exportdocumentation-blog

[exportdocumentation-blog]

Is It Possible to Hire Services for Customized Export Documentation?

Every export business has its own specific requirements when it comes to export documentation. For instance, if you want to export horticulture produce, you may require a different set of documents than an export business that exports meat products. Moreover, the documents like packing lists and invoices may require you to follow the specific formats. In such a situation, you wish to have an expert who has the required knowledge and experience to help you.

There are agencies offering customized documentation services that can be the answer to your concerns. Find out how these service providers may help you.

Expertise in Global Trade Documentation

Your export business may deal with importers from different countries around the world. Each of them might have to adhere to the norms of his or her region and thus, the documentation needs may also differ. To meet these needs, you may think to hire an agency offering international trade documentation service. The experts from these agencies know how to exactly meet the requirements of importing countries in terms of documentation.

Meeting Your Business’s Needs

Does your export business deal in multiple currencies? Do you wish to streamline the documentation process with an existing ERP system? For these and many other individual requirements of your business, you can rely on an expert offering bespoke solutions. These experts can also help you incorporate the branding elements of your business into the process of documentation.

Helping You Save Costs

Another benefit of hiring someone for custom documentation service is the flexibility of using the services as per your own needs. You don’t need to make huge investments or sign any contracts with them. It is possible to hire them just for one-time documentation needs or for many more in the future. In addition, there is no compulsion to buy the entire service package from these agencies. You can demand the services that you require and pay accordingly to save significant amounts of costs.

In short, hiring these experts is like having an extended team of your own. It eliminates the need for recruiting an in-house team or buying documentation software tools.

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Important Preparations before You Request for Permits to Export Dairy Products

Exporting dairy products from Australia requires exporters to obtain export permits from the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. For this, the exporters must request for permits using the Department’s EXDOC system. However, the Department instructs exporters to make some necessary arrangements before making the request. Find out how to get prepared for the same.

Identify the Type of Product

Only goods that fall in the category of prescribed goods require export permits. For instance, if you export milk and milk powder, butter, cheese and other similar dairy products, you need to request for permit. On the other hand, the products like those obtained from cow and meant for anima consumptions fall in the non-prescribed goods category. In that case, you don’t need to apply for export permit.

Refer to the Importing Country Requirements

Your importer’s country may have different requirements than what the Australian Export Act prescribes. For example, a country may consider a non-prescribed good in the prescribe goods category and demand export-related documents for the same. Due to this, it is important that you know the exact requirements of the importing country. For this reason, the Department maintains a Manual of Importing Country Requirements to help the exporters.

Register with EXDOC

Subsequently, you must register with the Department’s EXDOC system as an exporter. In addition, the parties that deal with dairy products at different stages and need to register with the Department include:

Producers/manufacturers

Processors

Storage providers

Freight forwarders and so on

Prepare Important Documents

Before you make a request for permit, you must arrange for the documents like:

A declaration of compliance that verifies that the dairy products intended for export are fit for consumption by humans. Besides, the declaration should also affirm that the goods adhere to the requirements of importing countries and Australia’s Export Control Order.

An organic produce certificate if you are exporting organic dairy products

A transfer declaration that confirms that the transfer and storage of the products has been done according to the prescribed standards.

Finally, you are ready to request for export permit. You can use a compatible software to interact with the EXDOC system and obtain export permit fast.

[exportdocumentation-blog]

How Do Australian Exporters Benefit from Different FTAs?

The Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) that Australia has signed with other countries have indeed benefited the exporters in the country. By producing a valid certificate of origin, which certifies that the products they export from Australia have been produced, processed or manufactured in the country, the exporters become eligible for reduced tariffs under these FTAs. Here is a brief overview of how some of these FTAs help Australian exporters.

ChAFTA: China - Australia FTA

The ChAFTA came into force in the year 2015. In the beginning, 85% of the listed Australian commodities enjoyed zero tariffs on export to China. On full implementation of the FTA, the exporters from Australia would be able to enjoy zero tariffs for 98% of the commodities by producing a ChAFTA certificate of origin.

TAFTA: Thailand – Australia FTA

After coming into force in 2005, the FTA would be fully implemented by 2025. By 2010, 94% of the tariffs in Thailand on Australian exports were eliminated. At the end of 2020, most of the remaining tariffs would phase to zero. The exporters need a TAFTA certificate of origin to benefit from it.

KAFTA: Korea - Australia FTA

In 2013, it was announced that tariffs accounting up to 300% on a number of Australian agriculture exports like wheat, horticulture, wine and more would be eliminated. A KAFTA certificate of origin is the document that exporters must produce for these benefits. Likewise, you can enjoy the reduced tariffs by producing a JAEPA certificate of origin for exports to Japan. If you export to one or more of the ASEAN countries and New Zealand, you would need an AANZFTA certificate of origin to claim the reduced or eliminated tariffs. The ASEAN countries include Australia, Brunei, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam. As an exporter, you must prepare a certificate of origin in the prescribed format and submit it to one of the chambers of commerce in Australia to get it stamped. You can do it manually but using a software solution for the same can help you save efforts and time. Make sure that you follow the right formats and avoid mistakes while preparing the certificate.

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How Export Documentation Services Meet the Needs of Modern Export Businesses?

Hiring an export documentation service makes sense for any exporter who wants to fully focus on the core business activities. However, the advantages that these service providers promise are not limited to saving time and effort. With the changing needs and growing competition among the export businesses, any kind of negligence in preparing export documents is absolutely unacceptable and this is where these experts shine. Find out how.

Documentation on Demand

Rather than offering a fixed package to every exporter, the documentation experts have started adopting a flexible approach in extending their services to meet the exact demands of every client. From a start-up in the export industry that requires complete assistance to an experienced exporter who required help only in preparing letters of credit, the individual needs of each business are attended to in a customized manner.

Documentation Anytime

Many export documentation firms invest in modern technology-based tools like cloud solutions to add value to their services. Using cloud documentation software tools, these experts are able to fulfil the regular as well as the urgent documentation requirements of the exporters in the most time-efficient manner. This is because the cloud eliminates the dependence of these firms on physical IT infrastructure and gives them the freedom to operate from anywhere and anytime.

Compliance with Export Laws

An unavoidable requirement of export documentation is to fully comply with international trade laws. Having knowledge and experience after years of exposure in export documentation, these experts are familiar with the export norms and regulations and carefully prepare the documents to avoid any type of violation. The exporters, thus, can rely on them for important documents like export permits, certificates of origin and more.

Additional Support

Apart from preparing various documents, the service providers may also take the responsibility to submit or send the documents to different parties along the supply chain. Many of these firms also offer to communicate with freight forwarders, warehouses, cargo terminal operators and others on behalf of the exporters to save the latter’s time.

With such dedicated services, you can get rid of the burdensome task of managing your export documents. Make sure to make the right choice carefully.

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Detailed Overview of How to Obtain the Certificates of Origin under TAFTA

The Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA) allows exporters and importers of both the countries to enjoy preferential tariffs for numerous trade goods. If you are exporting from Australia to Thailand, the TAFTA rules apply to the good wholly or partially produced or obtained in the country. To certify the same, you must obtain the certificates of origin from one of the Chambers of Commerce in Australia. Here’s a small guide to help you with the process.

Understand the TAFTA Rules of Origin The very first step is to get familiar with and understand various rules of origin as specified under the TAFTA. It would help you understand specifically the rules for the goods that you wish to export to Thailand. For example, the goods that don’t enjoy preferential rates don’t require a Certificate of Origin. For these goods, the Certificate of Australian Origin is sufficient.

Register with a Chamber Next, you must register with a chamber of commerce in your region which is authorized to issue the certificates. For this, you must complete a deed of declaration as well as an authorized signatories form to share the required details with the chamber.

After this, the chamber would investigate the information and may respond back with one of the three replies:

It may demand additional documentary evidence

Your application may get rejected and the reason for the same would be provided within 5 working days

The application gets approved and you receive the Exporters Registration Reference Number with 5 working days

Apply for Certificate of Origin Once you receive the Exporters Registration Reference Number, you can prepare the certificate of origin and send it to the chamber of commerce for approval. Make sure that you follow the prescribed format, as prescribed by the chamber while preparing the certificate. To speed up the process, you must choose to send and receive the certificate electronically rather than doing it by mail.

Remember the fact that there are penalties if you falsely obtain the preferential rates for the goods that don’t qualify for the same under the TAFTA rules. Be honest and maintain relevant records as proof of your goods’ qualifications.

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Difference between Phytosanitary Certificates for Export and Re-export

The health/phytosanitary certificates are important to export goods in several categories (like plants and plant-based products) controlled by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR). An Australian phytosanitary certificate is issued to certify that the consignments of plants and plant products leaving the Australian shores are free from different types of infestations.

The two main types of these certificates include:

Phytosanitary certificates for export

Phytosanitary certificates for re-export

Find out how these two differ. Also, learn some useful tips to apply for these certificates.

What’s the Difference?

A phytosanitary certificate for export is issued for the plants and plant products grown, processed and packed within Australia. It certifies 2 important things:

The products have undergone inspection and treatment (if applicable) and don’t carry any types of pests or infestations

The products are in absolute compliance with the requirements prescribed by the importing country

This certificate is issued by the DAWR only if the importing country demands it. A phytosanitary certificate for re-export, as the name suggests, is issued for the plants and plants products imported from some other country to Australia and now intended for re-export to some third country. The certificate certifies three important things:

The goods when imported into Australia had a phytosanitary certificate from the source country accompanying them

The DAWR was able to recognize and establish the identity of the goods

The goods have not been exposed to any kind of infestation during their stay in Australia

This certificate is also issued only if the final destination country demands it.

Useful Tips to Apply

An exporter must raise a request for permits with the DAWR to obtain an export permit as well as the heath and phytosanitary certificates (both for export and re-export). It must be done electronically using an EXDOC software. You must be ready for the inspection of the goods that must be performed at an established facility registered with the DAWR. Lastly, you must refer to the Manual of Importing Country Requirements to know the exact requirements of the country you are exporting to. It would help you prepare the export certificates without any error.

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How to Obtain Certificate of Origin for Wholly Obtained Goods?

A certificate of origin is an important export document that helps exporters to claim preferential rates and reduced tariffs when exporting goods from Australia to other countries. These rates and tariffs are decided by the free trade agreements signed between Australia and its trading partner countries. Among various categories of goods that are entitled to receive these benefits, the category of ‘wholly obtained goods’ is the most popular ones. These refer to the goods that are obtained or produced wholly in Australia with examples including:

Live animals in Australia and goods obtained from them

Plants and plant-based products that are cultivated or gathered in Australia

Fish, shellfish and other marine goods captured from the high seas using vessels registered in Australia

Naturally found substances like minerals obtained from one or the other region of Australia

In order to obtain a country of origin certificate for any of these goods, you must approach the Chamber of Commerce in your area or authorized to issue the certificates for certain categories mentioned above. The procedure which is almost the same for every chamber is described below. Step 1: To begin with, you must fill the exporter’s information form (Form CO4). It will register you with the Chamber of Commerce from which you wish to obtain the origin certificate. Make sure you fill in the required information correctly. Step 2: Send the completed form to the Chamber of Commerce. You can do so electronically by sending the form by email. Step 3: If the information provided by you is found valid and satisfactory, the chamber would reply with a registration number that you can use for obtaining the certificates of origin in the future too. The chamber would also provide you with a certificate of origin template you need to complete. Step 4: Prepare the certificate as per the instructions and submit it back to the chamber. Step 5: The chamber would stamp the certificate and deliver it back to you. In order to communicate with a chamber fast and without any hassles, you can either ruse an EXDOC software or a documentation service provider who would help you in avoiding mistakes in the process.

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Important Terms Associated with Pre-receival Advice and Their Meanings

Pre-receival advice (PRA) is what an exporter or his or her agent must communicate to confirm cargo acceptance at cargo terminals before they are loaded into the vessels for shipping. As per the rule, the PRA must be communicated electronically and should contain full details about the cargo being exported. To understand it better, here are some terms you must be familiar with. Export Receival Advice (ERA): Earlier, the exporters would use traditional methods to inform cargo terminals about the arrival of containers. It was known as export receival advice which might be used at some place even today. Though, the electronic PRA is a more apt term in use. Cargo Terminal Operator (CTO): In Australia, the cargo terminals are operated by Patrick, Flinders Terminal etc. that are known as cargo terminal operators. They receive electronic booking messages from the shipping lines and PRA from the exporters or their agents. Their role is to tally the information obtained from both the parties before granting cargo acceptance. DG Cargo: It refers to the dangerous goods cargo which must be mentioned with full details in the PRA. Also known as hazardous goods cargo, it includes items that are poisonous, corrosive or inflammable in nature and require special care during shipping. OOG Cargo: It is out of gauge cargo which refers to the products that are abnormally oversized and don’t match the prescribed dimensions of shipping containers. Obviously, such cargo must be handled in a special way to ensure its delivery to the destined ports. Bill of Lading: Once the cargo terminals receive PRA and find the information about the cargo absolutely correct, they approve acceptance of cargo. Then, the carrier (shipping company) provides a bill of lading to the exporter to confirm that the cargo has been loaded into the vessel safely. It is an important export document for exporters to send shipment advice to importers and to pay the decided freight amount. Reefer Container: It is the special refrigerated container required to ship perishable items like fruits and vegetables. The exporter must include specifications for the same in the PRA. Take help from these terms to correctly prepare the PRA and get cargo acceptance without any hassle.  

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Tips to Fill Certificate of Origin Template Correctly

If you are an exporter, you would need a variety of necessary documents to export your good to foreign countries. The certificate of origin for export is one such document which is not only a legal requirement but can also help you obtain preferential tariffs applicable under free trade agreements (FTAs). An origin certificate can be obtained from one of the chambers of commerce in Australia by submitting the certificate of origin template. The chamber would stamp the template and return it only if it is correctly filled and adheres to all important rules. Here are some tips to help you fill the template. Know the Latest FTA Updates FTAs are subject to frequent changes and you must know about them to fill the certificate of origin form or template without any errors. For example, the FTA between Australia, New Zealand and ASEAN countries, called AANZFTA, underwent important changes in 2014 and is now called AANZFTA First Protocol. Make sure you refer to these changes. Obtain Exporter Registration Number The first thing is to register with a chamber of commerce near you using the prescribed Exporter Registration Form. It is necessary to provide the chamber a list of signatories whom you declare as authorized to sign the certificate of origin on your behalf. Once your unique exporter registration number is issued, you can fill the template to get it stamped. Understand Which Goods Qualify Refer to the individual FTA guidelines to decide which goods qualify to receive FTA benefits. Some examples include:

Goods that are ‘wholly obtained’ in Australia

Goods entirely produced in Australia from materials that are classified as ‘originating’

Goods manufactured from inputs obtained from other countries outside Australia but have been substantially transformed

However, there are goods that can’t qualify for FTA benefits and you must know about them. For example, goods that undergo simple processes like washing and packaging in Australia don’t qualify. You must also know that a country of origin certificate template must always be typed. You can submit it in person or by post, though the most convenient, fast and cost-saving method is submitting online using the right software.

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Obtaining Export Declaration Number in 4 Easy Steps

Your export goods can’t leave Australia until and unless you have a valid export declaration number (EDN) in hand. The number which consists of 9 alphanumeric characters is issued by the Australian Border Force (customs). Here is a small guide about applying for EDN by following some very simple steps.

Step 1: Subscribe to an Electronic System The Australian Customs operates an electronic system called the Integrated Cargo System (ICS) which lets exporters conveniently obtain customs declaration number online. It is a better arrangement than the traditional procedure in which the exporters needed to apply on paper-based forms. To communicate with the ICS, you would need a good software. So, the first step is to choose the best one among the available options.

Step 2: Keep Accurate Information Ready In order to obtain EDN, you need to fill export declaration form in which you would declare all important details about the export consignment. For this, you must take time to ensure that you have correct information regarding cargo types, total containers, port of loading, invoice currency code, goods description, net quantity, gross weight etc. Step 3: Know Whether You Need to Declare Goods An exporter or shipper needs to declare goods and fill shipper export declaration if the goods have value equal to or more than AUD 2,000. The declaration must also be filed if the goods intended for export require an export permit, irrespective of their value. There are certain goods that are exempt from declaration procedure and you must know about them in advance.

Step 4: File the Export Declaration Be careful while filling in the details correctly in the export customs declaration. Any false information, provided intentionally or unintentionally, may instigate legal proceedings against you and delay the consignment. Finally, submit the export declaration and wait for the response from the ICS. If everything goes right, you would soon get the EDN.

If you are also applying for export permit with the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, you can take advantage of the Singe Electronic Window to obtain export permit as well as EDN simultaneously that would save time and money.

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Top 4 Reasons to Prefer Export Documentation Services

As an exporter, you might find export documentation a cumbersome process that takes away your time and attention from the core business activities. To deal with it, you might think of hiring in-house experts. It would definitely add to your expenses in a number of ways. The better solution is to hire export documentation services and relax about the documentation needs being taken care of. Here are some of the best reasons to back your decision. Hassle-free Documentation Export documentation can be full of hassle for you, because you:

Might be doing it for the very first export consignment

Still use manual documentation procedures

Are spending too much of time

By letting an expert do it, you are saved from volumes of efforts. Also, you enjoy a lot of convenience. High Accuracy level Documentation errors are the biggest roadblocks that are not only frustrating, but can also consume a lot of time. Rejections and resubmissions of forms to obtain various documents can obviously cause delays to shipping. Moreover, these errors may prove to be expensive and can increase your expenses. An expert in export documentation is already familiar with the common and frequent errors and can easily prevent them. Adhering to Norms It is important to strictly follow the rules and norms as prescribed by the Australian Export Laws. Not only that, you also need to adhere to the international trade laws. Any type of non-compliance may have serious consequences. When an expert takes the responsibility to prepare export documents, you need not worry about these situations. One Good Investment with Great Returns Hiring export documentation services would prove to be a cost-effective decision in many ways:

Many service providers offer flexible pricing while offering customized services to different exporters. You can choose among these services you need and pay only for them rather than buying the full packages.

These service providers have the best of software tools as well as digital certificates and registrations with the document-approving authorities. While offering documentation services to different clients, they charge fairly from each client.

By following electronic documentation process, these service providers further help in reducing the costs.

You can start by opting for service trails with various companies offering documentation services and choose the best one.

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4 Important Questions Regarding Electronic Request for Permit

The export of goods that are controlled by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) requires exporters to submit request for permit (RFP) to obtain export permit and important documents. The main purpose of following the procedure is to receive validation about the quality of products like:

Horticulture and grains

Dairy

Eggs

Seafood

Meat as well as inedible meat products

Wool, skin, hide etc.

DAWR allows exporters to file RFP electronically which offers a lot of benefits like reduced overall time and cost saving. If you are planning to switch from manual to electronic RFP, here are the answers to some common question.

How to Submit Electronic RFP?

DAWR introduced Exdoc.com.au system which allows exporters and their agents to submit RFP electronically rather than following the cumbersome manual process. Using the system, you can fill in the required forms and obtain export permit and certificates like health certificate and phytosanitary certificate electronically.

What Do You Need?

To submit RFP electronically, you need:

To register with Exdoc.com.au system as an exporter or exporter’s agent. Another option is to contact an EDI (electronic data interface) user who would file RFP to obtain required documents on your behalf.

An Exdoc.com.au software that would be used to communicate with the Exdoc.com.au system. You can go for a cloud based solution which saves a lot of money.

What Information Needs to Be Provided?

The information required to submit RFP electronically is same as you would need while submitting RFP manually. Some of the important fields include:

Product description

When was it produced/processed

Where was it produced/processed

Overseas destination

Details about consignor and consignee

Transport details and so on

What Are the Cost Benefits? Electronic documentation offers many great benefits, one of them being cost saving. There is a significant reduction in associated fees when you submit RFP electronically to obtain the necessary documents. For example:

Manual/electronic documentation fee for horticulture products is $100/$50

Manual/electronic documentation fee for meat and meat products is $100/$50

Manual/electronic documentation fee for dairy products is $100/$21

Raising request for permit electronically is a simple process and reduces the chances of human errors significantly.

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Steps Involved in RFP Validation and Certificate Generation

EXDOC.com.au is the electronic system used by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (earlier known as Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) to electronically validate request for permits and generate important documents like Health/Phytosanitary Certificates. First of all, you need to know what is:

Request for Permit (RFP): For exporting commodities controlled by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) from Australia, exporters or their agents need to raise request RFP with the department to obtain permission for the same. Earlier, it was done manually which was prone to errors, high time consumption and other drawbacks. DAWR introduced EXDOC.com.au system to address these issues.

Health Certificate: It is issued by the DAWR in response to RFP if the commodities to be exported belong to the categories like animals and animal products. It certifies that the commodities are safe for consumption or other purposes for which they are exported to the foreign countries.

Phytosanitary Certificate: It is the counterpart of health certificate and is issued for the commodities belonging to the categories like plants and plant products.

Next, you need to know the steps to be followed for electronic validation of RFP: Step 1: To interact with DAWR’s EXDOC.com.au system, you must install a software from a prescribed vendor (the list is available on DAWR’s official website). Step 2: The exporter or his or her agent uses the software to raise an RFP with the EXDOC system. Make sure that you choose a software that works on all popular browsers. You may also choose a cloud-based software to enjoy the convenience and flexibility and also to save the cost of installing a software.

If you need an Export Declaration Number (EDN) from the Australian Customs Service (ACS), EXDOC.com.au can also help you in the same. It would directly interact with the Integrated Cargo System (ICS) of the ACS, saving you a lot of time and efforts. Step 3: EXDOC.com.au system validates the request and may respond in one of the following ways:

Error message in case the RFP can’t be validated due to some error.

A validated RFP and EDN in case of success.

Step 4: While the RFP is validated and EDN is supplied, there is still the need to generate Health/Phytosanitary Certificates. So, the DAWR assigns a biosecurity officer for the inspection of commodities intended for export from Australia. The exporter or the agent must own or arrange a registered establishment for the purpose of inspection. Step 5: The assigned officer responds back to the EXDOC.com.au after the inspection. If the commodities pass the inspection, the process to generate the required certificates begins. In other cases, the exporter or agent is informed about the failure. Step 6: EXDOC.com.au system generates the required certificates. Step 7: EXDOC.com.au interacts with the exporter’s software to inform that the certificates are ready for printing. The exporter may use the software to print the certificates at his or her office or visit a local DAWR office for the same. You may also use expert export documentation services for this process.

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How Important Is a Phytosanitary Certificate for Export?

If you plan to export plants and plant products from Australia to foreign countries, you must obtain a Phytosanitary Certificate for export. For this, you need to access the EXDOC.com.au system of Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Australia which is authorized to generate the certificate along with health certificate required for the export of animals and animal products. Here you learn the importance of Phytosanitary Certificate and how to obtain it.

International Trade Transparency

The main purpose of this certificate is to ensure that the plants and plant products ready to be exported from Australia are free from infestations like pests and infections. It is done to ensure that the commodities exported would not spread any type of infestation to the importing countries. To ensure transparency and integrity in international trade, these certificates are an important export document.

In case there are differences in norms of Australia and other countries regarding export of plants and plant products, a bilateral agreement must be reached while generating the Phytosanitary certificate.

Abiding with the Norms

Phytosanitary Certificates certify that the commodities being exported adhere to the norms set by the organizations like:

National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO): Every country has an NPPO which follows the norms set by the International Plant Protection Convention to control the spread of pests in and through plants and plant products.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): It is an international agreement that keeps a check on international trade of endangered species so that their survival is not threatened.

How to Obtain It?

First of all, it is recommended that you install an EXDOC.com.au software to obtain Phytosanitary Certificate electronically from the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. Then, you would need to raise a request for permit with the department using the software. The department validates the request and assign an officer for inspection of the commodities. Inspection must be carried out in an establishment registered with the department. After inspection, the certificate is generated.

Installing a good EXDOC.com.au software can also help you to prepare other important export documents like certificate of origin, letter of credit, commercial invoices, packing lists and more.

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Things to Know about the Issuance of Electronic Phytosanitary Certificate

When you submit the request for permit to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources for exporting plant/animal based products, the department uses its Exdoc.com.au system to generate electronic Phytosanitary/Health certificate. Earlier, the department would approve these certificates manually, though the option still exists. However, the electronic certification is fast and error-free process. Here, we provide brief information about the issuing of the Phytosanitary Certificate for export of plants and plant products through Exdoc.com.au system. Unique Numbering Every Phytosanitary Certificate contains a unique certificate number which contains 9 numeric and alphanumeric characters. These characters represent the region, location, year of issue, etc. The number is of great significance as it is used for tracing and identification purposes by the International Plant Protection Convention. Modifications For the manual Phytosanitary certificates, only 3 minor alterations are permitted, after which the certificate must be reissued. In case of the electronic version, no alterations are permitted. The exporter must submit a request for the amendments to the Department via email. Number of Copies Allowed For manual as well as electronic issuing, only one original certificate is issues and it has ‘ORIGINAL’ written at the top. In addition, the exporter can obtain two copies of the certificate and each one would have ‘COPY’ written at the top. It must also be noted that an additional copy of the certificate must be retained by the Department. For the electronic certificate, the copy would be placed in records of the regional office of the Department where the certificate is printed. Attachments In case the details about the consignments surpass the space available, the A4 paper sheets are used as attachments to accommodate the surplus information. Please check that each attachment bears the details like the certificate number, exporter’s name and address and so on. Replacements There may be instances that the original certificate issued gets lost or damaged. In another case, the amendments requested by the exporter may exceed the space available. In such situations, a replacement of the original certificate would be issued. For this, the exporter must fill a new form and also attach a copy of the original certificate. Using an Exdoc.com.au compliant export documentation certificate would allow an electronic Phytosanitary certificate to be issued faster and at less cost. Make sure to keep in mind the above-mentioned things while applying for the certificate.

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Right Procedure to Obtain Certificate of Origin with EXDOC Software

It is easy to understand what a certificate of origin is meant for. The certificate is required by every exporter to certify the place of origin of the goods that are intended for export to some other country. For example, if you wish to export goods from Australia, you would need a certificate that certifies that the goods were grown, produced or manufactured in the country. Now, the purpose of this certificate is to obtain custom clearance and also to become eligible for the reduced tariffs and import duties. For example, if you wish to export goods from Australia to Thailand and want to enjoy duty-free advantage under Thailand-Australia free trade agreement, you must obtain a TAFTA certificate of origin or an AANZFTA Certificate of origin.

The fastest way to apply for a certificate of origin is using an EXDOC software that communicates with the chambers of commerce and get you the certificate quickly. Some of the chambers of commerce in Australia include Victorian Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Commerce & Industry Queensland, NSW Business Chamber etc. No matter whether you need to obtain a KAFTA certificate of origin or JAEPA certificate of origin (for export to Korea and Japan respectively) or any other certificate of origin, you can contact any of these chambers.

The procedure involves some important steps like:

Sending exporters’ information form update to one of the certificate issuing chambers.

You would also need to provide the list of signatories whom you authorize to act on behalf of you and your company.

In addition, you need to provide various documentary evidences that indicate the place of origin of the goods. These include invoices, letter of credit, bill of landing etc.

It is necessary that the copies of certificates be provided for the chamber’s own records.

The export documents must contain the exporter’s signatures at the designated place (usually bottom left side).

ExDoc.com.au is a well-known documentation service provider that uses ImpexDocs software solutions to help exporters obtain certificate of origin faster. You can also use their services to obtain other documents like Health/Phytosanitary Certificates as well as the export declaration number.  

[exportdocumentation-blog]

Important Pre-requisites to Obtain Phytosanitary Certificate for Export

To begin with, phytosanitary certificate for export is required when you wish to export plants and plant-based products like grains, seeds, fruits, vegetables, hay and straw and more from Australia to other countries. The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Australia issues the certificate only if you fulfil some important conditions. The below discussion provides a brief outline of what these conditions are. Export Compliant Goods According to the Export Control Act of 1982, the goods that you wish to export from Australia must be export compliant. The act also states that the plants and plant-based products that fall in the category of prescribed goods require the phytosanitary certificate. The examples of these products include grains, fruits and vegetables. It is also worth mentioning that the act also states that all prescribed goods in the quantity of more than 10 kilograms would require an export permit. For it, you need to submit a request for permit to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Australia. Meeting the Importing Country Requirements Even if the plants and plant products that you wish to export from Australia don’t belong to the prescribed goods category, you need to check the importing country requirements. While some importing countries demand the phytosanitary certificate, others don’t. One good idea is to contact the NPPO (National Plant Protection Organization) of the importing country to know these requirements precisely. You may also refer to the MICoR (Manual of Importing Country Requirements) maintained by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources for the same. Get the Products Inspected

The plants and plants-based products need to undergo inspection by an authorized officer before the certificate is issued. For this:

The establishment selected for inspection must be registered with the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.

The establishment must have been constructed, equipped and maintained to ensure hygiene.

You can get your own premises registered with the department. If that’s not possible, you can request for a registered establishment.

Just like the health certificate ensures export compliance of animals and animal products, the phytosanitary certificate ensures that the plants and plant products intended for export are free from quarantine pests, live insects and infections.