While FTAs can be a source of significant cost savings, the effort of administering an FTA program is not always worth the perceived gain for importers. This is because importers typically manage FTAs manually. When a new product is sourced, an importer must determine whether any FTAs apply, and then solicit suppliers to obtain product information and certificates of origin that meet the requirements of the particular agreement. Managing thousands of products for multiple agreements can quickly become overwhelming.

On the other end, exporters must qualify their goods and provide the certificates to their buyers. This involves processing a potentially complex bill of materials (BOM) against the rules of origin for the relevant trade agreements. The results of the qualification analysis form the basis for the certificates of origin and preferential duty treatment for the product.

Amber Road's Trade Agreement Management solution automates the supplier solicitation, qualification and certificate management processes for importers and exporters. By associating certifications with products, the system maintains audit trails of preferential claims and how they were achieved.

A global trade management system enables importers and exporters to automate key free trade agreement management processes such as: