Since April 2020 there has been a notable increase in the import of commodities containing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including face masks, nitrile gloves, gowns and safety eye wear. The Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) work together in controlling the importation of these goods.
The ABF has now issued Australian Customs Notice No. 2021/26, announcing the extension of concessional treatment for certain hygiene and medical goods to 30 June 2022.
Item 57C to Schedule 4 of the Customs Tariff Act will commence on 01 July 2021. The concessional item will extend to 30 June 2022, the ‘Free’ rate of customs duty for certain medical or hygiene products that are capable of use in combating the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
For imported goods to be eligible for concessional treatment, they must meet the criteria in the item and by-law. New working pages for the item and by-law have been made available to Customs Brokers and you may obtain full details from us here at Colless Young.
Types of medical and hygiene products that may be eligible for concessional treatment are listed in By-law No. 2100131. This by-law essentially covers:
– COVID-19 test kits, reagents and viral transport media;
– face masks, gloves, clothes or gowns, goggles, glasses, eye visors or face shields;
– soaps and disinfectant preparations – excluding hand sanitisers.
Item: 57CÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Rate of Customs Duty: Free
Description:
Goods, as prescribed by by-law, if:
(a) the goods are medical products or hygiene products; and
(b) the goods are capable of use in combating the novel coronavirus that causes the disease known as COVID-19; and
(c) the time for working out the rate of duty on the goods is in the period beginning on 1 July 2021 and ending at the end of 30 June 202
To claim concessional treatment for eligible goods, treatment code 357 and by-law no. 21000131 must be recorded on the Full Import Declaration, or recorded on the Self Assessed Clearance for goods under AUD$1000.
We suggest you start by consulting us here at Colless Young. As licensed Customs Brokers and International Freight Forwarders, we handle all your import cargo shipping and transport needs. We are based in Brisbane and offer a complete range of logistics services, for both air and sea freight, including exports, fumigation, warehousing and trucking – through all Australian ports and airports.
