We are working to reform the ways we can formally provide assurance for the exported goods we call non-prescribed goods. Examples include goods like processed foods and edible and inedible animal by-products.
We want to make sure our export regulatory assurance system can provide the appropriate levels and types of assurance required by our trading partners now and into the future. We aim to have assurance systems and processes that are modern and fit for purpose, and flexible enough for new products or different risks.
This may mean we need to more formally capture these goods under our legislation or consider other approaches that give us the right level of flexibility to quickly respond to changes—whether they are changes to a country’s import requirements, production methods, technology, or a change in risk profile. We want to give Australian exporters the best possible support to secure and capitalise on any trade opportunity.
What a revised regulatory assurance framework would look like
We expect a fit-for-purpose regulatory assurance framework will be:
- formal: allowing the department to conduct the necessary assurance functions
- modular: only applying regulatory assurance functions where they’re necessary to meet an importing country’s requirements
- standardised: aligning our approach to functions to be consistent with other commodities regulated under the Export Control Act 2020
- accessible: readily applied to any commodity where required
- future-proof: providing sufficient flexibility that any new or changing importing country requirement can be catered for without the need for major legislative change
- cost-effective: costs of export services are fair, recoverable, and easily understood by exporters
Benefits for Australian exports
- Our approach to decision-making and providing assurance for our exports will be clear to exporters and trading partners.
- Goods will be exported more effectively (with appropriate assurance that they meet importing country requirements).
- Exporting goods will be more efficient (cost-effective and quicker)
- We can flexibly adapt to changes in importing country requirements. This will improve exporters' readiness to access markets and better supporting efforts to maintain market access
- Export risks are managed appropriately, consistently and transparently
- Australia will continue to be a world-leading trading partner. Our exports, exporters and the Australian export regulator will be trusted by others
- We will be prepared for the future and anticipate the changing needs of exporters and their markets.
Join the conversation
- We need to hear the views of exporters and industry stakeholders involved in exporting and producing non-prescribed goods.
- We want to make sure we understand what different industries need to meet trading partner requirements and other market and consumer drivers, now and into the future.
- We want to explore together regulatory assurance options and how we might apply them.
- We want to determine how we might best use the Export Control Act 2020 and what may need to change in our export legislation.
- We want to make sure any future cost recovery arrangements are appropriate.
Have you say on export assurance reform
Next steps
We will provide more information to industries and exporters that export non-prescribed goods. We will update this page with specific opportunities for you to share your views, in the first half of 2023.
Contact
Export Assurance Reform (non-prescribed goods) team
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Phone: 1800 900 090
GPO Box 858, Canberra ACT 2601
Email: Export Assurance Reform (NPG) team
Other documents
Download
Export Assurance Reform Factsheet (PDF 477 KB)
Export Assurance Reform Factsheet (DOCX 452 KB)
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