Date of issue: 26 February 2024
Date of effect: 1 March 2024
Reference Number: MAA 2024-07
Attention
- Industries—Industry bodies – Dairy Australia – Infant Nutrition Council, Dairy Export Industry Consultative Committee, Australian Food and Grocery Council
- Dairy Export establishments
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry — Central and Regional offices
Purpose
This Market Access Advice (MAA) is to notify industry of updates to the animal health attestations used in health certification for milk and milk products exported to the Philippines.
Summary of key points
- The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department) has received confirmation from the Food and Drug Administration of the Philippines approving updates to the animal health endorsements for milk and milk products exported from Australia to the Philippines.
- The updated endorsements will be implemented from 1 March 2024.
- From 1 March 2024 exporters are to use optional endorsement 5336 (DAIRY - Philippines – Radioactivity and disease statement) when raising a request for export (REX). This new endorsement will replace endorsement 356 (DAIRY – GENERAL radioactivity and diseases statement) for use on export certification of milk and milk products to the Philippines.
- Additionally, from 1 March 2024 exporters are to use optional endorsement 5335 (DAIRY – Philippines – Animal health statement, foot and mouth disease, Codex) when raising a Request for Export (REX). This new endorsement will replace optional endorsement 463 (DAIRY – GENERAL animal health statement inc OIE List A diseases, foot and mouth disease, rinderpest and BSE).
- Optional endorsements 356 and 463 are not to be used for export certification of milk and milk products to the Philippines from 1 March 2024. Certification containing endorsements 356 and 463 may no longer be accepted in the Philippines at border clearance.
- These changes are intended to align Australian export certification with international, risk-based, scientifically informed standards, such as Codex Alimentarius and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
- The Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) will be updated to reflect this market access advice. Exporters are encouraged to subscribe to the Micor update service for commodity-specific emails that lists changes that have been made in the preceding week.
- The department encourages exporters to continue to work with their importers to ensure all current importing country requirements are met.
Further information
Contact exportstandards@aff.gov.au if you have any queries.
The information provided in this advice is current at the time of writing and is intended for use as guidance only and should not be taken as definitive or exhaustive. The Commonwealth endeavours to keep information current and accurate, however, it may be subject to change without notice. Exporters are encouraged to verify these details with their importers prior to undertaking production/exports. The Commonwealth will not accept liability for any loss resulting from reliance on information contained in this notice.