Under the Customs Act and the Regulation of Imports and Exports Act, wrong declaration of country of origin in a license application may constitute an illegal act and may be punished. "The Singapore Customs Service will not hesitate to take enforcement actions against non-compliant companies. Since 2020, the Singapore Customs Service has investigated nearly 690 violations related to certificates of origin and rules of origin. Penalties include warning notices, fines for case cancellations, and court prosecutions."

The Singapore Customs Bureau issued a notice on Monday (June 9), reminding all traders and customs declaration agents to accurately declare the "Country/Region of Origin" when applying for import and export and transshipment licenses through the TradeNet system, and stressing that the accuracy of this information is crucial.

For more information on the rules of origin, please refer to Customs Notice No. 06/2025 provided on the Singapore Customs Office website (www.customs.gov.sg). Companies can also contact Singapore Customs Service by email at customs_roo@customs.gov.sg for further assistance.

The statement said: "Singapore is a trustworthy, open, inclusive and strong international business center. Compliance with the law, including customs regulations, is crucial to maintaining an honest business environment and competitiveness.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore and the Singapore Customs Bureau issued a joint statement on Monday, explaining the accurate declaration of "country of origin/region" and revealing that the Customs Bureau has issued a notice to remind all traders and customs agents of the importance of doing so.

The statement pointed out that traders and customs declaration agents can declare "Singapore" as a country of origin/region only when the goods meet the relevant standards of origin under the current Free Trade Agreement (FTA) or Singapore's non-preferential Rules of Origin. The Singapore Customs Agency also regularly communicates with the Chamber of Commerce Groups (TACs) regarding the responsibilities of issuing ordinary certificates of origin as an authorized institution and ensuring that the process complies with regulatory obligations.

Singapore Customs Office Senior Assistant Director (Trade) Lee Wencong said: "Accurate declaration of origin is the basis of Singapore's rules-based trade framework. This notice is intended to remind companies to fulfill their responsibilities in the identification of origin requirements and thus safeguard Singapore's reputation as a trustworthy global trade center."

"The Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Singapore Customs Bureau attach great importance to trade compliance. On June 9, 2025, the Singapore Customs Bureau issued a notice reminding all traders and customs declaration agents to accurately declare the 'country of origin/region' in all import and export and transshipment license applications submitted through the Singapore Trade Network system."