Guides for exporting prescribed meat and meat products

How to gain accreditation for a property to produce meat and meat products for export to the European Union

If you operate or manage a farm, feedlot or saleyard that produces bovine animals to be used to produce meat and meat products for export to the European Union, you must gain accreditation for your property with the European Union Cattle Accreditation Scheme (EUCAS).

This document provides key steps, a glossary, and links to relevant information to help you understand the requirements for gaining accreditation for your property for the export of prescribed meat and meat products.

Once you have the necessary approvals, find out how to export meat and meat products.

Fees and charges

Fees will apply for some of these steps. The costs will vary depending on the method of export. More information on our fees is available in the Charging Guidelines.

Determine importing country requirements

You should research the importing country requirements to ensure products and commodities can be accepted for import into specific overseas countries.

We maintain the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) as a resource to assist in this research, however consultation with the importer or relevant authority is also encouraged to determine their specific requirements.

Austrade's Market Search Tool may also provide additional information on the market you wish to enter.

Apply for organic certification

If the export is to be sold as organic or bio-dynamic, your property must be certified organic by an approved certifying body. This shows that it complies with the National Standard for Organic and Bio-dynamic Produce.

• Certification granted

Apply to have property accredited

As a property manager you must apply for property accreditation by submitting the respective application form for EUCAS accreditation for your type of property:

• farm
• feedlot
• saleyard.
• Property accredited

Maintain property accreditation

Property accreditation will last for 12 months. As a property manager you must apply for an accreditation renewal before the end of the period to retain your accreditation.

Audit compliance

EUCAS accredited farms are audited on both a random and targeted basis. EUCAS feedlots and saleyards are audited annually, and their ongoing accreditation depends on a successful audit.

If certified organic, the approved certifying body will also audit your establishment at least once yearly.

• Your property can be used to produce meat and meat products

Once you have these required approvals in place, and for as long as you maintain those approvals, goods can be sourced from your property for export.

Find out how to register an establishment to process, prepare or store meat and meat products for export.

Find out how to become an exporter of meat and meat products.

How to register an establishment to process, prepare or store meat and meat products for export

To process, prepare or store meat and meat products for export, you must have specific approvals in place.

See the key steps, glossary and links to relevant information. These will help you understand the requirements for registering an establishment for the export of prescribed meat and meat products.

Once you have the necessary approvals, find out how to export meat and meat products.

Fees and charges

Fees will apply for some of these steps. The costs will vary depending on the method of export. More information on our fees is available in the Charging Guidelines.

Determine importing country requirements

You should research the importing country requirements to ensure products and commodities can be accepted for import into specific overseas countries.

We maintain the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) as a resource to assist in this research. We also encourage you to consult with the importer or relevant authority to determine their specific requirements.

Austrade's Market Search Tool may also provide additional information on the market you wish to enter.

Apply for organic certification

If the export goods are to be labelled or described as organic or bio-dynamic, your operation must be certified organic by an approved certifying body to show that it complies with the National Standard for Organic and Bio-dynamic Produce.

• Organic certification granted

Apply for halal certification

If the export is to be sold as halal certified, your registered establishment must seek accreditation with an approved Islamic organisation who holds approval for the markets you want to produce for.

Apply for halal processes to be included in your approved arrangement (AA)

Once halal accreditation is received, as the occupier you must detail halal processes within your establishment’s approved arrangement (AA).

Apply for AUS-MEAT accreditation

If the export product is deriving from ovine, bovine or caprine species, you must have AUS-MEAT accreditation to process the meat for export.

If you operate an abattoir or boning room, you may apply for AUS-MEAT accreditation through the Meat Processor Accreditation form.

If you conduct further processing operations (e.g. curing, heat treatment, drying, canning, fermenting or rendering), you may apply for AUS-MEAT accreditation through the Further Processor Accreditation form.

• Accreditation granted

Apply for establishment registration, approved arrangement and overseas listing

Your establishment must have an AA and be registered with us if it intended to be used for the preparation of prescribed goods for export. As the occupier you may apply for registration and approval of a proposed arrangement by submitting an EX26a form.

• Arrangements approved, establishment registered and is included in overseas listing

The type of export operations at the establishment will determine the government staffing requirements. Depending on your operations, you may require Food Safety Meat Assessors (FSMAs), On Plant Veterinarians (OPVs) and Australian Government Authorised Officer (AAOs) to perform inspection or supervision activities.

Goods must be loaded for export either under the supervision of a person designated in the AA at the establishment where the loading for export occurs, or by a Commonwealth authorised officer.

Seek our advice if required.

Apply for an approved arrangement variation or change to establishment registration

If there is a significant variation to your AA, or a significant change to your establishment (such as a change to product, procedures or technology being used), as the occupier you must apply for an AA variation and/or a change to your establishment registration by submitting an EX26b form. Any non-significant variations can be made to the AA without our approval. For more information, refer to the Significant and Non-significant Approved Arrangement Variations Policy.

Audit compliance

After becoming registered we will conduct audits of your registered establishment at least once a year. As the occupier you must demonstrate use of the procedures and processes required of a registered establishment. For more information, refer to the Export Meat Systems Audit Program (EMSAP) policy.

Your registered establishment may also be subject to audits by the importing country.

If certified organic, the approved certifying body will also audit your establishment at least once yearly.

If halal certified, approved Islamic organisations will also audit your establishment on a regular basis, the frequency of which will vary depending on the markets being exported to.

• Your establishment can be used to process, prepare or store meat and meat products for export

Once you have these required approvals in place, and for as long as you maintain those approvals, your establishment can be used to process, prepare or store meat and meat products for export.

Find out how to become an exporter of meat and meat products.

How to become an exporter of meat and meat products

To export meat and meat products, you must have specific approvals in place before you submit a consignment application.

See the key steps, glossary and links to relevant information. These will help you understand the requirements for becoming an exporter of prescribed meat and meat products.

Once you have the necessary approvals,  find out how to export meat and meat products.

Fees and charges

Fees will apply for some of these steps. The costs will vary depending on the method of export. More information on our fees is available in the Charging Guidelines.

Determine importing country requirements

You should research the importing country requirements to ensure products and commodities can be accepted for import into specific overseas countries.

We maintain the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) as a resource to assist in this research, however consultation with the importer or relevant authority is also encouraged to determine their specific requirements. Austrade's Market Search Tool may also provide additional information on the market you wish to enter.

Apply for export licence

If the export product is derived from ovine, bovine or caprine species, you must have an export licence to export.

Before applying for a licence, you must gain accreditation from AUS-MEAT.

Once accredited, you may apply for an export licence by submitting an EX31 form.

• Licence issued

Register with our department systems

You must be registered as an EXDOC user to produce export documentation.

• You become registered with us

Maintain export licence

An export licence will be issued for a period of 12 months and will need to be renewed before the period ends. During this time, you must notify us of any significant changes to your business.

Your AUS-MEAT accreditation also needs to be maintained to meet the meat export licence requirements.

• You are ready to start the consignment application process

Once you have these required approvals in place, and for as long as you maintain those approvals, you can source goods for export from a registered establishment or accredited property. You must submit a consignment application, known as a Notice of Intention to Export (NOI).

Find out the next steps on how to export meat and meat products.

There are specific approvals that must be in place before meat and meat products can be exported from Australia.

Before starting this process, depending on your role, you will need to meet additional requirements.

More information on these roles and requirements.

See the key steps, glossary, and links to relevant information. These will help you understand the requirements for exporting a consignment of prescribed meat and meat products.

Fees and charges

Fees will apply for some of these steps. The costs will vary depending on the method of export. More information on our fees is available in the Charging Guidelines.

Determine importing country requirements

You should research the importing country requirements to ensure products and commodities can be accepted for import into specific overseas countries.

We maintain the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) as a resource to assist in this research. We also encourage you to consult with the importer or relevant authority to determine their specific requirements.

Austrade's Market Search Tool may also provide additional information on the market you wish to enter.

Submit your notice of intention to export

Once the required approvals are in place, the exporter must notify us of their intention to export (also referred to as notice of intention or NOI) by submitting a Request for Permit (RFP) through EXDOC.

This also triggers a request for the export permit and certificate.

Request organic goods certificate

If the goods are to be labelled organic or bio-dynamic (or similar), the exporter must request an organic goods certificate per consignment from an approved certifying body.

Inspection of consignment

Exports must be loaded either under the supervision of a person designated in the approved arrangement (AA) at your establishment where the loading for export occurs, or of a Commonwealth authorised officer.

Maintain integrity and wholesomeness of goods

Product integrity and wholesomeness requirements must be maintained through transit as described in the registered establishment’s AA.

• Export permit issued

The exporter is issued an export permit electronically through EXDOC. The permit remains in force for a period of 28 days.

• Certificates issued

The exporter is issued an export certificate electronically through EXDOC. The certificate can be issued electronically via eCert or on a paper template.

If the exporter wishes to export goods labelled organic or bio-dynamic (or similar), they must receive an organic goods certificate prior to exporting their consignment. Once the approved certifying body has confirmed that the goods have been certified to the National Standard for Organic and Bio-dynamic Produce, the exporter is manually issued the organic goods certificate.

• Consignment shipped

The consignment is outbound from Australia.

Mitigate and follow up issues

Where an incident occurs with a consignment that has left Australia, we actively work with the exporter to make a new plan.