ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA)

On going full signing of the Second Protocol to Amend the ATIGA by all ASEAN Member States (AMS)  

The Upgraded ATIGA will enter into force within 18 months from the date of full ratification by all ASEAN Member States. Having been signed on December 1, 2025, the Protocol is anticipated to become effective on June 1, 2027.

The focal points in the Upgraded ATIGA would be the new Procured Exclusivity (PE) rule.

The ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) Council in 2025 approved the negotiations to upgrade the ATIGA. This protocol introduces amendments to the existing ATIGA by adding six new chapters, including areas such as trade in humanitarian crises and trade and environment. It also revises eight existing chapters and one annex, while retaining three chapters and one annex, with the objective of modernizing the agreement to better reflect current trade practices.

With respect to the Rules of Origin, which are a key condition for claiming tariff preferences under ATIGA, the original ATIGA classifies goods into the following two main categories.

1)  Wholly Obtained (WO)

This refers to goods that are wholly obtained or produced within a single ASEAN Member State, without the use of imported materials, whether from outside ASEAN or from other ASEAN Member States.

Typically, this category covers agricultural products, goods derived from animals raised within the country. It also extends to goods obtained or produced exclusively from these locally sourced materials, all of which are recognized as having originating status under ATIGA.

2)  Non-Wholly Obtained (NWO)

In contrast to wholly obtained goods, non-wholly obtained goods are those that incorporate materials or components sourced from both domestic and foreign origins. As such, these goods are not produced entirely within a single ASEAN Member State. Common examples include automobiles, electrical appliances, and various consumer goods. 

Despite the use of imported materials, such goods may still qualify as originating in a particular Member State where the key manufacturing or production activities take place, provided that one of the following criteria set forth in ATIGA is satisfied.