What is an A.TR certificate?
The A.TR movement certificate is a status document that proves goods are in free circulation under the Customs Union between Türkiye and the European Union. It does not show where the goods were made; it shows that customs obligations have been fulfilled. It is used for industrial products and processed agricultural products, and on the road corridor it travels with the shipment together with the CMR consignment note.
Is the A.TR an origin certificate?
No. The A.TR is a status document, not an origin document. It does not say where the goods were produced; it says that they are in free circulation between the parties to the Customs Union, that is, that customs obligations have been met. A product of Far Eastern origin can therefore reach Türkiye with an A.TR once it has been released for free circulation in the European Union. The practical consequence matters: although an A.TR removes the customs duty, additional customs duty (İGV) can still arise if the goods are of third-country origin, and the origin has to be proved separately to avoid it. Proof is given by a supplier's declaration, a certificate of origin or a preferential proof of origin. Asking the seller at the order stage for the document that shows origin, and not only for the A.TR, avoids a cost surprise.
Which products fall outside the A.TR?
Two groups fall outside it: goods on the list of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and agricultural products that the Customs Union does not cover. The Customs Union covers industrial products and processed agricultural products; coal, coke and the iron and steel items on the ECSC list are under a separate regime. On the agricultural side, items that the European Union treats as agricultural products are outside, and this is not limited to raw products such as grain or live animals. "Processed agricultural product" here is not the same as "processed food" in everyday speech: the processed agricultural products that the Customs Union covers are a limited list annexed to Association Council Decision No 1/95. Some items, such as tomato paste, canned fruit and vegetables, fruit juice, cheese and meat products, can fall outside even though they look processed, because EU legislation counts them as agricultural products; the result has to be checked per product by its tariff code (see HS code). For items outside the scope, an EUR.1 is issued to benefit from the preferential regime.
- In scope: industrial products and processed agricultural products
- Out of scope: coal and iron and steel products on the ECSC list
- Out of scope: items the EU treats as agricultural products (tomato paste, canned goods, juice, cheese, meat products)
- For out-of-scope items an EUR.1 or an origin declaration is used
Who issues and who approves the A.TR?
The exporter, or its legal representative authorised to sign the customs declaration, issues the certificate; the chamber of commerce or industry to which the exporter belongs approves it; and the customs administration endorses it. The certificate is not valid until all three steps are complete. The process runs electronically: the certificate is sent to the chamber through the system, the chamber checks the declaration and its attached documents, and the customs endorsement closes the process. A certificate can also be obtained after the goods have been exported; in that case the system enters the words "ISSUED RETROSPECTIVELY" in box 8, observations. A retrospectively issued certificate is valid, but the importing country's customs are more likely to make additional enquiries. If the goods description on the certificate matches the invoice and the declaration exactly, corrections are avoided from the start.
How long is the A.TR valid?
The A.TR must be presented to the customs of the importing country within four months of the date on which it was endorsed by the customs administration of the exporting country. For example, for a certificate endorsed on 10 March the last day of presentation is 10 July. This four-month period comes from the Customs Union rules and is not affected by the change of periods in the PEM origin rules. If the period is missed the certificate does not become invalid automatically: where a delay is caused by unforeseen circumstances, customs can accept the certificate after the period, and acceptance is also possible if the goods were presented to the customs within the period. For goods placed in a warehouse, a free zone or temporary storage before the four months run out, the period stops, and the certificate becomes valid again when the goods are imported. For long sea shipments with transhipment, compare the endorsement date with the estimated arrival date from the start.
What is the difference between the A.TR and the EUR.1?
In one sentence: the A.TR is a status document and the EUR.1 is an origin document. The A.TR says goods are in free circulation within the Customs Union and does not mention where they were produced. The EUR.1 proves which country the goods are considered to originate in under the rules of the agreement; those origin rules rest entirely on wholly-obtained or sufficient-processing criteria. They are not alternatives; they answer different questions. If one shipment contains items with different scope, for example an industrial product and canned food sent together, the items may have to be separated, with an A.TR for one and an EUR.1 for the other. Which document is needed is decided by the tariff code of the goods and by the agreement framework with the country of destination, as part of customs clearance.
Main differences between the A.TR and the EUR.1
| Criterion |
A.TR movement certificate |
EUR.1 movement certificate |
| What it proves |
Free circulation status |
Preferential origin |
| Trade in which it is used |
Türkiye–EU Customs Union |
Countries with a free trade agreement, and EU products outside the A.TR |
| Goods covered |
Industrial and processed agricultural products |
Agricultural products outside the A.TR scope and ECSC products, goods covered by a free trade agreement |
| Origin of the goods |
Not decisive for the document |
The subject of the document |
| Additional customs duty |
Does not remove it on its own |
Can remove it by proving origin |
| Presentation period |
4 months from the endorsement date |
10 months under revised PEM; 4 months for free trade agreements outside PEM |
| Approval chain |
Exporter, chamber, customs endorsement |
Exporter, chamber, customs endorsement |
Frequently asked questions
Does an A.TR remove customs duty completely?
The A.TR removes the customs duty on goods covered by the Customs Union, but additional customs duty is a separate obligation. If the goods are of third-country origin and the origin is not proved, İGV can be charged at the "other countries" rate of the tariff. Attaching a document that shows origin to the A.TR is therefore an integral part of the import cost calculation.
In which countries is the A.TR used?
The A.TR is used in trade between Türkiye and the member states of the European Union. It has no function in exports to countries outside the Customs Union: there an EUR.1 or an origin declaration applies if there is a free trade agreement, and a certificate of origin applies in non-preferential trade if there is none. The type of document should not be chosen before the country of destination has been confirmed.
What happens if the presentation period for the A.TR is missed?
Even when the four months have passed, the certificate is not rejected automatically. Where a delay is based on unforeseen circumstances, customs can accept it, and acceptance is also possible if the goods were presented to the customs within the period. In a warehouse, a free zone or temporary storage the period already stops. The importer may still be asked to document the reason for the delay.
Can an A.TR be obtained after the export?
Yes. For a certificate issued after the shipment has left, the electronic approval system enters the words "ISSUED RETROSPECTIVELY" in box 8, and the certificate is valid in that form. This route is used when the buyer asks for the certificate late or when it was missed at the time of declaration; the importing customs are more likely to ask further questions.