The consultation on the Simplified Trade System (STS) which opened on 09 April is about to close on 06 May.
The STS Implementation Taskforce is working in partnership with the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) to deliver the STS reforms, as well as consulting with other federal, state and territory agencies and international partners.
Your feedback will guide and deepen their areas of focus in developing reforms to deliver a simpler cross-border trade environment and identify benefits of potential reforms to businesses.
For the 2024 public consultation views are being sought on three draft frameworks:
- Trade Identity Policy Framework
- Fit and Proper Person Assessments Reform
- Border Controls Policy Framework
You can choose to respond to specific frameworks within the paper or provide a comprehensive response to the full paper.
The STS reforms aim to deliver a simpler, more effective and sustainable cross-border trade environment that will ensure Australia remains a globally competitive trading nation. Business is at the centre of these reforms.
The current trade environment is overseen by 32 Australian government agencies that are responsible for 145 ICT systems and over 200 cross-border trade regulations, many of which are outdated or misaligned. This complex system has impacts on business and on Australia’s ability to compete internationally. To resolve this the Australian trade system needs to be simplified, modernised, and digitised.
On average, Australia’s compliance processes are more expensive and take longer to complete compared to our trading partners. Modernising our systems and processes could have significant economic benefits. With more than 142,000 importer businesses and over 47,000 exporter businesses (in 2022-23), simplifying Australia’s trade environment is a proactive and necessary step that will reduce costs for Australian businesses who trade internationally.
At a meeting of the STS Industry Advisory Council last year, Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell said:
“Our outdated trading system means that Australian shipments can take twice as long to complete documents and border compliance processes, compared to our trade competitors like Canada, the US, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan and Singapore – who take 19 hours on average.”
Whether you are a small, medium, or large business, industry association, or from academia, the Taskforce is keen to hear from you.
Find out more from the Simplified Trade website and have your say by 06 May 2024.
Also see this related article from our archives: Simplified Trade System.
As licensed Customs Brokers and International Freight Forwarders, Colless Young offers you professional advice on all your international trade and shipping requirements. We provide a complete range of import and export logistics services, both air and sea cargo, including warehousing and trucking, at all major Australian ports and airports.
