The Regional Convention on Pan Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of Origin

Rules of origin specify how a product must be manufactured to obtain originating status. If a product has originating status, this gives the possibility to obtain reduced or zero customs duty upon import.

For most free trade agreements within Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, the rules of origin in the Regional Convention on Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Preferential Rules of Origin (the PEM Convention) apply.

For Norway, this includes the free trade agreements with Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein (the EFTA-states), the EU, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, the Faroe Islands, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, and Palestine. The free trade agreement with Greenland also uses the Convention's rules, although Greenland is not a party to the Convention.

The Convention has been revised, and the revised rules have been incorporated into most of the agreements. The revised rules mainly introduce simplifications compared with the old rules.

Since not all contracting parties have adopted the revised rules, two sets of rules may be used, but only between countries within the same zone. Countries in Zone 1 have adopted the revised rules; countries in Zone 2 have not and still use the old rules.

• Read more about what is required for your product to obtain originating status under the old rules
• Read more about what is required for your product to obtain originating status under the revised rules

Cumulation

The provisions of the Convention also allow the use of cumulation. This enables originating materials from other PEM countries to be used without having to meet the product specific rules (list rules).

The provisions also allow for the issuance of proofs of origin upon re-export of goods originating in other PEM countries. There is no requirement for such goods to be placed in a customs warehouse.

The following conditions must be met:

• the countries must be part of the PEM zone,
• there must be a free trade agreement between the countries involved, and
• the goods must originate under identical rules of origin.

The various cumulation possibilities are reflected in a matrix, which is continuously updated.

• matrix

From 1 January 2026, there are two cumulation zones, where cumulation may only take place in accordance with either the revised or the old rules of origin, i.e. internally between Zone 1 or Zone 2 countries.

Zone 1: Agreements with a dynamic link - revised rules

Zone 2: Agreements without a dynamic link - old rules

Zone 1: Agreements with a dynamic link - revised rules

For cumulation to be used under the PEM Convention, identical rules of origin must apply throughout the supply chain. From 1 January 2026, only the revised rules apply in the free trade agreements listed under Zone 1. Cumulation is limited to materials considered to originate under the revised rules. Cumulation with materials from Zone 2 is generally no longer possible (exceptions apply for materials imported before 1 January 2026).

Materials imported before 1 January 2026

Materials with a proof of origin issued under the old PEM rules and imported from Zone 1 or 2 before 1 January 2026 may still be used for cumulation in line with the transitional provisions. However, such cumulation is only allowed until 31 December 2028.

Materials imported after 31 December 2025

Materials imported from Zone 1 or 2 after 31 December 2025 that obtained originating status under the old rules may only be used for cumulation until 31 December 2028, provided that the proof of origin was issued before 1 January 2026 and is presented within the four‑month validity period. If both the issuance of the proof of origin and the importation take place after 31 December 2025, cumulation is no longer possible.

Preferential tariff treatment after 31 December 2025 under the old rules

Proofs of origin issued in Zone 1 before 1 January 2026 under the old rules, without the “REVISED RULES” remark, and presented after this date within the four‑month validity period, will still be eligible for preferential tariff treatment for goods which on 1 January 2026 are either in transit or in a customs warehouse.

As of 1 January 2026, there is no longer a requirement to indicate “REVISED RULES” on the proof of origin.

Zone 2: Agreements without a dynamic link - old rules

For FTAs without a dynamic link to the PEM Convention, only the old rules of origin continue to apply. The applicable rules of origin can be found in the origin protocol/annex of each FTA. Cumulation is limited to materials from Zone 2. Cumulation with materials from Zone 1 is no longer possible.

Electronic EUR.1 Movement Certificate

Zone 1 countries have decided to accept electronic EUR.1 movement certificates.

Zone 2 countries have adopted a recommendation to accept electronic EUR.1 movement certificate.

The Norwegian solution (electronic EUR.1) is described in the overview of notifications.

• See the decision of 12 December 2024 here
• See the adopted recommendation here
• Overview of notifications
• More information on Norway`s electronic EUR.1 certificate

Specific rules of origin for certain industrial products

The revised rules contain alternative processing rules for certain industrial products in HS Chapters 27-40. These rules require manufacturing using some specific processes and operations, including chemical reactions. Under the revised rules of origin, you can use these specific processing rules to obtain originating status for a covered product.

• Read more about these specific rules of origin from page 38

Export of fish under the revised rules

Norwegian exporters of fish will benefit from using the revised rules, as the crew requirements has been removed. The EEA agreement, the bilateral quotas under the EC-Norway and compensation agreements may use the revised rules.

Please note that the Fisheries Letter ("Fiskebrevet") with the EU does not allow the use of the revised rules and still contains rules of origin with crew requirements.

Why there are two sets of rules

Until 31 December 2025, the Convention contained two sets of rules:

the old rules from 2021, which all parties could use, and

the “revised” rules adopted in 2023 but included at optional “alternative” rules from September 2021 for some parties.

All parties to the Convention voted on 7 December 2023 in favour of replacing the old rules with the revised rules from 1 January 2025.

Due to delays among several contracting parties, it was not possible to implement the revised rules in all agreements. A transitional period was therefore introduced to ensure that all parties could implement the rules by the end of 2025.

Nevertheless, some countries have not completed this implementation despite the transitional period. Work is therefore ongoing to ensure that these countries implement the revised rules as quickly as possible.

Relevant links and attachments

The revised rules

• Consolidated version of revised PEM
• Background and guidance from the EU Commission

The old rules

• The Convention with rules of origin, list rules and proofs of origin
• Explanatory notes from the EU Commission