The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has signed the First Additional Protocol to the India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement, which permits the use of electronic Certificates of Origin in trade between India and MERCOSUR nations. The agreement was signed by India’s Commerce Secretary and representatives of MERCOSUR countries, including Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. This protocol modernises how trading partners verify the origin of goods shipped between the two regions.
What the protocol contains
The India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement, which has been in force since 2009, provides tariff concessions on 450 product lines from India’s side and 452 from MERCOSUR’s side. The new protocol amends the Rules of Origin section of this agreement to recognise electronic Certificates of Origin as legally equivalent to paper versions.
Electronic Certificates of Origin must be:
- Issued and electronically signed in line with each country’s domestic laws
- Created only by duly authorised entities and officials
- Given the same legal standing as physical certificates
The protocol was discussed at the Joint Administrative Committee’s fourth meeting in November 2025, where both sides agreed to update the agreement for digital certificates. It was formally adopted at the fifth meeting in April 2026. The protocol will take effect once India and all MERCOSUR countries complete their internal approval procedures and notify each other of completion.
What this means for you
If you are involved in importing from or exporting to MERCOSUR countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), this change will simplify your documentation process. Businesses will no longer need to handle physical certificates, reducing paperwork and speeding up customs clearance. The move cuts transaction costs and processing delays, making trade faster and cheaper. Companies benefiting from the preferential tariffs under the existing agreement will find it easier to prove their goods qualify for these reduced duties.