Changes
to AQIS documentation requirements
for the clearance of imported
cargo
Notice to Industry
23/2009
This notice is to advise that
AQIS has recently undertaken
a review of the documentary
requirements for the clearance
of imported cargo. The purpose
of the review was to clarify
and simplify the 'rules' under
which documents used for the
clearance of imported cargo
were either acceptable or
unacceptable to AQIS.
The review was conducted
in consultation with industry
and has resulted in the development
of two new policies:
- Minimum Documentary
Requirements Policy
This policy defines the
minimum requirements for
documentation presented
to AQIS to support the risk
assessment of imported cargo
and non-commodity concerns,
whether for quarantine or
imported foods purposes.
- Non-Commodity
Information Requirements
Policy
This policy defines the
information requirements
that must be met to support
the assessment of non-commodity
concerns associated with
imported cargo. It covers
the type of consignment,
the types of packaging materials
used in the consignment,
and the container cleanliness
statement.
These two policy documents
will support the decision
making process when assessing
the documentation associated
with the clearance of imported
cargo.
What
are the major changes under
the new policies?
To highlight the major changes
in the assessment of documentation
for the clearance of imported
cargo, a table showing these
changes has been included
as Attachment
A to this notice.
Action
required
Importers and brokers are
strongly encouraged to advise
their overseas clients and
suppliers of these impending
documentary changes to assist
them to comply with the new
policies. AQIS will accept
documentation issued in compliance
with the new policies immediately
where indicated with an asterisk
(*) in Attachment A. However,
accredited brokers operating
under a current Compliance
Agreement must continue to
assess documentation in line
with the current assessment
requirements of that Scheme.
Implementation
The proposed implementation
date for the new policies
is 1
August 2009.
To allow sufficient time
for the reissue of Annual
Packing Declarations, there
will be a phase in period
where the revised requirements
will not be enforced for Annual
Packing Declarations until
1 January 2010.
Information
updates
AQIS will be issuing further
industry notices during the
implementation period to ensure
that industry is kept informed
of progress and actions that
need to be taken.
Enquiries
All enquiries regarding the
impact of the non-commodity
documentation requirements
on the Broker Accreditation
Scheme (BAS) should be directed
to the Industry Partnerships
Unit, AQIS Canberra by email.
Other enquiries should be
directed to the Entry Management
Team, AQIS Canberra by email
at entrymanagement@aqis.gov.au.
For more information, please
visit Australia
Quarantine and Inspection
Service.
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