An A.TR movement certificate is the customs document that proves goods are in free circulation in the EU–Türkiye customs union, so industrial goods can cross between the two parts without customs duty. The customs authorities of the exporting country endorse it at export, and the importer presents it to customs within four months of the issue date.
What does an A.TR movement certificate prove?
It proves a customs status, not a place of manufacture. The customs union created by Decision No 1/95 of the EC-Turkey Association Council, in force since 31 December 1995, lets goods move freely between the EU and Türkiye if they were either wholly produced there or put into free circulation after import from third countries (European Commission, DG TAXUD; entry into force per the Commission proposal of 17 September 2026). Decision No 1/2006 of the Customs Cooperation Committee, the implementing text, names the A.TR movement certificate as the documentary evidence for that status (Articles 5 and 6). Its form is set out in Annex I of that decision.
For a European buyer the practical effect is simple. A shipment of machined parts from Bursa that carries a valid A.TR enters the EU without customs duty. The certificate covers customs duty only. Import VAT and any anti-dumping duties follow their own rules, and the Dutch Chamber of Commerce notes that anti-dumping duties still apply to some goods even with an A.TR. Our article on importing machined parts from Turkey into Germany covers the VAT side.
Does the A.TR prove origin?
No, and the official sources look as if they disagree. Swedish Customs says the A.TR shows that goods are in free circulation, not their origin, and states that it "is not a certificate of origin". Dutch business guidance (KVK and business.gov.nl) says an A.TR shows that a product is "of Turkish origin", then defines that as "made in Türkiye or previously imported into Türkiye from another country".
The Dutch definition describes free circulation in other words. A part machined in Bursa from aluminium bar that Turkish customs cleared has free-circulation status, whatever country the bar came from. Decision 1/2006 and the European Commission both use the free-circulation wording, so the Swedish reading is the one to follow.
The consequence for a buyer: the A.TR tells you nothing about where the goods were made. Anything that depends on origin needs its own evidence, for example a claim under another trade agreement, a "made in" statement, or a check against origin-based anti-dumping duties. Origin evidence comes from the preferential agreements: an EUR.1 or EUR-MED certificate, or a supplier's declaration.
Which goods does the A.TR cover?
The customs union covers industrial products. According to the Commission, agricultural products as defined in Annex I TFEU and coal and steel products covered by the ECSC Treaty are outside it and fall under separate agreements (Access2Markets, page version of 2026-10-14). For those goods the Dutch Chamber of Commerce says an EUR.1 certificate from Türkiye is needed, and that a supplier may use an invoice declaration for consignments under €6,000.
Finished machined parts are industrial goods. The risk lies at the edge of the steel list, so confirm the HS code of each part before you assume duty-free entry. The article on HS codes for custom machined parts explains how to classify a drawing part.
Who issues the A.TR and how does a shipment run?
The customs authorities of the exporting state endorse the certificate when the goods are exported (Decision 1/2006, Article 7(1)). On a Turkey-to-EU shipment the Turkish supplier requests it from Turkish customs. Authorised exporters with frequent shipments can use pre-stamped forms (Article 11).
Table 1. A.TR steps for a shipment from Türkiye to the EU
| Step | Who | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Export declaration | Turkish supplier | Declares the goods and requests the A.TR from Turkish customs |
| 2. Endorsement | Turkish customs | Endorses the certificate at export; electronic certificates carry a QR code and verification link |
| 3. Transport | Carrier | Goods travel directly between the two parts of the customs union; transit through third countries is allowed under customs supervision |
| 4. Import declaration | Importer or broker in the EU | Presents the A.TR within 4 months of its issue date |
| 5. Duty assessment | EU customs | Accepts the A.TR as evidence of free circulation and applies no customs duty to goods in scope |
Source: Decision No 1/2006, Articles 5–8; Council Decision (EU) 2025/559, recital 9; KVK. The QR code detail comes from IHK guidance on the electronic certificate.
The direct-transport rule matters for routing. Article 6(2) lets a single consignment pass through third countries with trans-shipment or temporary storage, provided it stays under customs supervision and undergoes no operation other than preservation. Our overview of road and sea routes from Bursa shows where that applies. Agree in the order who requests the A.TR and when the original reaches the importer, and put the delivery term in writing, as covered in Incoterms 2020 for Turkey–EU shipments.
German chambers of commerce (IHK) state that there is no value threshold: an A.TR is issued for every shipment, including low-value ones.
How long is an A.TR valid?
Four months is the period for presenting it, counted from the date of issue by the exporting state's customs authorities (Decision 1/2006, Article 8(1)). The Turkish Ministry of Trade applies the same four months to imports into Türkiye (circular of 11 January 2020).
A late certificate is not automatically rejected. Customs may accept it where exceptional circumstances caused the delay (Article 8(2)), and certificates are also accepted after the deadline if the goods themselves were presented to customs before it ran out (Article 8(3)). Plan for presentation within the four months and do not rely on the exceptions.
What if the A.TR is missing, wrong or late?
Ask the supplier to check the certificate before the goods leave. Three remedies exist if something goes wrong.
- Retrospective issue. Article 15 allows a certificate to be issued after export if it was not issued at the time because of errors, involuntary omissions or special circumstances, or if an issued certificate was not accepted for technical reasons. Box 8 must carry the endorsement ISSUED RETROSPECTIVELY.
- Duplicate. If a certificate is stolen, lost or destroyed, the exporter can request a duplicate from the customs authorities based on the export documents. Box 8 is marked DUPLICATE (Article 10(4)).
- Duty refund. According to IHK guidance, a refund claim under Article 117 of the Union Customs Code can be filed with the German import customs office within three years of the notification of the customs debt when an electronic A.TR was not recognised at import.
Are the A.TR rules about to change?
Status as of 2026-10-30: Decision 1/2006 is still the text we could confirm as in force, and a replacement is only a proposal. On 17 September 2026 the Commission proposed a Council position (COM(2026) 477 final, 2026/0270 NLE) for a new Customs Cooperation Committee decision that would replace Decision 1/2006. It would align the rules with the Union Customs Code and the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention, cover movement certificates issued electronically, and apply with retroactive effect from 1 January 2026. We found no record that the Council or the Committee has adopted it.
Electronic certificates already work in practice. Recital 9 of Council Decision (EU) 2025/559 records that since 8 July 2024 the customs authorities of the Member States and of Türkiye have recognised A.TR certificates issued electronically. Check the current text on EUR-Lex before you rely on a specific article number from Decision 1/2006 in a contract or a customs dispute.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the A.TR a certificate of origin?
- No. It proves that the goods are in free circulation in the EU or in Türkiye. Swedish Customs states that it is not a certificate of origin. Origin-based claims need separate evidence such as a supplier's declaration, an EUR.1 or an EUR-MED certificate.
- How long is an A.TR valid?
- The importer must present it to customs within four months of the date of issue by the customs authorities of the exporting state (Decision 1/2006, Article 8(1)). Customs may accept a later presentation where exceptional circumstances caused the delay.
- Who issues the A.TR?
- The customs authorities of the exporting state endorse it when the goods are exported. For a shipment from Türkiye to the EU, that is Turkish customs, requested from Turkish customs by the Turkish supplier.
- Can an A.TR be issued after the goods have shipped?
- Exceptionally, yes. Article 15 of Decision 1/2006 allows retrospective issue after errors, involuntary omissions, special circumstances, or when a certificate was not accepted for technical reasons. Box 8 must then carry the endorsement ISSUED RETROSPECTIVELY.
- Do machined steel parts need an EUR.1 instead of an A.TR?
- Usually not. The customs union excludes agricultural products and coal and steel products covered by the ECSC Treaty, which fall under separate agreements. Machined parts are industrial goods, but check the HS code against the ECSC list before you assume the A.TR applies.
Sources
- Decision No 1/2006 of the EC-Turkey Customs Cooperation Committee, OJ L 265, 26.9.2006, p. 18 (EUR-Lex)
- Turkey: customs unions and preferential arrangements (European Commission, DG TAXUD)
- EU-Türkiye Customs Union (European Commission, Access2Markets)
- Council Decision (EU) 2025/559 of 18 March 2025 on electronically issued A.TR certificates (EUR-Lex)
- COM(2026) 477 final, proposal for a Council Decision on a new Customs Cooperation Committee Decision, 17 September 2026 (Council document 13406/26)
- Movement certificate A.TR (Swedish Customs, Tullverket)
- Importing goods from Türkiye (Netherlands Chamber of Commerce, KVK)
- A.TR certificate for Türkiye (Dutch government, business.gov.nl)
- A.TR ve EUR.1 Dolaşım Belgelerinin İbraz Süreleri, circular of 11 January 2020 (Turkish Ministry of Trade)
- Zollunion EU-Türkei (IHK Regensburg)
Questions on a drawing? sales@ertas.engineering