Date of issue: 3 April 2024
Date of effect: From 30 April 2024
Reference Number: MAA 2024-04
Attention:
- Industries—Industry bodies – Seafood Export Consultative Committee, Seafood Trade Advisory Group, Seafood Industry Australia
- Export establishments
- Exporters, AEPI and EXDOC users
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry —central and regional offices
Purpose
This Market Access Advice (MAA) notifies industry about changes to health certificate requirements for low-risk fish and fish products from 30 April 2024.
Summary of key points
In July 2023 the UK Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) informed the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (the department) of changes to documentation for the import of fish and fish products for human consumption.
From 30 April 2024, consignments of fish and fish products classified as ‘low risk’ by DEFRA will continue to require an export permit to leave Australia but will no longer require a Health Certificate to enter Great Britain. These consignments will only require commercial documentation.
Low risk fish and fishery products
Fishery products (including crustaceans) are considered by DEFRA to be low risk if they are shelf stable at ambient temperature and sterilised by either:
- having undergone specific heat treatment in a hermetically sealed container that achieves an F0 value of three or more, or
- having undergone heat treatment prior to aseptic packaging that achieves commercial sterility.
For bivalve mollusc products, they should be sterilised in hermetically sealed containers as laid out in Annex III, Section VII, Chapter II, Part A, paragraph 5(a) of Retained EU Regulation No. 853/2004.
For fishery products, species associated with histamine including, species of the families Scombridae, Clupeidae, Engraulidae, Coryfenidae, Pomatomidae or Scombresosidae cannot be considered as low risk even if they otherwise meet the criteria above.
Fishery products from aquaculture and bivalve molluscs for human consumption, which are not in hermetically sealed containers intended to render them stable at ambient temperature (called Category II products) cannot be considered low risk.
Full details can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/risk-categories-for-animal-and-animal-product-imports-from-non-eu-countries-to-great-britain/tom-risk-categories-for-animal-and-animal-product-imports-from-non-eu-countries-to-great-britain-summary-tables#note-2
What exporters need to do
Under the Export Control Act 2020 it is mandatory to obtain a valid export permit before exporting a consignment of fish and fish products. Therefore, exporters are still required to make a Request for Permit (RFP).
For low-risk fish and fish products no longer requiring a health certificate, the exporter can mark an "N" (not required) in the certificate print indicator field to indicate a Health Certificate is not required. This must be done prior to requesting validation from the department.
Where an exporter requires a Health Certificate, (i.e. consignment also contain fish products not classified as low risk by DEFRA), they will be able mark “A” (automatic) in the print indicator field to indicate a certificate is required. This must be done prior to requesting validation from the department.
Trade to Northern Ireland
Fish and fish products exported to Northern Ireland must continue to use the existing European Union (EU) certificates in accordance with the Windsor Framework agreed between the United Kingdom (UK) and the EU. Product exported to Northern Ireland must continue to meet EU regulations.
The department strongly advises exporters to work closely with their importers to ensure product is eligible to be exported to Northern Ireland and to contact the department if there are any difficulties with clearance of consignments.
Micor
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.
Further information
Contact ExportStandards@aff.gov.au if you have any queries.
The information provided above 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.