The Australian Border Force (ABF) has issued Australian Customs Notice No. 2024/03: “PACER Plus Product Specific Rules of Origin – use of 2022 Harmonized System Nomenclature.”
The Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus (PACER Plus) is a development-centred free trade agreement between the Forum Island Countries and Australia and New Zealand.
PACER Plus entered into force for Australia, Cook Islands, Kiribati, New Zealand, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga on 13 December 2020; for Tuvalu on 03 April 2022; and for Vanuatu on 11 October 2022. Nauru is yet to formalise entry.
The ABF notice advises that, from 12 February 2024, an updated version of the PACER Plus Product-Specific Rules (PSR) will be used by PACER Plus parties. The updated PACER Plus PSRs use the nomenclature of the 2022 Harmonized System (HS).
The PACER Plus Joint Committee reached consensus on the version of the PSR annex in HS 2022 on 16 January 2024.
Where possible, PACER Plus Declarations of Origin documentation completed after 12 February 2024 for goods imported into Australia claiming to be PACER Plus originating goods should make use of HS 2022.
Transitional arrangements from HS 2012 to HS 2022 on PACER Plus Declarations of Origin for Pacific Islands originating goods
The ABF will continue to accept PACER Plus Declarations of Origin documentation issued or completed with the former nomenclature, HS 2012, for goods imported into Australia completed prior to 12 February 2024.
In cases where the PACER Plus Declaration of Origin documentation has been completed with HS 2012, including after 12 February 2024, the importer must ensure that the goods are classified correctly using HS 2022 on the import declaration.
ABF advises that a copy of the PSR in HS 2012 will be accessible on the ABF PACER Plus website under Product-Specific Rules of Origin in order to assist importers with this transition. However, no concordance table will be provided.
For more information about PACER Plus, refer to the ABF’s PACER Plus web page
For more information about international trade and shipping, whether with the Pacific Islands or elsewhere on the globe, contact us here at Colless Young. As licensed Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders we offer correct, professional advice on all your transportation requirements. We are based in Brisbane and provide a complete range of logistics services, both airfreight and sea cargo, through all Australian ports and airports.
