Agricultural exports from Australia

Agricultural Export Legislation - Consultation on proposed amendments to the Export Control Rules 2021

On 28 March 2021 the Australian Government introduced a new legal framework for Australia's agricultural exports, comprising the:

-         Export Control Act 2020 (the Act) which sets out the overarching legal framework for the regulation of exported goods including food and agricultural products from Australia;

-         Export Control Rules 2021 (the Rules) which are the legislative instruments that set out the operational requirements that must be met to export specific goods from Australia (eg meat). The Rules must be read in conjunction with the Act.

The Australian Government is seeking comment on proposed amendments to the following:

-         Export Control (Animals) Rules 2021 Export Control (Meat and Meat Products Rules) 2021 Export Control (Organic Goods Rules);

-         2021 Export Control (Plant and Plant Products) Rules 2021 Export Control (Poultry Meat and Poultry Meat Products);

-         Rules 2021 Export Control (Rabbit and Ratite Meat and Rabbit and Ratite Meat Products) Rules 2021;

-         Export Control (Wild Game Meat and Wild Game Meat Products) Rules 2021.

No changes are proposed to the commodity Rules for eggs, fish, milk, miscellaneous and wood.

The proposed amendments will ensure that Australia's agricultural export legislation remains modern and fit for purpose, by addressing issues identified by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (the department) or its stakeholders.

Details of the proposed amendments are available on the department's website at - Export Control Rules 2021 - Proposed amendments. The web page contains:

-         an exposure draft of the Export Control Legislation Amendment (2021 Measures No. 1) Rules 2021:

-         an outline of the proposed amendments to the Rules for animals, meat, organic goods, plant, poultry, rabbit and ratite and wild game;

-         links to the Act and the current versions of the Rules an online form that will enable you to comment on the proposed amendments.

The closing date for comments is 30 November 2021.