@widgetc wrote:
What does one put as counrty of origin for a lot of postage stamps that come from many different countries? Lets say 100 different stamps depicting birds from perhaps 25 countries. Such a lot might have been printed in many countries and then put together in the USA and then imported by me as part of a larger lot which I broke up in Canada.
@widgetc
Below is from a google search. Unfortunately not super helpful. This is a subject that is not clearly addressed within eBay or eBay Labels. Maybe best to be discussed with an actual customs broker willing to provide their 2 cents worth out of the goodness of their heart. (Personal suggestions: Livingston Intl, Cole or Fedex)
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For customs and trade, a single "country of origin" is determined for a product, even if made from materials from different countries, by following a "country of origin" rule which identifies the country where the last substantial transformation occurred. For mixed lots of goods, the country of origin is typically the country where they were combined, provided no further substantial processing happens before export. However, for marking purposes, particularly on food labels, declaring multiple countries of origin can be misleading and is often not permitted unless a specific format like a "blend" claim is used.
Determining origin for mixed lots
- The country of last substantial transformation: This is the general rule for determining the country of origin. A product's origin is the country where it underwent the most significant transformation, which is what turns it from its constituent parts into the final product.
- For legally combined goods: If originating and non-originating goods are physically combined in one country but don't undergo any other operation (other than those needed to preserve them or transport them for export), the country of origin can be determined by managing the inventory, according to the rules of the specific trade agreement, notes Department of Justice Canada.
Sets or Assortments of Goods
(9) Except as provided in Schedule 1, a set or assortment, as defined in Rule 3 of the General Rules for the Interpretation of the Harmonized System, shall be considered as originating, provided that:
(a) all the component products, including packaging materials and containers, are originating; or
(b) where the set or assortment contains non-originating component products, including packaging materials and containers,
(i) at least one of the component products, or all the packaging materials and containers for the set, is originating, and
(ii) the regional value content of the set or assortment is not less than 50 per cent under the transaction value method.
(10) For purposes of paragraph (9)(b), the value of packaging materials and containers for the set shall be taken into account as originating materials or non-originating materials, as the case may be, for purposes of calculating the regional value content of the set.
- For marking: When a product is made from materials from multiple countries, claiming multiple countries of origin is often not allowed because it can be misleading.
- Instead, a "blend" claim may be used (e.g., "A blend of Brazilian and American soybean oil").
- The country of origin is not the country the goods are shipped from, but rather where they are produced or manufactured.
Exceptions and special cases
- Accessories and parts: Accessories, appliances, spare parts, and tool kits generally have the same country of origin as the main product they are imported and sold with, according to the World Trade Organization.
- Fungible goods: For fungible goods that are mixed, an inventory management system can be used to determine if the mixed lot is an originating good, says Department of Justice Canada.
ca discussion post from August 2025. Multiple varying interpretations included.
Last word. It would be up to customs for the final interpretation
https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/Listings-with-Mixed-Country-of-Origins/td-p/525162
Country of Origin marking link US Gov 2024. For information purposes only.
https://www.cbp.gov/trade/nafta/guide-customs-procedures/country-origin-marking
Disclaimer: Above posted for informational purposes only. Last course I took regarding customs was pre CUSMA so no longer entirely applicable when it comes to Trumps mangling of what used to work well in the past.🙄
