Overseas countries and territories

Bonaire, Saint Eustatius, and Saba are part of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association Decision (OCT).

This means that goods can often be imported into the European Union based on favourable customs duty rates. It is important in this respect that these goods are given the so-called OCT origin status.

Your goods can be given the OCT origin status if the associated origin rules belonging to these arrangements are met. As of 1 January 2020, the system of registered exporters (the REX system) has been incorporated into the OCT. 

The REX system is a new system used to certify the origin of goods introduced by the European Union focussed on preferential trade arrangements, including the preferential arrangements and rate preferences based on the OCT decision. The REX system fully replaces the current system of origin certification based on origin certificates (EUR.1) issued by government bodies (including Douane Caribisch Nederland).

The REX system is based on self-certification by exporters who will draw up the origin statements themselves. In order to be able to issue an origin statement, an exporter must become a registered exporter, which means that the exporter must be registered in the database of the European Union (EU) by the authority competent in its country (Douane Caribisch Nederland).

More information about the origin rules in this context can be found in the OCT decision