Date of issue: 1 October 2025
Date of effect: Immediate
Reference number: MAA 2025-05
Attention
- Industry bodies – Australian Organic Limited, Organic Operators Australia
- Organic Approved Certifying Bodies (ACBs) – ACO Certification Ltd, Bio-Dynamic Research Institute, Organic Food Chain Pty Ltd, Southern Cross Certified Australia Pty Ltd
- Export establishments
- Exporters
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry — Central and regional offices
Purpose
This Market Access Advice (MAA) is to notify exporters, ACBs and other stakeholders that the scope of the organics equivalence agreement between Australia and Japan has been broadened to include alcoholic beverages, effective from 1 October 2025.
Key points
The scope of the equivalence agreement is now as follows:
- organic plant and organic plant products,
- organic livestock products,
- organic processed food, and
- organic alcoholic beverages.
The Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) will be updated to reflect this market access advice.
Further information
Please contact OrganicExports@aff.gov.au or ExportStandards@aff.gov.au 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.