COVID−19 is affecting the transport and logistical services that underpin regional trade. Impacts such as business office closures and reduced airfreight and courier capacity are making it more difficult for Australian exporters to comply with trade documentation requirements, including the presentation of Certificates of Origin (COOs) in hard copy under the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA).
On 20 April 2020, Australia and New Zealand jointly proposed that AANZFTA Parties agree to accept, on a temporary basis, COOs and commercial documents in electronic (including scanned) format. While it has not yet been possible to reach agreement on consistent temporary arrangements, most responses received from AANZFTA Parties indicated a preparedness to exercise greater flexibility. Details of the responses so far received are below.
Should Australian exporters have further questions regarding the application for these procedures, we encourage them to engage with their importer. DFAT will continue to update this notification as Parties provide further advice and clarification on their COVID-19 measures.
Importers to Australia should be aware that Australian Border Force already accepts electronic copies of COOs, where required.
Summary of advice by country
Brunei
Brunei accepts scanned versions of COOs, but requires the original COO to be sent no later than a month’s time.
Expiry date: Not specified
Indonesia
Indonesia accepts coloured scanned copies of the COO Form which shall be submitted electronically to the Customs, by email or other electronic methods, within 30 (thirty) days from the date of import declaration. The hard copy of the original COO shall be submitted to the Customs:
- no sooner than 90 (ninety) calendar days from the date of import declaration and no later than 1 (one) year from the date of its issuance; or
- by the date requested by the Customs Authority.
Expiry date: Not specified
Laos
Laos accepts coloured scanned copies of the COO Form. The original COO must be presented to her Customs within 30 days after the clearance of the goods.
Expiry date: 30 September 2020
Malaysia
Malaysia accepts scanned copies of COOs. The original COO must be submitted within 14 days after the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO)* has ended, except for COOs from the Philippines which must be submitted within 30 days after the RMCO ended.
For Malaysian exporters, the Malaysian Issuing Authority has introduced electronically signed and sealed Certificates of Origin for AANZFTA and other FTA schemes effective from 13 April 2020.
*The RMCO is due to end on 31 August 2020 but may be extended.
Expiry date: 31 August 2020
Myanmar
Myanmar can accept coloured scan copies of commercial documents, including Certificates of Origin. These documents can be sent through email, however the originals must be presented to Customs within one month after the clearance of goods or when inbound flights are resumed.
Expiry date: 30 June 2020-pending confirmation of further extension.
Philippines
Philippines accepts scanned copies of COOs provided the original COOs are submitted to Philippines Customs within thirty (30) days from the date of filing of the import entry.
The Philippines has also introduced temporary arrangements for its exporters.
Expiry date: Not specified
Singapore
Singapore accepts scanned copies of COOs.
Expiry date: Not specified
Thailand
Thailand accepts scanned copies of COOs. The original COO must be presented to her Customs within 30 days after the clearance of the goods. An extension period of 30 days may be granted upon request and will be considered on a case by case basis.
Expiry date: 16 April to 30 September 2020
Vietnam
Vietnam accepts scanned copies of COOs provided that the Exporting Party notifies the use of scanned COOs and Vietnam Customs can verify the authenticity by accessing the Issuing Authority’s website/system or other means.*
*Australian currently does not operate a COO verification platform.
Expiry date: Not specified
Annex 1: Summary of procedure adopted by the Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) for the issuance of Certificates of Origin (CO) under the Philippines’ different FTAs during the period of enhanced community quarantine
1. Exporters to submit scanned copies of requirements / documentations through the Customer Care Portal System (CCPS). The documents shall be forwarded to the concerned Export Division or to the BOC Central Office Export Coordination Division for processing. The said documents will be the basis for the issuance of the CO.
2. If the application for a CO is approved, the Export Division or the Export Coordination Division will print the requisite details on the manual CO Form, manually sign and apply the seal and reference number, and scan the CO Form for onward transmittal (i.e. via CCPS) to the applicant (exporter). All scanned copies of the COs issued by the Export Division or equivalent unit of the Port shall be transferred to the Export Coordination Division who shall email the same to the Rules of Origin focal point of the country of destination for purposes of verification.
3. The Philippine exporter must provide the importer in the country of destination the scanned copies of the CO and other commercial documents.
4. The exporter is required to submit hard copies of the documents to the concerned Export Division or Export Coordination Division on 15 April 2020 or three (3) days after lifting of the Declaration of Enhanced Community Quarantine, whichever comes earlier. The hard copy of the CO will then be provided to the exporter.
5. The original copy of the CO will be submitted by the importer to the importing customs authority within thirty (30) days from the date of filing of the import entry.