8 May 2024
Who does this notice affect?
- Holders of approved arrangement classes:
- 19.1: non-commodity for containerised cargo clearance holders and
- 19.2: automatic entry processing for commodities
- Approved arrangement class 19 accredited persons
- Continuous biosecurity competency (CBC) trainers and registered training organisations (RTO)
- Approved arrangement class 14.4: rural tailgate inspection holders (biosecurity industry participants)
What has changed?
The Director of Biosecurity intends to vary approved arrangement class 19 to enable policy changes to approved arrangement class 14.4: rural tailgate inspection, and for the use of the External Verification for eCertificates (EVE) system.
The proposed changes to approved arrangement class 19.1 will enable accredited persons to refer consignments to an approved arrangement class 14.4: rural tailgate inspection (class 14.4) in certain circumstances. Approved arrangement class 14.4 holders can perform rural tailgate inspections on certain imported containers that are destined for unpack in a rural area.
The proposed changes to approved arrangement class 19.2 will enable accredited persons to verify government to government electronic certificates using the External Verification for eCertificates (EVE) system. Australia and our trading partners are moving to direct government to government exchange of electronic sanitary and phytosanitary certificates.
To support this, the department is developing an external verification of electronic certificates (EVE) system.
To support these outcomes, variations to approved arrangement class 19 conditions are required.
Approved arrangement class 19.1: non commodity for containerised cargo clearance
The proposed variation to approved arrangement class 19.1 will enable accredited persons to direct containers that require a rural tailgate inspection to an approved arrangement class 14.4 site when goods packed in the container are subject to further biosecurity concerns.
Approved arrangement class 19.2: automatic entry processing for commodities
The proposed variation to approved arrangement class 19.2 will enable accredited persons to view government to government electronic certificates when lodging eligible approved arrangement class 19.2 entries. The variation proposed removes the requirement for accredited persons to retain copies of electronic certificates or present them if directed at an inspection location, where these are available through the External Verification for eCertificates (EVE) system.
Further information
The proposed variations to classes 19.1 and 19.2 can be accessed at the Notice Board on the website Automatic entry processing (AEP). A comparison table for each of the arrangement classes is also available at the Notice Board.
Following completion of the notice period, a decision to vary the arrangements will be made by the Director of Biosecurity. A notice of decision will be sent to class 19 approved arrangement managers.
The varied arrangements will be published on the Requirements for operating approved arrangements website on 27 MAY 2024.
For further information regarding this IIAN may be requested by emailing AEP.Arrangements@aff.gov.au.