The Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI) procedures for issuing Certificates of Australian Origin for export consignments are designed to ensure that the goods exported comply with the Rules of Origin and that all authorised ACCI Chambers thr

Chamber certification of export documents

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Certification of documents in South Australia for all industry sectors is carried out under the name of the South Australian

Employers’ Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc (trading as Business SA).

Exporters must be registered with Business SA before documents can be lodged for certification.

(Note: some FTA certificate such as TAFTA and AANZFTA also require additional registration.)

To register with Business SA as an exporter you need to submit the following:

➢ Exporter Registration Forms

To register as an exporter for document certification purposes, the company needs to submit a set of "Exporter

Registration Forms" to Business SA as per attached. These are comprised of:

 Exporter Registration page 1 (signed at the bottom of the page by the relevant exporting company’s manager)

 Exporter Registration Page 2 (with details of exporter address, phone, contact person & job title, email)

 Exporter Registration Page 3 (with a list of the staff or representatives authorised to sign export documents,

including specimen signatures - these will be checked against the certificates when presented for stamping).

It is the responsibility of the exporting company to update the list of signatories as changes occur.

 When submitting the “Exporter Registration Form” you must also provide a copy of your company’s certificate of

incorporation or business registration eg ASIC extract of registration of business name.

Registration must be renewed annually, or as requested by Business SA. There is no charge for this procedure.

Registration is separate to Business SA membership.

Please note that any information relating to export registration and documents stamped for the exporter at

Business SA will be treated as commercial in confidence, and will not be circulated to third parties for advertising

or marketing purposes.

Certificates of Australian Origin

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) is authorised to issue Certificates of Australian Origin by the

Australian Government. Business SA is in turn authorised by ACCI to issue documentary evidence of origin in South

Australia. Business SA is the only South Australian based Chamber with authority to issue Certificates of Australian

Origin.

Goods included on a Certificate of Australian Origin must comply with the Rules of Origin which appear on the reverse of

the Certificate.

A copy of the Certificate of Australian Origin is available electronically, in a Microsoft Word format.

Companies who produce their own templates for Certificates of Australian Origin by electronic means are required to

submit a sample of their form for our approval. The wording on the front and back must be identical to the official form.

Goods of non-Australian origin

The Certificate of Australian Origin applies only to goods of Australian Origin. Goods of non-Australian origin must not be

included on that certificate. For goods of non-Australian origin, a "Certified Declaration of Origin" will be required. An

electronic template for this form is available upon request.

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Completing Export Documentation

Please note the following in relation to completion of Certificates of Origin, Commercial Invoices, etc which require

Chamber certification:

➢ Date of certificate

Documentary evidence of origin shall only be issued for goods being exported within one month from the date of issue

of the documents.

➢ Shipping details

Full shipping details, including date of departure from Australia, must appear on the form in the boxes provided. We

will not authenticate certificates which are incomplete.

➢ Signature of exporter

Certificates must be signed by an authorised person that is held on record of your exporter registration with us. We

will not authenticate unsigned certificates.

➢ Details of exporter

The details of the exporter which appear on the certificate must match those of the Registered Exporter. We will not

certify documents which state the name of another company unless that company is also registered with us as an

exporter.

NOTE: If your customer asks for details to be included on the certificate which are not in line with normal

documentation requirements, please contact Business SA to discuss.

Certificates issued by other authorities

Certificates issued by other authorities, eg Department of Agriculture, Halal accreditors and shipping companies must be

signed by the appropriate authority before presentation to Business SA for certification. We will not certify unsigned

documents.

Phytosanitary Certificates will only be stamped on the rear of the document and only if specifically requested.

Business SA will not certify Bills of Lading, AirWay Bills and Insurance Certificates.

Government Sanctions

Sometimes the Australian government will place sanctions on trade with a certain country. This could be due to

agreement with United Nations Security Council sanctions or purely Australia’s view with regard to international concerns.

This means that unless given express written permission by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, exporters may

not deal in commercial trade with that country. For current information on countries under UN Security Council and/or

Australia’s autonomous sanctions, go to the DFAT website at https://www.dfat.gov.au/international-

relations/security/sanctions/sanctions-regimes

Arab Boycott Clause

Australian Government policy firmly opposes the Arab boycott which it claims singles out Israel for discriminatory action.

Accordingly, Chambers of Commerce will not authorise a Certificate of Australian Origin if it includes any additional

clauses, such as the Arab boycott clause, which appear to discriminate against another country. If exporters receive

letters of credit which specify the Arab boycott clause must appear on the Certificate of Australian Origin they

should request an amendment to the L/C prior to shipment.

If other documents for goods of Australian origin are presented for certification which include the Arab boycott clause, or

similar, and a Certificate of Australian Origin is also presented for certification, Business SA will apply a rubber stamp on

the document (eg commercial invoice, not the Certificate of Australian Origin) with the words: “TO THE BEST OF OUR

KNOWLEDGE AND ON THE INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY THE APPLICANT, WE BELIEVE THE GOODS ARE OF AUSTRALIAN

ORIGIN, PRODUCTION OR MANUFACTURE”

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Preferential Certificates (eg Free Trade Agreement Certificates of Origin)

Exporters must be registered with Business SA before FTA documents can be lodged for certification.

(Note: some FTA certificate such as TAFTA and AANZFTA also require additional registration.)

Thailand Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA) entered into force 1 January 2005

There are strict guidelines for certification under the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA) which allow the

Thai importer to benefit from reduced tariffs. Companies requiring this certification service must also undergo a separate

registration process including the completion of a Deed of Declaration. Once registered, the exporter is given a specific

registration number that needs to be quoted in every TAFTA Certificate. Please contact our office for further information.

ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) entered into force January 2010

There are strict guidelines for certification under the ASEAN Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA)

which allow the importer in ASEAN countries to benefit from reduced tariffs. The countries that have signed up to the Free

Trade Agreement and may request documentation on the AANZ form are: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao

PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Companies requiring this

certification service must undergo a separate registration process. Once registered, the exporter is given a specific

registration number that needs to be quoted in every AANZ Certificate. Please contact our office for further information.

Japan Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA) entered into force from 15 January 2015

The Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA) delivers significant benefits to Australian farmers,

manufacturers, exporters, service providers and consumers. There is a wide range of Australian goods that qualify for a

reduction or elimination of import customs duties in Japan as a result of the Economic Partnership agreement, particularly

with regard to beef, wine, dairy, wheat, sugar, horticulture and seafood, automotive supplies, and the resource and

manufacturing industries. To find out more information about JAEPA, please contact us to obtain the JAEPA certificate

template. Exporters must already be registered with us before we will stamp certificates.

Korea Australia Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA) entered into force from 12 December 2014

The Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA) will particularly benefit exporters of beef, wheat, sugar, dairy, wine,

horticulture and seafood, automotive supplies, and the resources and energy industries. which allow the importer in Korea

to benefit from reduced tariffs (thereby making Australian product more attractive). Please contact us for the details about

the agreement and also the KAFTA certificate template.

China Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) entry into force from 20 December 2015

The China Australia Free Trade Agreement delivers significant benefits to Australian farmers, manufacturers, exporters,

service providers and consumers This makes Australian exporters more competitive in the Chinese market particularly in

the following industries: dairy, beef, seafood, pearls, hair and make-up products, horticultural products, and fresh fruit.

To obtain a ChAFTA certificate of origin you must be already registered with Business SA as an exporter, please contact

us for the certificate templates and further information.

Comprehensive & Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) entered into force 30 Dec 2018 –

applicable initially to Canada, Mexico, Japan, New Zealand, and Singapore. This will be followed by Peru, Malaysia,

Brunei and Vietnam, once their countries have ratified their legislation. Please see our Trade unit for further information or

to obtain a Form TPP-11 template. Exporters must already be registered with us before we will stamp CPTPP certificates.

Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership (IA-CEPA) entered into force 5 July 2020

Over 99 per cent of Australian originating goods exports to Indonesia may enter duty free or under significantly improved

or preferential arrangements. Key goods to benefit from this agreement are live cattle, frozen meat, dairy, honey, fruit and

vegetables, plus increased access to grains and cereals.

Peru Australia Free Trade Agreement (PAFTA) - entered into force 11 February 2021

This latest free trade agreement assists Australian exporters to Peru to gain substantial new trade and investment

opportunities. This will be of particular benefit to Australian beef, sugar and dairy farmers, obtaining historic access to the

Peruvian market. We have a PAFTA certificate of origin template available upon request.

Chamber certification of export documents

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You will notice in the FTA descriptions outlined in the page above that some countries are participants in more than one

free trade agreement with Australia (eg Thailand, Japan, Indonesia). Depending on the rules of the agreement, exporters

may gain a better tariff benefit for their overseas buyer by choosing the best FTA applicable for the product being

exported. It is best to consult with your overseas customer to determine the best outcome for continued exports to them.

Visa Application Letters

For visa applications to Saudi Arabia the Saudi Embassy may require a letter from the company whose representative is

travelling to that country. This letter is to be on company letterhead and certified by a Chamber of Commerce prior to

lodging with the application. A template for the letter is available from our office, outlining the general format and details

required by the Embassy. You must provide Business SA with a photocopy of the passport or drivers licence of the

person applying for the visa. A copy of the visa letter is also to be provided for our records. The cost for certification is as

for “All Other Trade Documents”.

Electronic lodgement of manually stamped documents

Business SA now offers exporters the convenience of being able to lodge their export documentation electronically for

manual Chamber certification. Documents will be processed manually and returned by courier or mail, depending on the

exporter’s requirements. (If you require the documents emailed back to you and do not require hard copies, it is

preferable to use our essCert electronic certification service, explained later in this document.)

Unless otherwise instructed, Business SA will return certified documents by ordinary mail at no charge. If collection by

courier is required, this is to be arranged by the exporter. Return of documents by Express Post will incur an extra

charge of $7.70 for each small express post envelope used.

essCert electronic certification service

Business SA is able to receive your export documentation online via the online essCert website portal for certification by

our International Trade Unit staff during business hours.

essCert gives you the most efficient means of obtaining stamped and signed Certificates of Origin, Commercial Invoices,

Packing Lists and other export documents. essCert combines electronic signature capabilities to process, capture and

store all information that is unique to each transaction and produce the best electronic evidence of WHO signed WHAT,

WHEN, WHERE and HOW. It is delivered as a zero-download solution, no additional software or hardware is required by

users. Depending on the pending queue of other documents already waiting, an approved certificate can be returned from

Business SA to you via email as a pdf within two hours, without needing to engage the service of a courier.

To register for the essCert service, go to the essCert login page at https://www.esscert.com/online-

registration/?agent_id=551 Once registered, you can log in to use the system to lodge your documents via the website

link at https://www.esscert.com/log-in/ You will be notified of certificate acceptance or rejection via email, and you can then

print your own manual copies or email the certified document to your customer. However you first need to check with your

customer whether they (and their Customs authorities) will accept electronic certification. Some countries will not yet

accept it, eg, Saudi Arabia, Qatar.

Please note that you also need to be registered with us for export beforehand as mentioned on page one of this document.

➢ All manual documents presented to us for signature must include an additional copy to be retained by us for record

purposes. If copies are not provided, a photocopying charge may apply.

➢ All documents must be signed by an authorised signatory of the company before being presented for certification.

WE WILL NOT PROCESS UNSIGNED DOCUMENTS.

➢ Packing/weight lists will only be certified if accompanied by a Certificate of Australian Origin.

➢ Business SA reserves the right to refuse to sign any other documents at any time.

IMPORTANT: the Australian Customs Service requires that exporters retain copies of all export documents for a

period of five years.

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Fees and Charges

Please note: Each type of document is charged as a separate set, eg. Certificate of Origin, Commercial Invoice,

Certificate of FreeSale, Packing List, etc.

The fees for Chamber certification of export documents as from September 2021 are:

Certificates of Australian Origin or Certified Declaration of Origin (no GST applies)

➢ Business SA Members $35.00 per set (up to 5 copies per set)

➢ Non-Members $55.00 per set (up to 5 copies per set) – payment required at time of stamping

Additional charges of $1.00 applies for each extra copy per set.

This also applies if there are more than 5 pages in a single copy per set.

Preferential Certificates for Free Trade Agreements (no GST applies)

eg Certificate of Origin for Thailand (TAFTA), ASEAN Australia New Zealand Certificate (AANZFTA) , JAEPA KAFTA &

ChAFTA, CPTPP, IA-CEPA and PAFTA – exporters must be registered with Business SA first.

➢ Business SA Members $39.00 per set (up to 5 copies per set)

➢ Non-Members $59.00 per set (up to 5 copies per set) – payment required at time of stamping

Additional charges of $1.00 per page applies for each extra copy per set.

This also applies if there are more than 5 pages in a single copy per set.

All Other Export Documents (GST applies)

Including Certificate of Origin on company letterhead, Commercial Invoices, Packing Lists, Visa application letters, Agency

agreements and similar documents

➢ Business SA Members $38.50 per set (inc GST)

➢ Non-Members $60.50 per set (inc GST) – payment required at time of stamping

Additional charge of $1.10 (inc GST) applies for each extra copy per set.

This also applies if there are more than 5 pages in a single copy per set.

Certificates on Business SA Chamber of Commerce letterhead (GST applies)

Including Certificates of Free Sale, Sanitary Certificates, Certificates of Health/Hygiene and similar documents. Wording

required is emailed to Business SA prior to collection, plus signed supporting evidence must be supplied to us prior to

Chamber preparation.

Goods described on the certificate must not be restricted or prescribed goods as per Dept Agriculture or TGA

requirements. Please contact us for the templates to use when requesting documents on Chamber letterhead.

➢ Business SA Members $47.30 per set (inc GST)

➢ Non-Members $69.30 per set (inc GST) – payment required at time of collection

Replacement or Amendment Fee (GST applies)

Charged for replacement/amended certificates. You must provide the old set along with the new set otherwise the full

charge will apply.

➢ Business SA Members $16.50 per set (inc GST)

➢ Non-Members $22.00 per set (inc GST) – payment required at time of stamping

Chamber certification of export documents

Chamber certification of export documents Page 6 August 2021

For documents lodged with Business SA via the essCert website portal the following charges apply:

essCert certification fees

(Non members must provide payment by credit card or EFT before certificates will be processed)

essCert Certificates of Australian Origin (exempt from GST)

➢ Members $30.00 per Certificate of Australian Origin

➢ Non-Members of Business SA $45.00 per Certificate of Australian Origin – payment required at stamping

essCert Other documents (eg Commercial Invoice, Packing List etc) – includes GST

➢ Members $33.00 per document

➢ Non-Members of Business SA $49.50 per document – payment required at time of stamping

Note: This reduced charge is because the exporter prints off their own copies on receipt of certified documents. You need

to first check with your overseas customer to see if they will accept electronically signed documents. If not, the manual

system must be used, at full price.

Please Note: ChAFTA, AANZFTA, JAEPA, KAFTA, TAFTA, CPTPP, IA-CEPA and PAFTA (free trade agreement

documents) lodged via essCert do not receive a discount, due to costs involved in maintaining accreditation of

the preferential certification system.

Please don’t hesitate to telephone Business SA’s International Trade Unit on 8300 0083 for assistance in preparing your

export documents.

Export documents are manually and electronically processed at:

BUSINESS SA

International Trade Unit

Floor, 136 Greenhill Road

UNLEY SA 5061

Telephone: (08) 8300 0083 or (08) 8300 0000

General enquiries: trade@business-sa.com