NSFS Ref 30
Date of Effect: 04 October 2012
Date of Expiry: 04 October 2013
Arul Thilakan
Principal Veterinary Officer
Food Exports Branch
Elizabeth Wilcock
Director
Food Exports Branch
Distribution Category
Central & Regional Office
OIC Inspection Staff Meat Establishments Distribution Category
Managers, Export Meat Establishments
State/Territory Regulatory Authorities
Licensed Meat Exporters
Approved Islamic Organisations
Last Notice this Category: 2009/08
Implementation schedule (to be completed by the On Plant Supervisor on the DAFF file copy)
Date Received:
Date Discussed With Management:
Initial Implementation Date:
Date Completed:
Signature of Company Representative:
OPS Initial:
Purpose
This notice is to advise industry and DAFF staff of the introduction of an electronic Halal certification option through EXDOC and a change to the order of the signing of Halal certificates.
This gives an option for electronic certification but manual certificates can still be used as necessary. This electronic certification option will only be available through EXDOC.
This notice must be read in conjunction with AQIS Meat Notice 2009/08.
This notice is also to advise industry and DAFF officers of changes to the procedures for the issuance of the manual Halal certificate amending AQIS Meat Notice 2009/08 with regard to the order of signing manual Halal certificates.
Scope
This notice applies to:- all export registered establishment management responsible for raising Halal certification for Halal red meat and/or meat products for export
- all exporters of Halal meat and Halal meat products
- Approved Islamic Organisations (AIOs) that are approved to assess the Halal status and undertake the certification of Halal meat for export (a list of these organisations is maintained and published periodically by DAFF)
- DAFF on-plant staff responsible for monitoring arrangements for the preparation and certification of Halal meat and/or meat products
- Area Technical Managers (ATMs) and Field Operations Managers (FOMs)
- regional documentation staff and
- State/territory regulatory authorities responsible for monitoring state regulated meat export registered establishments (which are state registered establishments eligible to consign product to 'Tier One' countries).
This notice does not apply to export registered establishments that produce, process and/or store halal poultry and/or ratite meat and/or poultry or ratite meat products for export as these products are not covered by the Australian Government Authorised Halal Program (AGAHP).
Background
The electronically generated Halal certificate has been developed in consultation with members of the DAFF Halal Consultative Committee, consisting of representatives from Approved Islamic Organisations, AUS-MEAT, export meat industry processors and DAFF. The use of the electronic version of the Halal certificate is optional.
DAFF has informed the relevant overseas Halal authorities of the new availability of electronically generated halal certificate as an option by writing to them and providing an example of the certificate format.
Halal Meat Certification
All meat and/or meat products identified as Halal meat in accordance with the Export Control (Meat and Meat Products) Orders 2005 (EC(MMP)O), and exported to any country as Halal meat must be accompanied by a Halal certificate. If the meat and/or meat product is not being exported as Halal (although marked as Halal) a Halal certificate is not required.
Prior to the development of electronic Halal certification, all Halal certification had been issued manually. The format of the manual certificate is to be updated as soon as possible to make it consistent with the EXDOC generated version (EX 237, Appendix 1 is the current format).
An option is now available in EXDOC to generate a Halal certificate electronically for product at the time of lodging a Request for Permit (RFP). This system is the only alternative to the manual system of issuing Halal certificates.
The electronically generated Halal certificate
- is printed on the same DAFF security paper as used for health certificates
- is printed with all relevant details consistent with current manual certification
- has a facsimile signature of a DAFF authorised officer (except for Egypt which require manual DAFF signature)
- has a facsimile of the departmental seal, and
- can be printed remotely where remote printing of certificates has been approved by DAFF.
The format of the new generic electronically generated Halal certificate is attached in Appendix 2.
The format of the new Saudi Arabia electronically generated Halal certificate is attached in Appendix 3. This Saudi Arabia specific certificate has an additional field for the average age of the animal as per Saudi Arabia Halal certification requirements.
The format of the new United Arab Emirates electronically generated Halal certificate is attached in Appendix 4. This United Arab Emirates certificate has an additional field for the slaughter dates as per United Arab Emirates Halal certification requirements.
The order of signing both the manual and the electronically generated certificate has been changed to facilitate arrangements for later signing by the AIO.
There is no requirement to apply the official mark designating Halal meat to the electronic certificate.
Only one form of official Halal certificate shall be issued for each lot or consignment, (i.e. either an electronic or a manual certificate but not both). For procedures to replace lost or missing Halal certificates, please refer to section 7.
The ultimate goal is that either the handwritten EX237 or its electronic EXDOC generated equivalent will be the only certificates used for the Halal certification of meat and/or meat products produced under AGAHP. The EX37 (Halal Sadiq Services), EX38 (Perth Mosque) and EX40 (Australian Federation of Islamic Councils) forms have been revoked but existing stocks will be allowed to be used up over the next 6 months from issuance of this notice.
Generating electronic halal certificates in EXDOC
Initiating a request for an electronic halal certificate
Functionality has been introduced into EXDOC with a new Halal Product Indicator field being included. This indicator is on each line of the RFP. 'Y' must be entered if the product is required to be exported as halal. 'N' must be entered if the product is not required to be exported as Halal.
Halal certification is available through the extra certificate field in the RFP.
Where a Halal certificate is required
- The correct code must be included in the extra certificate field
- EX237 for all Halal certification other than Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates
- EX237S for Saudi Arabia
- EX237A for United Arab Emirates
The Halal certificate must be requested prior to the RFP reaching a status of 'COMP'.
Completing a request for an electronically generated Halal certificate
The Approved Certifier and Average Age of Animals fields now appear in EXDOC.
For all electronically generated Halal certificates
The Approved Certifier field must be completed for RFPs with an electronic Halal certification requested. Each AIO has been provided with a code (the software suppliers have a list of valid codes). This code must be entered into the Approved Certifier field for the information to be placed on the Halal certificate. The list of AIOs for Halal certification is available on the DAFF website for guidance.
Additionally for Saudi Arabia
The
Average Age of Animals field must be completed for RFPs with Halal product destined for Saudi Arabia. This field must have a value of either 'Less Than 1 Year' or 'More Than 1 Year'.
Note that durability dates must also be provided for Saudi Arabia in the RFP.
Additionally for United Arab Emirates
Durability dates must be provided for United Arab Emirates in the RFP.
Note that the slaughter dates will also appear on the electronically generated Halal certificate for United Arab Emirates.
Additionally for Egypt
Egypt requires the electronic certificate to be signed by DAFF staff and representative of Islamic organisation manually as described in the Appendix 6.
Authorisation of the request for the electronically generated Halal certificate
Inspector Comments field must be populated when the RFP is authorised. The words 'Complies with Australian Government Authorised Halal Program' must be entered for product that is intended to be exported as Halal under AGAHP.
Printing and distribution of copies of the electronically generated Halal certificate
Four copies of the Halal certificate are printed (simultaneously with the health certificate copies). If remote printing is approved by DAFF, a quadruplicate copy of the Halal certificate is automatically printed at the Regional Office, the other three copies (original, duplicate and triplicate) are received by the Exporter. In the absence of remote printing, all four copies are printed at the Regional Office with the original, duplicate and triplicate to be collected by the Exporter.
The Exporter must forward these three hard copies of the Halal certificate to the AIO. The AIO representative endorses and signs all three copies. The AIO retains the triplicate copy, the remaining two copies (original and duplicate) are returned to the Exporter.
The original copy of the Halal certificate should accompany the export consignment, while the Exporter should retain the duplicate copy.
A flowchart of the process of generating Halal certificates via EXDOC for all countries, except Egypt is attached (Appendix 5).
Manual halal certificates
Obtaining Pads of Blank Halal Certificates
Blank pads of manual Halal certificates may be obtained from the DAFF approved supplier where approved procedures are included within the Approved Arrangement (AA) covering their security and use.
These procedures must account for issued and unissued (including damaged/incorrect) certificates at all times.
Procedure for Completion of Manual Halal Certificates
- The exporter will indicate at the time of generating an RFP the option for a manual Halal certificate by entering 'N' in the Halal Product Indicator field. Population of the Inspector Comments field is still required (see below).
- The authorised person validating the RFP will in addition put his/her endorsement (eg 'Complies with Australian Government Supervised Halal Program') in the comment box regarding the Halal status of the product after he/she has verified that the meat and/or meat products are stamped correctly with the official mark designating Halal product.
- The exporter or his/her representative generating the manual Halal certificate will fill in the details of the meat and/or meat products in the certificate and will print a copy of the validated RFP including the additional comments from the authorising person.
- This certificate should then be taken to a DAFF officer who holds the appropriate delegations to sign such a certificate.
- It is the officer's responsibility to check that the description of the meat and/or meat products mentioned in the Halal certificate is correct and is the same as described in the RFP.
- Once the officer is satisfied that all required details are correctly filled in, he/she can then sign the certificate and stamp with the Departmental seal. Currently both the official mark designating Halal product and the departmental seal are applied. Once the manual Halal certificate is updated (to the EX237M), only the Departmental seal will be applied.
- The signing officer should enter the number of the RFP to which the halal certificate relates on the quadruplicate copy and will keep the quadruplicate copy of the completed halal certificate for future audits.
- The exporter must then make arrangements for the original, duplicate and triplicate copies of the halal certificate to be endorsed and signed by the appropriate AIO.
- This will include presentation of all relevant information relating to the halal product to be covered by the certificate, to the satisfaction of the AIO.
- The original copy of the halal certificate should accompany the export consignment. The duplicate is retained by the exporter who may be called upon to present it for audit or on request. The triplicate is retained by the AIO.
Procedures to issue replacement halal certificates
Electronic or Manual
Where the need arises for a replacement Halal certificate to be issued, the following information should be obtained by the AIO via the exporter:
- an explanation as to why the replacement Halal certificate is required, and
- whether the original has been presented.
This information should be provided to the DAFF officer so that a decision can be made as to whether a replacement Halal certificate should be issued.
- The original Halal certificate should be returned if a replacement certificate is issued.
For electronically generated Halal certificates:
- The Documentation Section of the DAFF Regional Office should be contacted (via the exporter) and the application form to change the RFP entry details be obtained and completed.
- On approval of the application, the Documentation Section will then amend the RFP entry details and a replacement Halal certificate will be issued. A clause stating that this is a replacement certificate will appear on this document.
For manual Halal certificates:
- The Documentation Section of the DAFF Regional Office should be contacted (via the exporter) and advised that a replacement certificate is being raised.
- The words 'issued in lieu of Halal certificate number XXXXXX dated --/--/--' must be included on the replacement Halal certificate; and appropriate records must be kept.
Roles and responsibilities
Exporters
The exporter (or their representative) generating the electronic Halal certificate in EXDOC must complete the details in the RFP relevant to the requirements of the destination country.
The exporter (or their representative) preparing manual Halal certificates must complete the details of the meat and/or meat products in the Halal certificate, and provide this, as well as a copy of the relevant validated RFP to the AIO representative for endorsement.
Keep copies of fully completed Halal certificates (electronic and manual) for a minimum of two (2) years and have them readily available for presentation to DAFF or importing countries when required.
Establishment Management
Establishments must amend their AA to incorporate procedures for the raising and completion of electronically generated Halal certificates and have these amendments approved as required.
Once the new manual Halal certificate formats have been implemented under AGAHP, establishments must amend their Approved Arrangements to incorporate the modified procedures (including the altered order of signing) for the raising and completion of manual Halal certificates and have these amendments approved as required.
Approved Islamic Organisation (AIO)
The AIO must endorse and sign the electronic or manual Halal certificate once satisfied that the goods comply with the Halal procedures within the AA. If the certificate contains inaccuracies the AIO should not sign it until these inaccuracies are corrected.
Keep copies of fully completed Halal certificates (electronic and manual) for a minimum of two (2) years and have them readily available for presentation to DAFF or importing countries when required.
The AIO must review and amend their AA as necessary to ensure that procedures for the raising and completion of Halal certificates are consistent with this notice and have these amendments approved as required.
DAFF Staff
The DAFF officer (with the appropriate delegations) signing manual Halal certificates must:
- Verify that the description of the meat and/or meat products on the Halal certificate is correct and is the same as described in the RFP.
- Once satisfied with point 1 above, sign the manual halal certificate and stamp it with the Departmental seal (as per Order 13.14 of the Export Control Prescribed Goods General Orders 2005). Note that the AGAHP official mark designating Halal product will not be required for the revised version on the manual certificate EX237M).
- Retain the quadruplicate copy, enter the RFP number to which the halal certificate relates on the quadruplicate copy and file it accordingly in the National Standard Filing System.
Regional documentation staff
File quadruplicate copy of the electronically/manually generated electronic halal certificate as appropriate.
State Regulatory Authorities Supervising Export Registered Australian Standard Meat Establishments
Verify and approve amendments to the establishments AA as appropriate.
DAFF On Plant Supervisor (OPS)
As appropriate recommend amendments of approved arrangements to the ATM.
Verify the procedures at the establishment against the establishment¿¿s approved arrangement.
ATM
Approve amendments to AAs as appropriate.
FOM
As appropriate verify arrangements at export establishments.
Baden Pearse
A/g Director
Export Meat Program
Attachments
Please download PDFs to view scanned images of all Attachments:
- Certificate for Meat Slaughtered (attachments 1-4)
- Flowchart for the issuance and signing of the electronically generated halal certificate
If you experience difficulties viewing this content please contact the Export Meat Program for assistance.