Chinese certificate issuing authority update

Sunday, August 26, 2018

Further to the notice published 20 August 2018 titled "Changes to Chinese Competent Authority issuing CIQ certificates", Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) has sought clarification from the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) and the Department of Home affairs (DoHA) as follows
 
DAWR – the following response has been received in terms of the new certificates and what to check for including security features:
 
Unfortunately we are unable to provide examples of certificates issued by the new Chinese competent authority. I can confirm the following:

  • Certificates issued up to 20 August 2018 should be issued by AQSIQ (CIQ logo)

  • Certificates issued from 21 August 2018 should be issued by GACC.

  • If CIQ certs are dated after 20 August 2018 they should be referred to the department as potentially fraudulent

  • The security features have not changed

  • GACC logo, letterhead and stamps will replace the AQSIQ/CIQ logo, letterhead and stamps

 
If your members have concerns about the authenticity of a certificate, they can lodge an enquiry in COLS for Assessment Services Group to review the certificate and refer it on to the relevant policy area if necessary. 
 
DoHA - the following response was received in terms CIQ no longer existing and their service have been absorbed by the GACC – General Administration of Customs of the Peoples Republic of China:
 
In response to your questions we can confirm that Chinese authorities have advised the Department of Home Affairs that the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China (AQSIQ) has been integrated together with its in-service workforce into the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).
 
There remains two issuing authorities for ChAFTA CoOs in China.
 

  • The General Administration of Customs of China, and

  • China Council for the Promotion of International Trade

 
The CoO documentation remains the same. Samples can be found at:https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/busi/free/China
 
There are no changes in accepting a ChAFTA CoO. As long as the CoO meets the requirements of Annex 3-A of ChAFTA and the stamp in box 14 corresponds with the samples held by the Department of Home Affairs it will be acceptable to claim preferential tariff treatment under ChAFTA.
 
If you have concerns about the stamps used please send them to the Origin and Verification team at chafta@abf.gov.au and we will check them against the samples we have been provided by Chinese authorities.
 
The Origin and Verification team is working on the best process of notifying Brokers.

Andrew Crawford - FTA / APSA