It’s been a tumultuous few years for importers into Australia of regulated timber products with the introduction of new requirements introduced by the Department of Agriculture regarding Illegal Logging.
The Department of Agriculture have now introduced the date that signals the end of the soft start compliance period. The date is the 1st January 2018.
The Department advises “With the conclusion of the RIS process and announcement of the reforms, the department is now moving to end the existing ‘soft-start’ compliance period. During this period, we have not been issuing penalties for any failures to comply with the due diligence requirements.
From 1 January 2018, businesses and individuals who import regulated timber products into Australia, or who process domestically grown raw logs, may face penalties for breaches of the due diligence requirements.”
Importers of regulated timber products should take note of this date. Failing to comply with due diligence requirements may attract a penalty of up to 300 penalty units ($A63,000).
If you have any questions regarding Illegal Logging, please do not hesitate to contact Phil Gray, Customs Manager.
