As of January 1, 2020 the Registered Exporter system (the REX system) will be introduced in the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs). The REX system is a new system for certificating the origin of goods that has been introduced by the European Union for the purpose of preferential trade arrangements, including the preferential arrangements and tariff preferences based on the Overseas Association Decision (LGO-besluit).
Aruba as an Overseas Country is also entitled to preferential arrangements and tariff preferences for goods of origin based on the LGO-besluit. Therefore, Aruba should also implement the REX system at the latest on January 1, 2020.
The REX system simplifies export formalities by allowing the Registered Exporter to certify the preferential origin himself by including a specific declaration, the so-called statements on origin, on the invoice or another commercial document identifying the exported goods. Thus, the
Registered Exporter does not need to apply upon each export for issue of a certificate of origin.
The REX system completely replaces the current system of origin certification based on certificates of origin (EUR.1) issued by governmental authorities. The REX system is based on self-certification by exporters who will prepare the statements on origin themselves. To be able to make a statement on origin the exporter will have to become a Registered Exporter, which means that the exporter has to be registered in the EU’s database by the competent authority of his country (Departamento di Aduana).
Exporters who wish to export goods from Aruba to the European Union using tariff preferences must be registered in the REX system. An exporter shall request his registration to the Departamento di Aduana. Exporters who submit a complete and correct application form will be registered in the REX system by the Departamento di Aduana. This application is a one-time formality. Following this registration, a registration number (REX number) will be assigned to the exporter. Once the REX number is assigned to the exporter, the registered exporter may use it for all his exports under preferential arrangements where the system of certification of origin is
applied is the REX system.
The registration data incorporated in the REX system are publicly available. A registered exporter may indicate whether he wants all his registration data to be published or not. The rules for determining the origin of goods remain unchanged. The REX system simply amends the method to certify the origin of goods. With the implementation of the REX system, it will not
be necessary for exporters to request an approval regarding the origin of goods at the Departamento di Aduana. It is important to note that the Departamento di Aduana will no longer issue a EUR.1 certificate as of Janaury 1, 2020.