Concern: We’ve been made aware of cases where U.S. customs authorities have already blocked and/or questioned the origin claims of shipments entering the US. When companies were not able to provide the additional requested documents, this can lead to fines. This means that simply routing or trading diamonds through Antwerp does not make them Belgian-origin.
Solution: Correctly declaring the origin of your polished diamonds is essential.
When can you claim Belgian-origin?
You can only claim Belgian or EU-origin when the transformation from rough to polished took place in Belgium (or another EU country). The diamonds must have been polished in Belgium to qualify as Belgian.
For example, A rough diamond mined in Botswana or Angola, but polished in Antwerp, becomes EU origin.
When can you NOT claim Belgian-origin?
- Recutting: Re-polishing or recutting an already polished diamond does not change its country of origin.
- Grandfathering: The grandfathering system identifies goods; it does not define their origin. Click here to find more information on grandfathering.
- Transshipping: Shipping or routing diamonds through Antwerp does not alter their origin. (This may result in a 40% evasion duty, imposed by the U.S. customs authorities).
How to Declare Belgian Origin?
On your invoice, clearly state: “Country of Origin: Belgium” (or the relevant EU country).
What if the US Customs (CBP) wants additional verification?
You will be asked to share additional proofs, such as:
- Labour invoice: showing where the polishing was done.
- Prior purchase invoices (from rough suppliers or intermediate traders)
- Prior purchase invoice (polished with origin declared)
- Export/import documentation from the polishing country (e.g., customs export declaration, airway bill), showing HS codes
For companies that polish in-house, equivalent evidence includes:
- Internal polishing or manufacturing records
- Workshop logs or production sheets
- The purchase invoice for the rough diamonds
What it boils down to:
Only diamonds that were polished from rough in Belgium (or another EU country) can be declared as of Belgian/EU origin.
And yes, you must declare that origin on the invoice.
