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2021-14: Update to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) AHECC codes affecting seafood

Date of issue: 24 December 2021

Date of effect: 01 January 2022

Attention:

  • Industry bodies, Seafood Export Consultative Committee
  • Registered export manufacturing establishments
  • Registered licensed exporters and EDI users
  • Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment - central and regional offices.

Purpose

To notify seafood stakeholders of upcoming changes to AHECC codes within Chapter 3 of the Australian Harmonized Export Commodity Classification (AHECC) tables.

Summary of key points

The department has recently been advised by the Australian Border Force of upcoming changes to AHECC codes. Some of the codes used for seafood in Chapter 3 of the AHECC tables will be end dated on 31 December 2021 and new codes reintroduced on 1 January 2022. The coding in the Export Documentation (EXDOC) system will be changed accordingly.

If you experience difficulties with export documentation concerning seafood products in the below categories from 1 January 2022 – please ensure you are using the correct AHECC code before calling the EXDOC Helpdesk.

The AHECC tables can be found at: Australian Harmonized Export Commodity Classification (AHECC). Chapter 3 and Chapter 3 notes are relevant to seafood.

The department understands that the AHECC coding changes apply to products that fall into the following categories within Chapter 3:

  • Live, fresh or chilled scallops (incl. queen scallops of the genera pecten, chamys or placopecten) whether in shell or not
  • Frozen scallops (incl. queen scallops of the genera pecten, chlamys or placopecten) whether in shell or not
  • Scallops (incl. queen scallops of the genera pecten, chlamys or placopecten) whether in shell or not, dried, salted, in brine or smoked whether or not cooked before or during the smoking process
  • Edible products of animal origin nest (excl. meat and edible meat offal fish crustaceans molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates dairy products birds' eggs and natural honey)
  • Frozen crustaceans (excl. HS 030611 to 030617) whether in shell or not, raw, dried, salted in brine or smoked or cooked in shell by steaming or boiling in water; & frozen flours meals & pellets of crustaceans fit for human consumption
  • Live fresh or chilled crustaceans (excl. HS 030631 to 030636); and fresh or chilled flours meals and pellets of crustaceans fit for human consumption
  • Crustaceans and flours meals and pellets of crustaceans fit for human consumption (excl. HS 030691 to 030695 and also excl. frozen live fresh or chilled) Live, fresh or chilled molluscs (excl. oysters, scallops, mussels, cuttlefish, squid, octopus, snails [other than sea snails], clams, cockles, ark shells, abalone and stromboid conchs) whether in shell or not
  • Frozen molluscs (excl. oysters, scallops, mussels, cuttlefish, squid, octopus, snails [other than sea snails], clams, cockles, ark shells, abalone and stromboid conchs) whether in shell or not
  • Molluscs and flours meals and pellets of molluscs fit for human consumption (excl. HS 030711 to 030788 and also excl. fozen, live, fresh or chilled)
  • Aquatic invertebrates (excl. HS 0306 & 0307 sea cucumbers sea urchins & jellyfish) live fresh chilled frozen dried salted in brine or smoked & flours meals & pellets of aquatic invertebrates (excl. 0306 & 0307) for human consumption
  • Aquatic invertebrates (excl. HS 0306 & 0307 sea cucumbers, sea urchins & jellyfish) live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted, in brine or smoked & flours meals & pellets of aquatic invertebrates (excl. 0306 & 0307) for human consumption

Further information

Contact Dairy Eggs Fish if you have any queries.

The information provided in this advice is current at the time of writing and is intended for use as guidance only and should not be taken as definitive or exhaustive. The Commonwealth endeavours to keep information current and accurate, however, it may be subject to change without notice. Exporters are encouraged to verify these details with their importers prior to undertaking production/exports. The Commonwealth will not accept liability for any loss resulting from reliance on information contained in this notice.

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Page last updated: 24 December 2021

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

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