DAFF EXPORT ASSURANCE REFORM POTENTIAL IMPACTS FOR FREIGHT FORWARDERS Call for Feedback

Monday, July 20, 2026

Who does this notice affect?

Freight Forwarders, Exporters, Approved Arrangements (AAs) and Biosecurity Industry Participants

DAFF EXPORT ASSURANCE REFORM

POTENTIAL IMPACTS FOR FREIGHT FORWARDERS

Call for Feedback

Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) wishes to highlight to members that the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is progressing significant reforms to the export regulation of non-prescribed goods, with a new regulatory framework expected to commence from early 2027.
Under the proposed framework, seven groups of goods currently treated as non-prescribed goods would become prescribed "General Products":

food and beverages;
rendered goods;
pet food, stockfeed and feed additives;
skins and hides;
honey and honeybee products;
wool and wool grease; and
pharmaceutical, technical and blood products of animal origin.

The changes are intended to strengthen Australia's export assurance framework, provide greater traceability and meet increasingly complex importing-country requirements. While much of the initial consultation has focused on producers and exporters, the proposed arrangements may also have important operational and legal implications for freight forwarders.

When could a freight forwarder be considered the exporter?

Under DAFF's proposal, the exporter would be the individual or business responsible for the consignment during the export process.
DAFF has advised that a freight forwarder or customs broker could be regarded as the exporter where the relevant export documentation is in their name. This may include the export permit or government certificate.
However, where a freight forwarder is only preparing or lodging documentation as an agent on behalf of another entity—and that other entity is named as the exporter—the forwarder would not ordinarily be considered the exporter.
This distinction is important because the entity identified as the exporter may become responsible for:

holding a General Products export licence;
obtaining an export permit before each consignment departs Australia;
ensuring importing-country and other regulatory requirements have been met;
maintaining accurate exporter and consignment information;
meeting fit-and-proper-person and compliance requirements; and
paying applicable fees and charges under the future cost-recovery arrangements.

New export permits for individual consignments

DAFF is proposing that an export permit be required for each consignment of General Products, regardless of whether the destination country also requires an Australian Government export certificate.
The permit requirement is currently expected to commence from around April 2027.
Applications would be lodged as a Request for Export through NEXDOC, either directly by the exporter, through an agent such as a freight forwarder, or using compatible third-party software. DAFF is also working towards integration with the Australian Border Force (ABF) Integrated Cargo System (ICS) so relevant information can potentially be submitted through a single electronic window.
This could result in a significant increase in the number of consignments requiring NEXDOC interaction, particularly for food and beverage exports that currently do not require a government certificate.

There is a possibility that the permits process may also change in the near future as part of reforms.

Further information

Members are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the proposed reforms and consider how the changes may affect their operations. DAFF's Export Assurance Reform webpage includes explanatory material, fact sheets, webinar recordings, frequently asked questions and updates on consultation and implementation arrangements: Export Assurance Reform for non-prescribed goods - Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Export Assurance Reform for non-prescribed goods - website

Fact Sheet: Export Assurance Reform – What are general products?
Fact Sheet - Exporters: Export Assurance Reform
Fact Sheet - Producers and preparers: Export Assurance Reform
Webinar transcript: NPG reform webinar session 2
Webinar slides: NPG webinar session PowerPoint slides

Webinar
Note: the webinar is available by clicking the following image, with the webinar located at the bottom right of the landing page

Proposed export licence timetable

Export licence requirements are expected to be introduced progressively:

Tranche 1 – around July 2027: rendered goods, pet food, stockfeed, feed additives, skins and hides;
Tranche 2 – around April 2028: honey and bee products, wool and wool grease, and pharmaceutical, technical and blood products; and
Tranche 3 – around April 2029: food and beverages.

A General Products export licence is proposed to remain valid for five years and cover all General Products commodity categories. The final application costs, permit charges and other cost-recovery arrangements have not yet been determined and will be subject to further consultation.

Freight forwarder premises and accredited properties

Some facilities involved in producing, preparing or storing General Products may also need to become an accredited property, but only where accreditation is necessary to satisfy the requirements of the destination country.
A freight forwarder's warehouse would not automatically require accreditation. However, accreditation could potentially be relevant where importing-country requirements apply to storage, preparation, handling or another activity undertaken at that facility.
Where an accredited property is required but the relevant facility is not accredited, the exporter may be unable to obtain an export permit for the consignment.

FTA/APSA seeking member feedback

FTA/APSA recently met with DAFF to discuss the proposed reforms and their possible implications for freight forwarders and the broader international supply chain.
DAFF has subsequently invited FTA/APSA to participate in its Industry Reform Committee (IRC) to ensure freight forwarding supply chain perspectives are considered as the regulatory framework, digital systems, implementation arrangements and cost-recovery model are developed.
We are seeking feedback from freight forwarder members, particularly those who:

lodge NEXDOC export applications or government certificate requests for clients;
are currently named as the exporter on export permits, certificates or associated documentation;
arrange exports of food, beverages, wool, animal products or other proposed General Products;
operate warehouses used to store or prepare these goods for export; or
provide export documentation services through integrated or third-party software.

Members are asked to consider:

Were you previously aware of these proposed changes?
Is your business currently named as the exporter on any DAFF export documentation?
Are your exporter clients aware that permits may be required for every General Products consignment from around April 2027?
Are there concerns about determining whether the exporter, forwarder, broker or another party should carry the regulatory obligation and associated cost?

Please provide feedback to Sal Milici via email to smilici@FTAlliance.com.au.
FTA/APSA will consolidate member feedback and raise identified operational concerns directly with DAFF.