Changes

Change notice

Amendments to the manufactured wooden articles (MWA) pathway of the Timber and timber products BICON case.

Consignments of MWA treated offshore by heat, fumigation or irradiation methods are now required to be exported within six calendar months of the required treatment and be accompanied by additional storage certification in the form of a manufacturer’s, supplier’s or exporter’s declaration. Please see the import conditions within the Timber and timber products BICON case for import conditions and wording requirements of these declarations.

Manufactured wooden articles do not require this declaration in the following scenarios:

1. Goods in consignments that have been sealed in a container and exported immediately after treatment do not require a storage declaration. Refer to the department’s Minimum documentary and import declaration for what evidence is required to prove date of export.
   

2. Goods that have been treated with permanent preservative treatments do not require a storage declaration.
   

3. Consignments that are exported before 11 September 2017. Note these consignments will need to be treated and exported within 21/90 days of export, as previous conditions.
   

Background.

Based on industry feedback and recommendations from the Import Conditions Review for timber and timber products, the department is increasing the time allowed between treatment and export for MWA from 21 days to 6 months. This additional time between treatment and export is aimed at assisting manufacturers/suppliers to be able to effectively treat the goods at an appropriate time during their manufacture. However, to account for this increase in time between treatment and export, importers need to provide assurance that goods have not been infested with pests after treatment.

The storage certification provides the department with evidence that the goods have been stored in an appropriate way that limits the risk of infestation or contamination by pests of biosecurity concern for the entire length of time between the application of an appropriate treatment to the goods and export to Australia.