New RCEP Rules of Origin for Culture and Tourism Services Take Effect, Henan Oracle Bone Script Study Program Recognized for ASEAN Zero-Tariff Treatment

On July 22, 2026, the RCEP Joint Committee updated the Implementation Rules for the Origin of Trade in Services, bringing composite cultural and tourism services such as “cultural content development + on-site teaching delivery” within the scope of origin determination for the first time. Information disclosed on the same day showed that the oracle bone script study tour project in Anyang designed and delivered by Henan LeLv was recognized as a “service wholly obtained” because the curriculum development, instructor training, and on-site teaching were all completed in Henan, making it eligible for a 0% service import tariff in ASEAN countries. For cultural and tourism service providers, study tour project operators, entities exporting cross-border courses, and teams responsible for delivery organization, this change merits attention because it concerns not only tariff treatment, but also how the origin of services is defined and evidenced.

Origin Determination Scope Covers Composite Cultural and Tourism Services for the First Time

The confirmed information covers three aspects. First, on July 22, 2026, the RCEP Joint Committee updated the Implementation Rules for the Origin of Trade in Services. Second, this update incorporated composite cultural and tourism services combining “cultural content development + on-site teaching delivery” into the scope of origin determination for the first time. Third, the Anyang oracle bone script study tour project designed and implemented by Henan LeLv was recognized as a “service wholly obtained” because the curriculum development took place in Zhengzhou, instructor training in Luoyang, and on-site teaching at Yinxu, meaning the entire process was completed in Henan, and it therefore qualified for a 0% service import tariff in ASEAN countries.

Those Affected Include More Than Curriculum Designers

Cultural and Tourism Service Providers Engaged in Cross-Border Exports

From an analytical perspective, these entities are affected most directly because their core business is to package content design and offline delivery into a deliverable service. This information indicates that the determination of service origin is no longer limited to a single stage, but may cover the complete chain of development, training, and delivery. The key point for relevant enterprises is whether their projects have clear process attribution and delivery boundaries.

Study Tour Project Operations and Delivery Teams

From an industry perspective, frontline operations teams responsible for organizing and implementing projects will also be affected. This is because origin determination involves not only the course content itself, but also implementation stages such as instructor training and on-site teaching. The main impacts will be seen in project organization, process documentation, performance explanations, and external communications. In particular, when explaining the service composition to overseas partners, the completeness of the delivery chain will become more important.

Purchasers and Partner Organizations Serving the ASEAN Market

Purchasers or partner organizations may not be the entities applying for the policy treatment, but they will pay close attention to whether the service has a clear origin determination result and whether the corresponding tariff treatment can be implemented in the transaction arrangements. Their concerns will generally focus on how the service content is divided, how the contract is described, and whether the project corresponds to a recognized service format.

Supply Chain and Service Coordination Partners Providing Supporting Services

For supporting service providers involved in curriculum support, training organization, and on-site delivery coordination, this information signals that the value assessment of composite cultural and tourism services is beginning to place greater emphasis on where the entire process is formed. Relevant coordination partners should pay attention to whether their roles in the project, supporting materials, and performance evidence are described clearly enough, so as not to affect the overall logic of service determination.

What Deserves Greater Attention During Business Implementation

Inclusion in the Determination Scope Does Not Mean Automatic Applicability

From an analytical perspective, inclusion at the regulatory level means that composite cultural and tourism services have entered the scope of possible determination. However, enterprises still need to distinguish between being eligible to apply for recognition and having already obtained recognition in specific business activities. The more important issue at present is whether a project can, like this case, establish a clear evidence chain showing that development, training, and delivery were all completed in the same region.

Pay Attention to the Completeness of Service-Chain Documentation

From a practical perspective, the core feature of this case is that the three stages of curriculum development, instructor training, and on-site teaching each have a clearly identified location. For relevant enterprises, future attention should focus on whether project materials, performance records, service descriptions, and external delivery documents are consistent, because origin determination usually relies on this basic information for support.

Pay Attention to Policy Wording and Customer Communication

From an observational perspective, teams conducting business in the ASEAN market need to convert policy wording into business language that customers can understand. In other words, they should not stop at the conclusion of “enjoying zero tariffs,” but also be able to explain what type of service the treatment applies to, what determination logic it is based on, and what project structures it is applicable to.

Continue Following the Further Refinement of the Rules

Although this update has sent a clear signal, how similar projects should be treated by comparison and how different service combinations should be determined remain matters that enterprises need to continue monitoring. Projects with more complex business models and greater cross-regional coordination, in particular, require close attention to whether subsequent official statements provide further clarification.

This Is More Like a Policy Signal with a Clear Direction

Editorial observation: At present, this information is better understood as a policy signal that has been implemented but still requires continued observation in light of subsequent practice. The implemented aspect is that composite cultural and tourism services have been included in the scope of origin determination for the first time, and that a specific project has already been recognized as a “service wholly obtained.” What remains to be observed is how this determination framework will apply to more projects combining cultural tourism, study tours, or content delivery in the future. From an industry perspective, it signals to the market that the “origin” of services in trade in services is moving from a concept based on a single output toward recognition of the complete delivery chain.

The Significance for the Industry Lies in the Earlier Application of the Determination Logic

Overall, the industry significance of this information lies not only in the Anyang “oracle bone script study tour” project obtaining ASEAN zero-tariff recognition, but also in the fact that, under the RCEP framework, origin rules for cultural and tourism services are beginning to cover business models combining content development with offline delivery. For enterprises, it is currently more appropriate to understand this as a regulatory change with practical demonstrative effects: in the short term, it will affect project review, document preparation, and market communication; whether it will lead to broader business adjustments in the medium and long term will require further assessment in light of subsequent cases and rule refinements.

Basis of This Article and Directions for Further Verification

This article was generated based on the information title, event date, and event summary provided by the user. The confirmed facts are limited to the relevant title information, the date of July 22, 2026, and the descriptions in the summary concerning the update of the Implementation Rules for the Origin of Trade in Services, the inclusion of composite cultural and tourism services within the scope of determination, and the recognition of the Anyang oracle bone script study tour project as a “service wholly obtained” and its eligibility for a 0% service import tariff in ASEAN countries. Such information generally requires continued verification against official announcements, corporate announcements, industry association information, authoritative media reports, and relevant rules and documents. As no specific official source link was provided in the input, the relevant statements remain subject to subsequent public documents. Future attention may focus on further clarification of the rules, the applicability of similar projects, and additional official explanations regarding requirements for proving the origin of services.

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