The digitalization of the certification process, coordinated by the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services, represents a milestone in the debureaucratization of bilateral trade.
Brazil and Bolivia have launched a pilot program for the implementation of the Digital Certificate of Origin (COD), which will modernize and facilitate bilateral trade. This pilot program is in the final testing phase before its definitive implementation, scheduled for the second half of 2025.
The digitalization of the certification process, coordinated by the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce, and Services, represents a milestone in the debureaucratization of bilateral trade, reducing operating costs and speeding up certificate issuance times, which currently depend on physical documentation in relations between Bolivia and Brazil.
"Trade facilitation is a priority for the Brazilian government. With the adoption of the COD, trade between Brazil and Bolivia will become more fluid, benefiting businesses and consumers," said Geraldo Alckmin, Vice President and Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MDIC).
This is another measure to streamline and reduce the cost of foreign trade in Brazil, with a focus on Bolivia, which has been a member of Mercosur since July 2024.
The certificate of origin is required for exporters to benefit from preferential access conditions to the destination country's market, such as tariff reduction or elimination.
COD meets strict security standards and provides greater reliability for foreign trade.
The digital signatures contained in this document guarantee the authenticity of the authorship and integrity of the content.
In other words, COD reduces the risk of fraud and makes it easier to verify the authenticity of the document.
Furthermore, with the replacement of paper documents with electronic procedures for exports and imports between the two countries, it is estimated that processing time will be reduced from 48 hours to just two hours, and the processing cost will be reduced by 95%.
The main objective of the pilot plan is to identify the necessary adjustments to ensure the system's full operation, as well as to allow exporters and importers to become familiar with the electronic procedures for issuing and receiving CODs.
For Tatiana Prazeres, Secretary of Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Development (MDIC), this initiative reinforces Brazil's commitment to the modernization and simplification of trade procedures.
"The implementation of the Digital Certificate of Origin with Bolivia demonstrates our continued commitment to facilitating trade, promoting greater efficiency, security, and competitiveness for Brazilian companies," he emphasized.
