The Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday called on exporters to join the EU’s Registered Exporter (REX) system by year-end and gain access to the “Everything But Arms” (EBA) agreement and the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) schemes from Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.

REX is a system of self-certification of origin of goods and has been available since January 1, 2017, under the EU’s GSP.

Despite three prior announcements, the ministry has noted that “a lot of companies that export to the EU, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey have not been registered”.

“To avoid any losses in preferential trade privileges, they have to register under the REX system by December 31,” the ministry said in a statement.

Ministry of Commerce spokesman Seang Thay could not be reached for comment.

In October, Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) chairman Van Sou Ieng said not many of GMAC’s member exporters had registered under the REX system since the ministry’s initial announcement on December 31, last year.

He said registration would save them time and money.

“We urge all members to register under the REX system as soon as possible – before the EU’s deadline.

“After the deadline, the EU will no longer accept the Certificate of Origin issued by the Ministry of Commerce and will instead require all exporters to use the REX system to be eligible for a Statement of Origin,” Sou Ieng said.

He said GMAC and the ministry have technical officials ready to help guide exporters during the registration process.

“GMAC once again would like to instruct all members who are exporters to the EU to start their registration under the REX system via the Ministry of Commerce from now on,” Sou Ieng said.

More than 40 per cent of the Kingdom’s garment, footwear and textile exports enter the EU, GMAC data shows. GMAC members operate more than 500 factories and employ more than 700,000 workers.