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Trade agreements and rules of origin in Chile: 36 agreements in force, the EU interim agreement, proving origin and claiming refunds

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Last verified: 2026-10-26 · Status: Changing

Chile's Undersecretariat of International Economic Relations (SUBREI) lists 36 trade agreements in force, from the Mercosur agreement of 1996 to the CPTPP (in force for Chile since 21 February 2023) and the agreement with the United Arab Emirates in force since 24 November 2025; the Interim Trade Agreement with the European Union has applied since 1 February 2025. A preference cuts the 6 percent general duty, usually to zero, only for goods that meet the agreement's rules of origin and whose proof of origin (a certificate from an authorised body or a self certification, depending on the agreement) is presented and valid at import. An importer that pays the general duty because the proof was missing can claim a refund later, within the period each agreement sets or, where it sets none, one year from import.

USD figures use the Central Bank exchange rate of CLP 986.58 per US dollar published in the Diario Oficial for 23 October 2026. UTM based amounts use the October 2026 UTM of CLP 72,151 and UF amounts the UF of CLP 41,205.16 for 23 October 2026, both published by the SII. Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Trade agreements in force	36 countSUBREI list of agreements in force, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Trade agreement with the European Union	Interim Trade Agreement in force since 1 February 2025, replacing the Association Agreement textDecreto Supremo Nº 2 of 2025, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
CPTPP in force for Chile since	2023-02-21 dateSUBREI list of agreements in force, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Free trade agreement with the United States in force since	2004-01-01 dateSUBREI list of agreements in force, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Free trade agreement with China in force since	2006-10-01 dateSUBREI list of agreements in force, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Trade agreement with Argentina	Chile Argentina Trade Agreement in force since 1 May 2019, alongside the Mercosur agreement in force since 1 October 1996 textSUBREI list of agreements in force, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Default period to claim a duty refund after proving origin late	1 yearsOrdenanza de Aduanas art. 131 bis, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
When proof of origin must exist	Presented and valid at the time of import textServicio Nacional de Aduanas guidance, as of 2026-10-26 · in force

The rule

1. SUBREI, part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, lists 36 trade agreements in force. They include free trade agreements with the United States (in force 1 January 2004), China (1 October 2006), Korea (1 April 2004), Canada (5 July 1997), Mexico (31 July 1999), Australia (6 March 2009), the EFTA states (1 December 2004) and Brazil (25 January 2022); economic partnership agreements with Japan (3 September 2007) and the United Kingdom (1 January 2021); the CPTPP (21 February 2023); the Pacific Alliance trade protocol (1 May 2016); a partial scope agreement with India (17 August 2007); a trade agreement with Paraguay (14 February 2024); and a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with the United Arab Emirates (24 November 2025). Each agreement has its own tariff schedule, rules of origin and proof of origin.
Cost to do it: No fee to use a preference; the cost is documenting origin and keeping the proof.
Example: On a CLP 98,658,000 CIF import that qualifies, the duty falls from CLP 5,919,480 to zero. / On US$100,000 CIF, a preference saves up to US$6,000 of duty.Trade agreements in force listed by the Subsecretaría de Relaciones Económicas Internacionales, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, List of agreements in force with entry into force dates, 2025-11-24 official text · verified 2026-10-26

2. The Interim Trade Agreement between Chile and the European Union was signed on 13 December 2023, promulgated by Supreme Decree Nº 2 of 9 January 2025, published in the Diario Oficial on 31 January 2025 and in force since 1 February 2025. It covers trade and investment liberalisation, and on its entry into force the Chile European Union Association Agreement ceased to have effect; the old agreement's text remains relevant only for refunds on operations accepted for processing up to 31 January 2025. The interim agreement will lapse when the broader Advanced Framework Agreement enters into force.
Cost to do it: No fee; origin must be proven under the interim agreement's rules of origin chapter.Interim Trade Agreement Chile European Union, promulgated by Decreto Supremo Nº 2 of 2025, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Entry into force; replacement of the Association Agreement, 2025-02-01 official text · verified 2026-10-26 · changed: From 1 February 2025 the Interim Trade Agreement replaced the 2002 Association Agreement for trade with the European Union.

3. Origin can be determined for preferential tariff purposes, non preferential purposes, quotas and any other measure set by law. It is fixed under the rules and requirements of a supreme decree of the Ministry of Finance or Foreign Affairs or, where applicable, under the treaties signed by Chile.Decreto con Fuerza de Ley Nº 30 of 2004, Ministerio de Hacienda, consolidated Ordenanza de Aduanas, Art. 66, 2005-06-04 official text · verified 2026-10-26

4. To claim a preference the importer must show that the goods really come from the partner country and meet the other rules of the agreement. The proof of origin must be presented and valid at the time of import. Depending on the agreement it is a certificate of origin issued by an authorised entity or a self certification by the producer, exporter or importer, for example a declaration on the invoice, and its validity period is set by each agreement. Preferences normally remove the duty, so only VAT and any specific taxes are charged.
Cost to do it: Certificate issuing fees, where an issuing body charges them, are private costs; self certification has no issuing fee.Servicio Nacional de Aduanas guidance on certificates of origin under trade agreements, Proof of origin for preferential treatment, 2019-01-04 official text · verified 2026-10-26

5. Where duties were paid under the general import regime and the importer later proves origin to apply a preferential regime, Regional Directors and Customs Administrators may order a refund. If the treaty has no special rule, the refund must be requested within one year from the import. Customs guidance notes that the agreements themselves set periods of between 6 and 24 months, so the applicable agreement must be checked.
Cost to do it: The duty is paid up front and recovered later, a cash flow cost for the period in between.
Example: CLP 5,919,480 of duty paid on a CLP 98,658,000 import can be reclaimed once origin is proven. / US$6,000 of duty on US$100,000 CIF, plus US$1,140 of VAT charged on that duty.Decreto con Fuerza de Ley Nº 30 of 2004, consolidated Ordenanza de Aduanas, as amended by Ley Nº 20.322, Art. 131 bis, 2009-01-27 official text · verified 2026-10-26

6. For trade with Argentina, two agreements on the SUBREI list apply: the Economic Complementation Agreement with Mercosur, in force since 1 October 1996, and the bilateral Chile Argentina Trade Agreement, in force since 1 May 2019. Goods that meet the origin rules of the agreement invoked can enter Chile with preferential duty; Argentine import rules and FX treatment of the same trade are covered at a high level by The Argentine Thread.Trade agreements in force listed by the Subsecretaría de Relaciones Económicas Internacionales, Mercosur Economic Complementation Agreement; Chile Argentina Trade Agreement, 2019-05-01 official text · verified 2026-10-26

Partner	Type	In force since
Mercosur	Economic Complementation Agreement	1 October 1996
Canada	Free trade agreement	5 July 1997
Mexico	Free trade agreement	31 July 1999
United States	Free trade agreement	1 January 2004
Korea	Free trade agreement	1 April 2004
EFTA	Free trade agreement	1 December 2004
China	Free trade agreement	1 October 2006
Japan	Economic partnership agreement	3 September 2007
Australia	Free trade agreement	6 March 2009
Pacific Alliance	Trade protocol	1 May 2016
Argentina	Trade agreement	1 May 2019
United Kingdom	Economic partnership agreement	1 January 2021
Brazil	Free trade agreement	25 January 2022
CPTPP	Free trade agreement	21 February 2023
Paraguay	Trade agreement	14 February 2024
European Union	Interim Trade Agreement (Aduanas)	1 February 2025
United Arab Emirates	Comprehensive economic partnership agreement	24 November 2025

Selected agreements in force and their entry into force dates, as listed by SUBREI (36 in total).

Item	General regime CLP	General regime USD	With preference CLP	With preference USD
Duty	5,919,480	6,000	0	0
VAT	19,869,721	20,140	18,745,020	19,000
Total paid at the border	25,789,201	26,140	18,745,020	19,000

Effect of a preference on a US$100,000 CIF import at CLP 986.58 per US dollar (6 percent general duty; 19 percent VAT on CIF plus duty).

Worked example

A Chilean company imports US$100,000 (CLP 98,658,000) CIF of machinery made in Japan. With a valid proof of origin under the Chile Japan agreement, the duty is zero and it pays only VAT of US$19,000 (CLP 18,745,020), recoverable as a fiscal credit; without it, it would pay US$6,000 (CLP 5,919,480) of duty plus US$20,140 of VAT.
If the proof of origin arrives after clearance, the company pays the general duty and then asks Customs for a refund within the period of the agreement or, where the agreement is silent, within one year of import (Ordenanza de Aduanas art. 131 bis).
A Chilean exporter selling to Argentina checks whether its product meets the origin rules of the Chile Argentina Trade Agreement or the Mercosur agreement, so its Argentine buyer can claim the preference; the Argentine side is covered at a high level by The Argentine Thread.

Step by step

1. Find the tariff classification of the goods and the country where they were produced.
2. Check the SUBREI list for an agreement with that country and read the agreement's tariff schedule and rules of origin for that tariff line.
3. Ask the supplier for the proof of origin the agreement requires (certificate or self certification) before shipping, and check that it will be valid on the date of import.
4. Have the customs agent claim the preference in the import declaration and keep the proof on file.
5. If the proof is not available at import, pay the general duty, state that the preference will be requested later where the procedure allows, and file the refund claim within the agreement's period or one year.
6. For exports, give the foreign buyer the proof of origin its customs requires.

Common traps

Assuming the SUBREI list tells the whole story for the European Union: the list still shows the 2003 Association Agreement, but Customs states that it ceased to have effect when the Interim Trade Agreement entered into force on 1 February 2025.
Shipping without checking the rule of origin: goods made in a partner country with too much non originating content can fail the rule and pay the 6 percent general duty.
Presenting a proof of origin that has expired or that was not valid at the time of import.
Missing the refund window: the default is one year from import, and some agreements set shorter periods.
Treating the duty saving as the only effect: VAT is charged on CIF plus duty, so a preference also lowers the import VAT paid at the border.

Sources

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