Define 'rules of origin' vs 'origin criteria' and their relevance to tariffs.

• A. Rules of origin specify how goods qualify for preferential treatment.
• B. Origin criteria describe where a product is produced or transformed.
• C. Rules of origin define how tariffs are calculated.
• D. Rules of origin specify how goods qualify for preferential treatment; origin criteria describe where a product is produced or transformed and determine eligibility.

Answer: (D)

Understanding tariffs in trade agreements hinges on origin: origin criteria are the facts about where a product was produced or transformed, and they determine whether the product qualifies as originating goods for tariff purposes. Rules of origin are the procedures and standards that tell you how to prove that a product meets those criteria and therefore can receive preferential treatment. They outline what transformation counts, what value thresholds apply, what documentation is needed, and how certificates of origin are used at customs.

The best choice captures both ideas: origin criteria describe where a product originates (or how it’s transformed) and thus whether it’s eligible for favorable tariffs, while rules of origin set out how to determine and prove that eligibility to actually receive the preferential treatment. The other options fall short because they either address only one side (rules of origin or origin criteria) or misstate the role (claiming rules of origin define tariff calculations).