Notice to Industry 55/2009 - Documentation requirements for the clearance of imported cargo

Notice to Industry 55/2009—Documentation requirements for the clearance of imported cargo

This notice is to advise that AQIS has considered comments from industry on the Minimum Documentary Requirements and Non-Commodity Information Requirements policies. Consequently AQIS:

• has extended the enforcement date of the new fumigation certificate requirements
  
  
• is clarifying and enhancing the policy and document requirements. 

Why has the enforcement of the fumigation certificate requirements been extended?

AQIS appreciates industry's hard work to ensure that suppliers and clients met the documentation requirements implemented on 1 August 2009 and to be enforced in full on 1 September 2009, however we have been advised that one country has been unable to meet the deadline in amending its fumigation certificates to include the plastic wrapping declaration. Whilst AQIS strongly encourages all fumigation providers to comply with the new requirements, we have agreed to continue to accept both the old and new requirements for fumigation certificates only during this transitional period. This will allow accredited brokers to continue to process such consignments without referral to quarantine or risk of non conformities. AQIS will advise when the new requirements will be enforced for fumigation certificates. All other documentation must continue to meet the current policy requirements that came into effect on 1 September 2009.

What enhancements are being made to the policy and document requirements?

Most of the requirements included in the policies are not new, but have been detailed for the first time in one document. This consolidation was in response to industry requests to provide importers with certainty and consistency. Additional issues and requests by industry and staff for clarification have been taken into account and AQIS is now fine-tuning the policies to provide better guidance and improve compliance. Enhancements will include:

• the addition of 'not applicable' boxes to the timber packing declaration template for bark and ISPM 15 statements (to address confusion when there is no timber packing in a consignment)
  
  
• removal of the container wall lining statement requirement
  
  
• clarification that Australian requirements for packing declaration must still be met even when extra statements are included for dual import consignments (eg. for Australia-NZ shipments)
  
  
• word–for–word non–commodity statements should be used where possible, however guidance on acceptable alternatives will be provided. Examples include:

'Is all timber packaging/dunnage used in this consignment free from bark? [Yes or No]'

or  'All timber packaging/dunnage used in this consignment is free from bark'.

For annual packing declarations acceptable alternative statements might include:

'The container covered by this document has been cleaned and is free from material of animal and/or plant origin and soil'

or 'The container covered by this document will be cleaned and will be free from material of animal and/or plant origin and soil'.

AQIS is in the process of updating the policy documents, the Frequently Asked Questions, and the Non-commodity for Containerised Cargo Clearance Scheme Compliance Agreements to include these enhancements. AQIS will continue to deal with any issues referred to it on a case by case basis.

For further information in relation to the Minimum Documentary Requirements policy, please email the AQIS Entry Management Program in Canberra.

For further information in relation to the Non–Commodity Information Requirements policy or the Non–Commodity for Containerised Cargo Clearance Scheme, please email the AQIS Co-regulation Administration and Support Program in Canberra.

Previous industry notices on the Minimum Document Requirement Policy and the Non-Commodity Document Requirement Policy include:

Notice to Industry 38/2009—Non-Commodity Information Requirements Policy: Amendment regarding requirements for Plywood/Veneer Packaging—DAFF

Notice to Industry 37/2009—Minimum Documentary Requirements Policy: Definition of 'export' and certification of requirements for methyl bromide and permanent preservative timber treatments—DAFF

Notice to Industry 35/2009—Implementation of new AQIS documentation requirements for the clearance of imported cargo—DAFF