Glossary / A.TR Movement Certificate
A.TR Movement Certificate — explained
The A.TR Movement Certificate is the official document that allows industrial products in free circulation under the Customs Union between Türkiye and the European Union to enter EU member states without paying customs duty.
The A.TR certificate is issued by the customs authority or by bodies it authorises (chambers of commerce/industry); the certificate only becomes valid once it is endorsed by customs. It shows that the goods are in free circulation — not that they are of Turkish origin, a distinction that is frequently confused by manufacturers using imported inputs.
Its scope is essentially industrial products. Separate rules may apply to agricultural products and certain other product groups, so checking must be done on a product-by-product basis — you cannot assume that "every product travels under an A.TR."
The certificate has a validity period. How validity tracking is set up, and what to do when a certificate has expired, is covered under our foreign trade document tracking service.
When You Encounter It
When a shipment to an EU member state is planned, the application is made before loading, once the destination country and the product's free-circulation status have been clarified. The certificate is not considered valid until chamber approval and the customs endorsement are completed; if these two steps are not synchronised with the shipment schedule, there is a risk of delay.
Manufacturers using imported inputs need an additional check: the A.TR shows that the goods are in free circulation, not the origin of the inputs used. If proof of origin is required, this is provided through a separate document (a Certificate of Origin or a supplier's declaration). Which document is required depending on the target market is explained with a concrete example on our natural stone export sector page.
What It Doesn't Cover
- The A.TR is not a certificate of origin; if the buyer needs to benefit from a preferential origin regime, the A.TR alone is not sufficient.
- A certificate that has not been endorsed, or has been rejected, by customs effectively halts the shipment — having it endorsed in time matters just as much as having it at all.
Often Confused With
| Comparison | Difference |
|---|---|
| A.TR Movement Certificate vs EUR.1 Movement Certificate | The A.TR shows that the goods are in free circulation under the Türkiye-EU Customs Union. The EUR.1, on the other hand, proves the product's preferential origin status under the relevant agreement. Which one your shipment requires depends on the product and the destination country; this assessment is part of our export customs clearance service. |
Sample Documents
In Preparation
Sample A.TR Movement Certificate
The blank/standard format of an approved A.TR movement certificate, issued to document free-circulation status in export transactions to European Union countries. It includes fields for the customs endorsement and chamber approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does A.TR stand for?+
A.TR is the abbreviation for the "movement certificate" based on the Customs Union agreement between Türkiye and the European Union; its English equivalent is the A.TR Movement Certificate.
Who issues the A.TR certificate?+
It is issued by the customs authority or by bodies it authorises (chambers of commerce/industry); it must be endorsed by customs to become valid.
Which countries is the A.TR certificate issued for?+
It is issued for shipments of industrial products in free circulation to European Union member states. For countries outside the EU, different documents (EUR.1, Certificate of Origin) come into play.
Is there a fee for the A.TR certificate?+
The cost depends on the tariff set by the chamber of commerce/industry that issues the certificate and the customs authority that endorses it; there is no single fixed fee that applies nationwide.
Let's handle this for your file, together
Let us apply the process we describe on this page to your own shipment as part of our Export Customs Clearance service — request a quote or ask us directly on WhatsApp.
Related Terms
Where This Term Comes Up in Our Work
A.TR Movement Certificate is one of the documents we track in our export customs clearance service.
Export Customs ClearanceExport declarations, movement certificates, and port procedures.The Turkish original of this page was reviewed by our licensed customs broker. This translation is provided for information; the Turkish version prevails.
Source
Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Trade — Customs Procedures Frequently Asked Questions (Origin) — Legal basis: Decision No. 2002/4616 on the Principles Regarding the Implementation of the Customs Union Established Between Türkiye and the European Community (Official Gazette dated 03.09.2002, No. 24865).
Last updated: September 27, 2026