27/06/2023
Who does this notice affect?
Stakeholders in the import and shipping industries—including vessel masters, freight forwarders, offshore treatment providers, Biosecurity Industry Participants, importers, customs brokers, principal agents and master consolidators
What has changed?
To provide clarity, consistency, and a central location for stakeholders to find information relevant to offshore treatment assurance schemes or offshore treatment providers, we will be implementing the following improvements on Monday 3 July 2023.
Offshore treatment provider list changes:
- All registered treatment providers will be listed on the offshore treatment provider website on the List of treatment providers. The list will have a searchable function to assist in finding treatment providers.
- All unregistered treatment providers will be listed on the offshore treatment provider website on the Unregistered treatment provider list. The list will have a searchable function.
- Treatment provider status and definitions will be consistent across all schemes and can be found on the Offshore treatment provider website.
- The List of offshore BMSB treatment providers and Offshore methyl bromide treatment providers list will be decommissioned to allow for the singular, searchable list. There will no longer be scheme specific lists.
What does it mean for me?
Offshore treatment providers
The list that registered treatment providers are published on will be the List of treatment providers. There will no longer be lists specific to the scheme that treatment providers are registered under. To allow for harmonisation across schemes, the status category you are published under may change, the definition of these status categories will remain the same. There will be no change to the way you are regulated under existing offshore treatment assurance schemes.
Freight forwarders, importers, and overseas exporters
The web location where you can find offshore treatment providers may change. You will now be able to search and filter the List of treatment providers according to the treatment type required, country where the treatment will take place, or use the map function to search specific areas.
The language of import conditions is changing, the intent of the existing import conditions will remain the same. BICON will continue to be the location for import conditions and onshore outcomes for the goods you are importing.
Customs brokers
The web location where you can find offshore treatment providers may change. To find the status of a treatment provider or relevant Entity Identifier (AEI) details, you will now be able to search and filter the lists (separate for registered and unregistered treatment providers) according to company name, AEI or country where the treatment took place.
There will be minor language or terminology changes in the Minimum documentary and import declaration requirements policy document to reflect the changes made to the List of treatment providers on the department’s Offshore treatment provider website. Regardless of these changes, the intent of the policy remains the same. Accredited persons operating under Class 19.1 and 19.2 approved arrangements are still required to report the relevant AEI code for the treatment provider when lodging their import declaration.
Website changes
These website improvements will be implemented and live on Monday 3 July 2023. You may need to update your hyperlinks or bookmarks for finding offshore treatment providers and related information.
Treating cargo outside Australia
This website has been improved and will be the landing page for offshore biosecurity treatments. The website will have links to all relevant offshore treatment assurance schemes, offshore treatment providers and other websites which may be useful for stakeholders.
This website will be the central location for all offshore treatment provider information. This includes the List of treatment providers, status category definitions and unregistered treatment provider information.
Australian Fumigation Accreditation Scheme (AFAS)
This website has been restructured, and will have all relevant information for AFAS on the main website. This includes moving participating country contact details onto the main website. All treatment providers registered under AFAS will now be listed on the List of treatment providers.
Offshore Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) treatment providers scheme
This website has had the scheme document, new treatment provider application and website links updated as there will no longer be a treatment provider list specific to this scheme. All treatment providers registered under the BMSB scheme will now be listed on the List of treatment providers.
Goods subject to BMSB measures will still require a BMSB specific treatment certificate.
Minimum documentary and import declaration requirements policy
The Minimum documentary and import declaration requirements policy will be updated to reflect the changes made to the List of treatment providers. These changes are minor and focus on updating the terminology used to describe the List of treatment providers on the department’s Offshore treatment provider website.
The policy will include an updated definition of “Acceptable treatment provider”, and changes to sections 4.6.4, 4.6.5, 4.6.6, and 6.5. The policy will reflect a version control table and be identified as Version 4.1.
The relevant language at this website has been updated to remove references to specific schemes (e.g. AFAS vs non-AFAS). The existing policy intent of the requirements stipulated on this website is not changing. Instead, users will find AEI entry requirements split according to whether the treatment certificate has been provided by a registered treatment provider (from the List of treatment providers) or an unregistered treatment provider. Instructions on how to use the AEI have been updated, including the quick reference guide.
There are multiple websites that will be decommissioned to enable the consolidation and streamlining of information. If you find hyperlinks or bookmarks you previously used no longer work, we suggest returning to the landing page (Treating cargo outside Australia) and following the provided links from there.
Further information
For further information, please contact Offshore Treatments at offshoretreatments@aff.gov.au or phone 1800 900 090.