Norwegian supplier declaration on a note – additional information

We refer to our circular 5 – 2023 Circular 5 - 2023, Norwegian supplier declaration on banknote – change (surofi.no) where we informed about changes in practice for issuing national supplier declarations on banknote.

We also informed that the rules of origin are changing in that the nationality of the crew is no longer relevant for origin and that this has now been incorporated into a number of key trade agreements. We have subsequently received a number of inquiries about which trade agreements still have crew requirements.

After contacting the Norwegian Customs, Seafood Norway has been informed that nationality requirements for crew members still apply in the EFTA trade agreements with Mexico and the Philippines, and in the Fisheries Letter between Norway and the EU. https://www.toll.no/no/varer/fisk/eksport-av-fisk/eksportor/  

In the agreement with Mexico, the crew requirement is formulated so that 75 percent of the crew (including officers) and all officers must be citizens of EFTA or Mexico. In the Fishing Charter, the requirement is that 75 percent of the crew (including officers) and all officers must be Norwegian or EU citizens. It is worth noting that residents of the Faroe Islands have Danish passports and are defined as EU citizens.

The Fishing Charter between Norway and the EC was signed in 1973. After we received the EEA Agreement, most of the tariff advantages in the Fishing Charter were offset by the conditions in the EEA. For frozen fillets, however, it is the conditions in the Fishing Charter that still provide the lowest tariff to the EU. For fillets of whitefish (including flounder) the tariff rate is 0.9 percent, while for frozen fillets of pelagic fish the tariff rate is 3 percent. In order to use this tariff preference in trade with the EU, one must therefore meet the crew requirement.

In trade with all other countries where Norway/EFTA has free trade agreements, it is the alternative rules, the so-called "flag rule" that governs the origin, meaning that the fish was caught by a Norwegian vessel.

The agreement with Mexico also includes a special provision that allows clipfish made from cod and ling produced in Norway to be of Norwegian origin even if the raw material does not qualify for Norwegian origin (for example, because the vessel does not meet the conditions for the nationality of the crew as mentioned above).  

We clarify that when filling in the fields "Crew (number)" "Of which Norwegian" on the slip, as we informed about in circular 5 - 2023, the entire crew, including officers, will be counted. "Norwegian" means Norwegian citizen.