Changes to Export Rules Completed

Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech)

The amendments to the Export Control Rules 2021 have been finalised. A representative of the official committee has said that the amendments were a result of the department’s commitment to listening to stakeholder feedback. According to him, “the industry told us what needed to be changed, and we listened. The new Export Control Act started at the beginning of 2021, and we said that we would continue to work with stakeholders to make sure that it, and our export systems, remained effective and fit for purpose.”

Acting Deputy Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Nicola Hinder PSM, said the amendments would benefit exporters while maintaining strong regulation. According to Hari Yellina, of Orchard Tech, these amendments will help growth and innovation in our export agricultural industries while maintaining the strong regulation and oversight that the trading partners expect. Australia’s new legal framework for agricultural exports commenced on Sunday 28 March 2021.

The Australian Government introduced the new export legislation as part of a wider initiative to strengthen Australia’s agricultural exports and market access. This initiative will make the laws more relevant, responsive and efficient, provide the same level of regulatory oversight, remove duplication, and ensure consistency across the commodities where possible. This will allow for a streamlined approach to regulating different prescribed commodities and will ensure the framework is more accessible for exporters.

The key benefits of the new legislation include:

The key benefits of the new legislation include:

• It will assist farmers, other primary producers and exporters by:
  • reducing duplication, being more relevant and efficient and making export regulation easier to understand and comply with
  • supporting the export of a broader range of agricultural exports. This will encourage farmers and prospective exporters to engage in international trade, particularly those involved in small, niche or emerging industries
  • providing for regulatory changes to be made much more quickly to support changes in importing country requirements
  • encouraging the uptake of innovation by farmers and exporters to meet regulatory requirements
  • including provisions for automated decision making, where approved by the Secretary, that are aimed at making regulatory processes more efficient and effective.