Rules of Origin for steel office furniture — Dubai (UAE) to India
HS 94031010 · OTHER FURNITURE AND PARTS THEREOF · Rules of Origin & preferential rate
Data last updated: · MFN duty & IGST verified against ICEGATE (Indian Customs EDI). Rules of Origin per CEPA Annex 3B. Verify your exact HS line before filing.
- CEPA eligible
- Yes
- Value addition (RVC)
- 40%
- Tariff-classification change
- CTH Annex 3B rule set at chapter level — it covers the whole chapter, not this code alone
- MFN → CEPA basic duty
- 20% → 12.5%
Rule of Origin (CEPA Annex 3B, primary source): CTH + VA 40% (CEPA Annex 3B Product-Specific Rule; tariff-shift AND value addition both required).
Qualifying under the Rules of Origin
To claim the CEPA preference on steel office furniture (HS 94031010), the goods must qualify as UAE-originating. The Product-Specific Rule (Annex 3B) is "CTH + VA 40% (CEPA Annex 3B Product-Specific Rule; tariff-shift AND value addition both required)": the goods must undergo a change of tariff heading (CTH) AND add at least 40% regional value content — both conditions, not either/or. Read that rule for what it is: Annex 3B supplies it at chapter level, so it governs hundreds of eight-digit codes rather than this one. It is the correct rule to apply, and it is also the place to check for a more specific carve-out before committing to a claim. Steel office furniture is not scheduled to zero under CEPA. India placed it in the reduced-rate category where the duty steps down to a floor and holds there, so the saving is a fixed number of percentage points rather than the full tariff, and 18% IGST applies on top. A contract priced on eventual duty-free entry misreads the schedule. The origin rule is a change of heading plus 40% value addition, which a UAE fabricator working from imported steel sheet and sections satisfies on the shift, though the value test is tight where the steel is the dominant cost. Furniture is bulky and low density, so freight — and the customs valuation treatment of freight — often outweighs the residual tariff difference on a container. A valid Certificate of Origin filed through the eCoO 2.0 system must accompany the shipment; without it, customs charges the 20% MFN rate instead of the preference.
Check your own figures in the Rules of Origin (RVC) qualifier. Qualifying is only half of it — the preference is claimed with a Certificate of Origin, issued in the UAE before shipment or retrospectively within 12 months.
Frequently asked questions
- Does steel office furniture qualify for India–UAE CEPA?
- Yes, if it meets the Annex 3B Product-Specific Rule "CTH + VA 40% (CEPA Annex 3B Product-Specific Rule; tariff-shift AND value addition both required).": it must BOTH change tariff classification (CTH) AND add at least 40% regional value content — both conditions are required, not either/or.
- What is the Rule of Origin for steel office furniture?
- Per CEPA Annex 3B: CTH + VA 40% (CEPA Annex 3B Product-Specific Rule; tariff-shift AND value addition both required).. RVC% = [(FOB − value of non-originating materials) / FOB] × 100 (FOB basis).
- What proof is needed at import?
- A preferential Certificate of Origin filed through eCoO 2.0, presented at customs before clearance. Without it, the 20% MFN duty applies.