12 March 2021
Purpose
This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise that government certificate templates have been updated and the process to obtain a phytosanitary certificate for re-export and manual government certificate templates will change on 28 March 2021 for the commencement of the Export Control Act 2020 (the Act).
Summary of changes and key points
- The process to obtain a phytosanitary certificate for re-export will change when the new export legislation commences on 28 March 2021.
- A Request for Permit (RFP) must be submitted through the Export Documentation System (EXDOC), or associated third party providers, for all re-export consignments.
- Authorised officers must record inspections of re-export consignments in the Plant Exports Management System (PEMS) unless an exception applies (see IAN 2021-02).
- Where a phytosanitary certificate for re-export from Australia has previously been issued for a product, the importing country requirements for re-export will be available in Micor plants.
- The following instructional material has been updated and is available on the Plant Export Operations Manual (PEOM) for familiarisation ahead of its implementation on 28 March 2021
- Guideline: Issuance of certification for plant exports
- Guideline: Supporting documents for plant exports.
- The Guideline: Issuance of certification for plant exports includes the following policy points relating to re-exports
- A re-export consignment must only consist of prescribed imported plants or plant products.
- A re-export consignment must be accompanied by an original phytosanitary certificate (or phytosanitary certificates) or a certified copy (or certified copies).
- The consignment must not have been subjected to the risk of infestation or contamination.
- The plants or plant products of the re-export consignment must not have been grown or processed to change their nature in Australia.
- The new Work Instruction: Preparing a re-export phytosanitary certificate (EX25) for plant exports is available on the Certificates, declarations and forms webpage for familiarisation ahead of its implementation on 28 March 2021.
- All plant export certificate templates have been updated for commencement of the new legislation. Manual certificate templates are available on the Certificates, declarations and forms webpage for familiarisation ahead of their implementation on 28 March 2021.
- Electronic certificates issued out of EXDOC and printed on security paper will be in the updated format from 15 March 2021.
- Updated manual government certificate templates must be used for all manual government certification requests that will be processed after 28 March 2021.
Responsibilities of exporters
- Exporters must submit an RFP through EXDOC, or associated third party providers, for all re-export consignments.
- Exporters must complete the phytosanitary certificate for re-export (EX25) template and submit it to Assessment Services Group as per normal export documentation request processes.
- Exporters and industry participants must comply with the updated instructional material from 28 March 2021.
- Exporters and industry participants must check the PEOM and the Certificates, declarations and forms website for updated instructional material and become familiar with these documents prior to 28 March 2021.
- Exporters should verify the information in Micor with the importing country’s NPPO before relying on it. This includes when there are no importing country requirements listed in Micor.
- Industry participants must read the new plant export legislation webpage and follow specific instructions on process changes in the lead up to commencement of the new export legislation.
- Exporters must use updated manual government certificate templates for all manual government certification requests that are likely to be processed by the department after 28 March 2021.
Responsibilities of authorised officers
- Authorised officers must record re-export consignment inspections in PEMS unless an exception applies.
- Authorised officers must sight and verify the original or certified copy of the phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin, and record and attach relevant information into PEMS.
- Authorised officers can find more information on the re-export consignment inspection processes in the Factsheet – Authorised officers – new process for re-export consignments and relevant commodity inspection instructional material on the PEOM.
Background
- The new Export Control Act 2020 and associated Export Control (Plants and Plant Products) Rules 2021 (plant rules) commence at 3 am AEDT on 28 March 2021.
- In preparation for the commencement of the new export legislation, relevant instructional material and certificate templates have been updated to ensure clients meet their legislative obligations.
- A summary of key changes and information is available on the new plant export legislation webpage.
Contact information
If you have any questions regarding this IAN please email EXDOC Plant Programs.
David Ironside
Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch