Australia signs agreements to streamline trade

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (the Department) signed its first Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) with New Zealand Customs Service (NZCS) at the World Customs Organization's Council sessions in Brussels on Friday, 15 July.

An MRA is a formal arrangement between customs agencies that recognise supply chain security programmes and provides reciprocal benefits to the other country's trusted partners. MRAs also provide border agencies with greater end-to-end assurance over imports and exports.

The Australia-New Zealand MRA will ensure that members of the Australian Trusted Trader (ATT) programme and the NZCS Secure Exports Scheme receive preferential border treatment and trade facilitation benefits when conducting trans-Tasman trade.

The MRA will deliver a mutually beneficial outcome that increases both nations' contributions to international supply chain security and trade facilitation. It is anticipated that the MRA will allow up to 13 per cent of New Zealand import volume to Australia – totalling $3 billion – to be facilitated, along with $7.5 billion of Australian exports by 2020.

This combined $10.5 billion of trans-Tasman trade facilitated and secured through the MRA demonstrates a significant return on investment that will increase the international competitiveness of industries in both countries.

At the Council sessions, the Department also formally agreed to work towards mutual recognition of our respective supply chain security programmes with the Canada Border Service Agency, Hong Kong Customs and Excise and Singapore Customs. These agreements were made through the signings of Statements of Intent and Action plans. The Department also reaffirmed Authorized  Economic Operator cooperation with China with the signing of the latest schedule of the Strategic Partnership Program.

The Department looks forward to working with our regional partners to commence MRA discussions and validations of each other's programmes.

The ATT programme was implemented on 1 July 2016 and is progressing well. Over 200 Australian businesses have expressed their interest in the programme since the beginning of July. Teys Australia Beenleigh Pty Ltd is the first accredited Trusted Trader and 31 businesses are currently in the process to become accredited.

To find out more about Australian Trusted Trader, visit www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader

Hear more from the Australian Border Force

We have heard a lot about the Australian Trusted Trader programme with much of our focus to date centred around imports ... what about exports?

Last week Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) met with the Australian Border Force (ABF) in Canberra and subsequently followed up with Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) policy representatives to find out more about specific benefits available to freight forwarders and exporters through the ATT and establishment of Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs).

As a part of this ongoing engagement, the ABF and DIBP have agreed to provide a specific update on MRAsas a part of our upcoming CPD & CBC - Border and Biosecurity Compliance Program.

This an important outcome with DIBP signing its first MRA with New Zealand Customs Service (NZCS) at the World Customs Organization's Council sessions in Brussels on Friday, 15 July ...and further developments are on the way with Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and China ... read more.

BNE / SYD / MEL

Join us in Brisbane (7 Sept - Novotel, Brisbane Airport), Sydney (21 Sept Novotel, Brighton Le Sands) and Melbourne (19 Oct, Mantra Hotel, Tullamarine) - our technical sessions run from 11am to 5:15pm followed by a networking function providing customs brokers with 15 CPD points and compliance with the second mandatory CBC session as administered by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.

COST

• CUSTOMS BROKERS & IMPORTERS - Cost for the above event is $385 (incl GST) for non-members with a $220 (incl GST) EARLY BIRD rate currently available for FTA members - please note that the early bird rate will be available for the first 50 registrations only.
   

• FREIGHT FORWARDERS & EXPORTERS - we also offer a special FTA / APSA / Cargo Club Australia member rate of $82.50 (incl GST) to join us for the afternoon session (3:15 pm to 5:15pm) and networking function - refer below for more detail. 

Freight Forwarder and Exporter Forum

Session Facilitator - Paul Zalai (Director, Freight & Trade Alliance - FTA)

Changes to Air Cargo Export Security Requirements (Stream B - 3 CPD points)

Scott Stone (General Manager, Air cargo Taskforce, Office of Transport Security, Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development)

• Current arrangements and an overview of air cargo exports

• Us requirements and US exports

• New arrangements (Piece-level screening for the US, Known Consignor Scheme, streamlining of clearance processes)

• Progress on the new arrangements

• New arrangements - what it means for exporters

Freight Forwarder Reforms and Interim Obligations (Stream B - 1.5 CPD points)

Australian Border Force

• Integration of "known consignor" into the Australian Trusted Trader regime and Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs)

• Cargo Reporting Obligations - accuracy / timeliness

• Outturns / deliveries without authority

• Export Compliance

Join your colleagues for a complimentary post event networking function