Australian Trusted Trader

 

 

The Australian Trusted Trader (“ATT”) programme came into force on July 1, 2016. The programme is administered by the Australian Border Force (ABF) and is a trade facilitation programme that allows businesses with a secure supply chain and compliant trade practices to receive a number of trade facilitation benefits.  It applies to both importers and exporters. The ATT is an Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme and there are some 70 existing AEO programmes worldwide. AEOs work to secure the international supply chain, while facilitating the movement of legitimate trade. It is intended that the ABF sign Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA) to enable reciprocal recognition of overseas AEOs for both importers and exporters.

 

Unsurprisingly, the ATT also provides benefits to the ABF itself in that it will reduce the incidence and cost of compliance monitoring.

 

THE APPLICATION PROCESS

 

The  applicants that can demonstrate that they have supply chain security are the target companies of the ATT and the ABF uses the World Customs Organization’s Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade (“SAFE”) framework as the basis of measurement of supply chain security. Therefore, any organisation that meets or exceeds these required standards will become an ATT.

 

To commence the application process, the ABF will require a self-assessed questionnaire ("SAQ") to be completed. However, it is strongly recommended that each applicant first conduct its own assessment of its supply chain security and trade compliance practices before submitting the SAQ.

 

As an idication, the SAQ will require:

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• An Australian Business Number (ABN);

• At least two years history of participation in international trade activities;

• The ability to demonstrate they are financially solvent; and

• Secure supply chain and compliant trade practices.

 

Specifically, the SAQ will seek information relating to:

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• The entity's Australian Business Number (ABN), structure, operations, and personnel;

• Its organisational governance;

• Trade compliance;

• Financial standing;

• Commercial record-keeping;

• Communications and ICT environment; and

• International supply chain security.

 

Internatiolnal supply chain security will encompass such areas as, the security of personnel employed, physical security of premises, of goods imported and exported, of containers used for international trade and the transport of those goods and containers.

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THE BENEFITS

 

Exporters: Exporting ATTs will receive:

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• MRA of ATT status by overseas AEO administrations;

• Export declaration simplified processing (Monthly);

• Enhanced supply chain security & smooth passage into the destination country;

• Increased export sales opportunities through a combination of MRAs and access to foreign markets with less border scrutiny.

 

Importers: Importing ATTs will receive:

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• MRA for overseas registered AEOs by ABF;

• Expedited import declaration processing and release of shipments;

• Optional import declaration and customs duty deferral;

• Priority ABF processing, particularly during a period of elevated threat conditions. 

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WHAT YOUR COMPANY SHOULD DO

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If any of the benefits described above has potential to improve your business, including cash flow improvements, you should contact Trade Consultants as soon as possible to commence the application process. This will initially be undertaken in the following stages:

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• Undertake a pre-application survey of your entity to ascertain its readiness for starting the ATT process (ie, submitting an Expression of Interest (“EoI”)).

• Submit an EoI on-line to join the ATT; and

• Complete a self-assessment questionnaire.

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The self-assessment questionnaire will be necessarily detailed and therefore prospective applicants  should allow sufficient time for the questionnaire to be completed with any issues identified during its preparation to be resolved before an EoI is submitted.