it in advance and with an understanding of the rules of origin of goods.

If questions or doubts arise — a consultation with a customs broker from our company TobiPaczka will save both time and nerves. You can also familiarize yourself with our service Turnkey export of goods to Europe.