Automatic Entry Processing (AEP) Reform
Expansion of the approved arrangement class 19.2 Automatic entry processing for commodities
The AEPCOMM class 19.2 approved arrangement has been expanded to include the following commodities:
- dried willow and wicker articles
- fertiliser (mined or chemical)
- gum products
- hops (for processing or processed hops)
- pasta
- permitted plant fibres (date of availability on AEPCOMM to be confirmed)
- prepared cereals and muesli bars
and the expansion of existing AEPCOMM groups:
- highly processed and manufactured wooden articles
- highly refined organic chemicals and substances
- unfinished timber and timber products.
The BICON cases (AEPCOMM user access) for the new commodities have been updated and reflect the AEPCOMM codes and relevant information from this date. Accredited persons will be able to lodge the new commodities upon completion of the Continued biosecurity competency (CBC) assessment for the 2020‑21 period.
Note: Due to the Permitted plant fibres BICON case currently being updated by the department, lodgments of products containing permitted plant fibres through AEPCOMM are not yet available.
The department will notify industry via an Industry advice notice when this commodity is available.
Continued biosecurity competency for the automatic entry processing for commodities expansion
The CBC activity (2020-21/01) was conducted via a live webinar on Tuesday 4 August, 10am (AEST).
For those who could not attend the live session, a recording of the webinar is now available on the CBC activities webpage. Please ensure you have access to the Requirements and conditions for approved arrangement class 19.2: automatic entry processing for commodities (v9.0) document and the Approved commodities and related information for class 19.2 AEPCOMM approved arrangement webpage for the webinar and assessment.
Assessment for this session will be managed by approved CBC providers/relevant industry associations. Your assessment must be completed by 21 September 2020 and prior to using AEPCOMM for clearance of the new commodities.
Updates to the requirements and conditions for approved arrangement class 19.1 and 19.2 documents
With the expansion of AEPCOMM, the department has taken the opportunity to update the requirements and conditions for approved arrangement class 19.1 (v4.2) and 19.2 (v9.0) policies. These are located on the Requirements for operating approved arrangements webpage.
An important change to the class 19.2 policy document is the removal of Appendix 2, which detailed the in-scope commodities and related information. This information is now located on the Approved commodities and related information for class 19.2 AEPCOMM approved arrangement webpage.
The comparison guides located in the table below provides detailed information of the changes.
Due to the changes to these policy documents, the Compliance classifications for broker class approved arrangements (v3.0) has also been updated.
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Automatic entry processing for commodities and Brown marmorated stink bug measures
2020-21 seasonal measures for BMSB
There will be no major policy changes in relation to the clearance of goods subject to BMSB measures. Any updates or changes to the BMSB AEPCOMM clearance process will be confirmed closer to the start of the 2020-21 season.
Managing BMSB risk through AEPCOMM
The AEP reform and Seasonal pest policy teams have worked closely to ensure commodity groups affected by BMSB measures remain available under AEPCOMM during the 2019-20 BMSB season (1 September – 31 May inclusive).
The BMSB hitchhiker pests BICON case has been updated to incorporate AEPCOMM information. This information replaces the Assessment guide for class 19.2 accredited persons that was used to assess goods during the 2018-19 BMSB season.
AEPCOMM accredited persons are required to determine standard biosecurity concerns as well as BMSB measures if applicable. This is achieved by first referring to the standard commodity BICON case followed by the BMSB hitchhiker pests’ case. For a more detailed procedure (and case studies) refer to the Using AEPCOMM during the BMSB season task card.
The following information provides you with a high level summary of available pathways and scenarios for the management of BMSB risk for commodities under AEPCOMM.
Table 1. High level summary of available BMSB pathways under AEPCOMM
| Cargo type | Pathway |
|---|---|
| FCL/FCX (Scenarios 1 and 2) |
|
| Break bulk (Scenario 2) |
|
| LCL (Scenario 3) |
|
Scenario 1. Goods that require BMSB treatment or inspection on arrival
If goods subject to BMSB seasonal measures have not been treated prior to arrival in Australia, you need to assess the goods under the ‘All requirements not met’ pathway in the BMSB hitchhiker pests BICON case. Depending on the type of goods, you can use AEPCOMM to direct for treatment or inspection:
1) Goods not treated offshore for BMSB; 2) AEPCOMM being used; 3) Relevant AEPCOMM group and pathway; 4) View outcomes
Scenario 2. Goods that have been treated for BMSB offshore by a registered and approved offshore treatment provider
If goods subject to BMSB seasonal measures have been treated prior to arrival in Australia, you need to assess the goods under the ‘All requirements met’ pathway in the BMSB hitchhiker pests BICON case. Further intervention from the department may not be required if there are no biosecurity concerns.
1) Goods treated offshore for BMSB at an acceptable rate by an approved provider; 2) AEPCOMM being used; 3) Relevant AEPCOMM group and pathway; 4) View outcomes
Scenario 3. Clearance of LCL consignments subject to biosecurity
Changes to the FAK/LCL process ensure that all BMSB risk is managed at the container level, this means you can use AEPCOMM for the clearance of in-scope LCL consignments to address standard biosecurity risk only. Further information on this process can be found on the Management of LCL/FAK containers webpage.
Industry support
We encourage businesses to make the most of their broker approved arrangements while assisting them in complying with requirements. If you need support with the AEP process send your queries via email to AEPSupport@awe.gov.au.
If you are an accredited person under AEPCOMM you must use your BICON AEPCOMM user access when determining if a commodity and pathway are in scope of the arrangement. This BICON function was developed to enable you to determine the appropriate biosecurity outcome and AEPCOMM code to enter in the system for a particular import pathway.
The below task cards and video tutorials on the CBC activities web page have been developed to assist with the lodgment process for AEP.
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If you would like more information or have any questions about AEPCOMM please email the AEP support team.