Date of issue: 22 December 2022
Date of effect: Immediate
Reference Number: MAA2022- 22 

Attention

• Industries—Industry bodies – Seafood Export Consultative Committee
• Export seafood establishments
• Exporters
• Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry — Central and Regional offices

Purpose

This Market Access Advice (MAA) is for export registered vessels and land-based establishments that catch, process, manufacture, pack or store aquatic products that have pending modification requests in the China Import Food Enterprise Register (CIFER) system.

If you wish to extend your CIFER system registration and have not yet submitted an extension application in the CIFER system or had confirmation that your registration has been extended past 31 December 2022, please read the below information.

Summary of key points

• The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department) is aware that several Australian Seafood establishments have not been able to submit an application for extension in CIFER because the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) has not yet processed their application for modification.
• The department has received advice from GACC that in order to process Australian seafood establishments’ applications for extension as soon as possible, noting the 31 December 2022 date of expiry, GACC will return all the modification applications currently pending in the system which will allow the establishments to submit their extension.
• GACC has advised that the extension function will be working after the modification applications are returned.
• The relevant Australian establishments are advised to proceed with the extension process as soon as possible once the extension function becomes available, irrespective if they have completed their modification.
• Establishments that have not completed their modification process will then have until 30 June 2023 to complete the process after the extension application has been approved.
• All establishments that have NOT already submitted their extension, and do not have other pending applications in the system for seafood, are advised to submit the extension application as soon as possible to reduce delays in this being sent to GACC.
• The department will continue to issue health certification for Australian seafood establishments post 31 December 2022 even if their CIFER registration has not been extended. Establishments and exporters must note that this does not guarantee acceptance of trade from GACC and must consider the commercial risk involved in exporting in the scenario that GACC has not extended their CIFER registration.

Please contact exportlisting@aff.gov.au if you have any queries.

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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.

Please ensure that you regularly access the departments website at: Market Access Advice Notices 2022. You can subscribe to receive Market Access Advice Notices via our email notification system. You may change or cancel your subscription at any time.