Certificate for exporting agricultural and veterinary chemical products
Before accepting exports of a chemical product or active constituent from Australia, many countries require an assurance from the government authority responsible for regulating that product or active in Australia. The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) issues certificates containing the relevant details of such products and actives through a range of certificate types under the banner of ‘Certificates of Export’.
Certificates of Export are separate to APVMA Certificates of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance issued under the European-Australian Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA).
The APVMA is unable to provide Certificates of Export for products that do not require APVMA registration. Some products, such as excluded nutritional or digestive (END) products, do not require registration by the APVMA but may meet the definition of a ‘Non-Prescribed Good’ and require documentation for export purposes. Companies wishing to export products that do not require APVMA registration should consult the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).
The APVMA does not provide advice on the documentation requirements of other countries.
DAFF maintains a Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) with information about the documentary requirements for importing countries. Applicants may wish to consult the Department before applying for an APVMA Certificate of Export.
How to apply
An application for a Certificate of Export can be made online through the ‘Registrations and permit’ tab on the APVMA Online Services Portal. The application should clearly identify the chemical product and/or active and the information the receiving country requires the certificate to cover. The application must be accompanied by the relevant fee (credit card only).
Applicants can review a copy of the application form before payment of the application fee(s). After payment of the fee, applicants should ‘submit’ their application and they will receive a payment receipt for the application.
APVMA records
The information contained in the certificate must match the APVMA product or active register. While considering your application for a certificate, we may ask you to provide further information to confirm or clarify this information. Applicants are expected to comply with any request for additional information.
The APVMA will provide a certificate setting out any matters relating to the chemical product or active that are required to be established for the purposes of its export.
If the APVMA refuses to provide the certificate, we will give you written notice of our refusal and include the reasons for our refusal. Applicants for certificates to be issued under section 69D of the Agricultural and Veterinary (Administration) Act 1992 can seek a review of any refusal decision.