Import fee hikes from 2nd July, 2014.
Biosecurity, import clearance and seaport fees charged by the Department of Agriculture fees will rise tomorrow.
All stakeholders in the import and shipping industries, including importers, customs brokers, logisticians, ship agents and shipping companies will be affected.
The department is hiking fees to “return the department's cost recovery arrangements to a sustainable footing and to ensure continued compliance with the government's cost recovery guidelines.”
According to the department, the Australian cost recovery guidelines require the department to review arrangements no later than five years after their creation. Time is now up and the department states that the fees in several cost recovery arrangements did not cover the cost of providing “essential” biosecurity services.
Agriculture contribute more than $51bn to the country's economy each year and Australia yearly exports about $40bn of agricultural products, the department says, adding that the annual cost of biosecurity services is $350m.
“It's worth noting that this is the first increase in import clearance and seaports program fees since 2009 (five years ago) and increases only apply to a limited number of items in the relevant fee schedules,” Hart Krtchsil of the Industry Working Group on Biosecurity told Lloyd's List Australia.
Source: Lloyds List
China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea Ports to Australia – General Rate Increase (GRI)
Effective – 1st August, 2014 on all shipments from the above origins to Australia there will be a General Rate Increase.