Date of issue: 29 April 2025
Dates of effect: 12 May 2025
Attention:
Exporters of Other Goods (processed foods, ingredients, beverages, vitamins and supplements, cosmetics and personal care products, animal feed (non-meat derived), edible rendered animal fats and oils, fertilisers, shells), agents and freight forwarders.
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department) - Central and Regional offices.
Purpose
This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise industry that export certification for Other Goods to China, Hong Kong, Macau and the Republic of Korea will move into to the Next Export Documentation System (NEXDOC) on Monday, 12 May 2025.
Summary of changes and key points
Export certification for Other Goods to China, Hong Kong, Macau and South Korea will move into to the Next Export Documentation System (NEXDOC) on Monday, 12 May 2025.
From this date, manual certificate applications (EX188B, EX188M and M418) for Other Goods will no longer be accepted for China, Hong Kong, Macau and the Republic of Korea. You will need to apply for the newly named NX188B (previously EX188B), NX188M (previously EX188M) and NX418 (previously M418) through the NEXDOC system.
Exporters must be registered in NEXDOC for Other Goods to be able to apply for these certificates
This transition includes the following Other Goods:
- Processed foods, ingredients, and beverages
- Edible vitamins and supplements
- Cosmetics and personal care products
- Animal feed and feed additives (non-meat derived)
- Edible rendered animal fats and oils
- Fertilisers (plant, seaweed and/or mineral ingredients only)
- Shells.
This is the fourth and final transition of Other Goods certificates to NEXDOC. Previous transitions were:
- September 2024 – Other Goods to Singapore (NX188B, NX188M and NX418)
- February 2025 – Other Goods to Cambodia, Canada, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, United States of America and Vietnam (NX188B, NX188M, NX418)
- April 2025 - Other Goods to all other markets* (NX188B, NX188M, NX418, AFQT1, AFSA1)
*excluding China, Hong Kong, Macau and Republic of Korea
How to register for Other Goods into NEXDOC
Register as a NEXDOC Other Goods exporter on the online service portal.
If you are already a registered NEXDOC exporter for another commodity, you will need to add the Other Goods commodity to your account.
Access the online service portal and register.
NEXDOC certification requirements
NEXDOC certificates must be printed on plain paper. The addition of Quick Response (QR) codes on these certificates eliminates the need for security paper.
Any NEXDOC certificates printed on security paper may result in detained consignments and the department will not be able to assist in the release.
As a certificate holder, you must not download PDF files from NEXDOC or reproduce multiple copies of the same certificates. We will not facilitate consignments detained due to misuse of NEXDOC certificates (accidental or otherwise).
For more information on certification changes, please visit our website.
Further support
Virtual drop in sessions
You can find out more at our online drop-in sessions. Session details are available here:
https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/export/certification/nexdoc
More information
Help guides and instructions: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/export/certification/nexdoc/help
Email: NEXDOC@aff.gov.au
If you have any questions regarding this IAN please email the NEXDOC Helpdesk at NEXDOC@aff.gov.au
Ingrid Massa-Ward
A/g Assistant Secretary
Digital Export Program Branch
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
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.