On 9 May 2025, the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia (“GDCE”) issued an official instruction concerning the declaration and documentation process for the export of certain goods to the United States through the Automated System for Customs Data (“ASYCUDA”). This instruction follows the Inter-Ministerial Prakas No. 379, jointly issued by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Commerce, and Prakas No. 047 of the Ministry of Commerce, both dated 30 April 2025. These regulations are part of broader government efforts to prevent and combat the falsification of the origin of goods destined for export to the U.S. market.
Under the new requirements, all exporters (declarant) must comply with specific customs declaration procedures. These include:
- When registering for customs declaration (“SAD”), declarant must fill in the number and date of the Certificate of Origin using document type code OCL and upload the certificate as an attachment.
- If the Certificate is not available yet, the declarant must enter “PENDING” in the reference number field and submit the certificate later through the standard amendment process.
- Customs officers are authorized to verify the declarations and supporting documents against the Certificate of Origin.
According to Annex 1 of the instruction, up to 120 goods, including food products, garments, electronics, and solar components, will require Certificates of Origin beginning from May 12. This instruction forms part of Cambodia’s broader trade compliance strategy with the U.S., helping to strengthen the legitimacy of Cambodian exports while fostering transparency in customs procedures. By enforcing strict documentation requirements, it also supports Cambodia’s commitments under bilateral trade arrangements and promotes the integrity of its export supply chain.
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