Australian Trusted Trader application process
What is Australian Trusted Trader?
The Australian Border Force (ABF) has implemented a voluntary trade facilitation initiative:
the Australian Trusted Trader (ATT) programme. The programme recognises businesses
with a secure supply chain and compliant trade practices, rewarding accredited businesses
with a range of trade facilitation benefits.
Who can apply?
ATT is free to join and is open to all Australian businesses active in the international supply
chain, have an Australian Business Number (ABN), two years of trading history, and are
financially solvent. This includes importers, exporters and service providers such as ports,
brokers and freight companies.
How to apply
To become a Trusted Trader, your business must:
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visit www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader and obtain a login
complete an expression of interest (EOI)
complete the self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ)
be verified through an on-site validation
enter into an ATT agreement.
Depending on the size and complexity of your business, submitting your EOI and SAQ may
take between 20 hours and 200 hours. Your business is not required to use a consultant to
complete any part of the application process. The ABF will provide assistance and support
throughout the process. This will include a contact officer to work with you to complete your
SAQ.
Individuals applying on behalf of a business will be required to acknowledge they have been
granted authority to do so by the business. You are encouraged to become familiar with the
Customs (Australian Trusted Trader Programme) Rule 2015 (the Rule). You can access the
Rule via www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader
Expression of interest (EOI)
The login registration and EOI should take around 15 minutes to complete in the online
portal. It establishes the name of your business, ABN, contact details and a brief description
of your business’ international trade activities. The EOI will help you to determine if ATT is
right for your business.
Once you have submitted an EOI, your business will be placed in a queue and an ABF
officer will contact you to discuss the next steps.
International AEO and trade facilitation
Self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ)
Based on your application, your business will be allocated an ABF contact officer to assist
with completing a SAQ. You might need to consult across your business, and review
commercial records and documentation in order to complete the SAQ.
Specifically, the SAQ asks for information relating to:
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structure, operations, and personnel
organisational governance
trade compliance
financial standing
commercial record-keeping
communications and ICT environment
international supply chain security.
This information enables us to assess your business against the qualification criteria set out
in the Customs (Australian Trusted Trader Programme) Rule 2015 (the Rule).
On-site validation
In assessing if your business meets the ATT requirements, an ABF officer will visit your
business premises to conduct an on-site validation. The purpose is to verify the information
provided in your SAQ. The visit enables us to verify your business’ trade compliance and
supply chain security measures, and provides the opportunity to identify any residual risk.
This process should take one day per business premise that is visited.
The visit will include verification of the following controls:
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ICT related
physical security
personnel security
third party suppliers.
An ABF officer will guide you through the on-site validation process. At a minimum, your
business should ensure all key personnel whose work relates to your international supply
chain activities are available to meet with the ABF officer in person. This will minimise
potential delays to your assessment.
ATT agreement
Once your business has been validated, your business might be offered the opportunity to
enter into an ATT agreement and become a Trusted Trader. The agreement is a legally
binding contract between your business and the Department of Immigration and Border
Protection.
The ATT agreement outlines:
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trade facilitation benefits your business will be entitled to upon entering into the
agreement
ongoing obligations your business will need to meet in order to access these benefits
other clauses related to the administration of the ATT agreement and participation in
the programme more generally.
Once accredited, you will be assigned a dedicated Account Manager, who will be the single
point of contact between your business and the ABF.
More information
For more information visit www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader. Samples of the EOI, SAQ and
ATT agreement are available online.
www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader
Follow #AusTrustedTrader to join the conversation
Australian Trusted Trader benefits
What is Australian Trusted Trader?
The Australian Border Force (ABF) has implemented a voluntary trade facilitation initiative:
the Australian Trusted Trader (ATT) programme. The programme recognises businesses
with a secure supply chain and compliant trade practices, rewarding accredited businesses
with a range of trade facilitation benefits.
Current benefits
ATT provides a suite of trade facilitation benefits for your business:
Account
Manager
Priority trade
services
Differentiated Duty deferral
(from
examinations
(from
financial
financial year
year
2017/18)
2016/17)
Streamlined
reporting
(from
financial year
2017/18)
Mutual
Recognition
Arrangements
(on signing)
Trusted
Traders will
have a
dedicated
Account
Manager
who is the
point of
contact
between
your
business
and the ABF.
Trusted
Traders will
receive
access to
advanced
ruling
requests that
provide
precise and
binding
information
on the
application of
tariffs,
valuation
and origin to
certain
goods.
Trusted
Traders will
be
recognised
as low risk,
and will be
subject to a
lighter touch
at the border.
Alternative
reporting
arrangements
will be
available to
Trusted
Traders,
reducing the
administrative
burden
involved in
importing and
exporting
goods.
Trusted
Traders will
have access
to trade
facilitation
benefits in
countries
where
Australia has
signed a
Mutual
Recognition
Arrangement.
Payments
and liability
on imported
goods will be
deferred for
a set period.
In effect, this
means your
business can
access
imported
goods
without
immediate
payment.
International AEO and trade facilitation
Future benefits
As a Trusted Trader you will have the opportunity to work with us to influence the design and
implementation of future benefits, including:
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enhanced cross-agency collaboration with other border agencies
labour mobility and trade in services
secure trade lanes that will allow partner customs administrations to share electronic
information on cargo, reducing reporting requirements for traders.
More information
For more information visit www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader
www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader
Follow #AusTrustedTrader to join the conversation
Account Managers
What is Australian Trusted Trader?
The Australian Border Force (ABF) has implemented a voluntary trade facilitation initiative:
the Australian Trusted Trader (ATT) programme. The programme recognises businesses
with a secure supply chain and compliant trade practices, rewarding accredited businesses
with a range of trade facilitation benefits.
Dedicated Account Managers for Trusted Traders
A key benefit under ATT is your dedicated Account Manager who will work with you to
complete your self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ). The Account Manager is the single
point of contact between your business and the ABF.
Your Account Manager will work to understand your industry and business. You will be
provided with direct contact details and you are encouraged to reach out to your Account
Manager should you require assistance.
They will help you to resolve any issues that impact your supply chain or trade, including:
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ATT accreditation process
supply chain management
trade compliance queries
immigration and visa queries
connecting you to the right people across other border agencies.
Your Account Manager will work in partnership with your business to help you understand
new and potential ATT benefits as they become available. You will be able to explore and
suggest new benefits with your Account Manager, and they will be available to help resolve
your business’ trade facilitation issues.
More information
For more information visit www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader
www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader
Follow #AusTrustedTrader to join the conversation
Priority trade services
What is Australian Trusted Trader?
The Australian Border Force (ABF) has implemented a voluntary trade facilitation initiative:
the Australian Trusted Trader (ATT) programme. The programme recognises businesses
with a secure supply chain and compliant trade practices. Trusted Traders are rewarded with
a range of trade facilitation benefits, including priority trade services.
Priority trade services
Priority trade services for Trusted Traders include:
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Advance rulings – these will provide precise and binding advice in relation to the
application of tariffs, valuation and origin to certain goods. This will help to minimise
delays to the clearance of goods at the border, and will provide Trusted Traders with
greater certainty as to customs-related import costs.
Advance ruling reviews – Trusted Traders will have access to priority tariff advice
reviews, pending the correct submission of associated documentary and identifying
material.
Duty drawback – Trusted Traders will have access to priority processing of customs
import duty drawback claims in circumstances where imported goods are exported
unused since importation, or are treated, processed, or incorporated into other goods
for export.
Refund of customs import duty – Trusted Traders will have access to priority
processing of refund applications that have been identified by us for manual
verification, subject to the submission of sufficient supporting evidence to
substantiate the refund application.
Remission of customs import duty – Trusted Traders will have access to priority
processing of customs import duty remission applications.
What does this mean in practice?
Advance rulings and duty drawbacks
In order for a request to qualify for priority service, all relevant administrative and regulatory
requirements must be met.
International AEO and trade facilitation
In relation to advance rulings, this includes the requirement for requests to be in advance of
import/export. Requests that do not comply with these requirements will not be eligible for
priority service and will be managed in accordance with existing procedures.
Advance ruling and duty drawback requests should be submitted through your Account
Manager.
Remissions
Where goods imported by Trusted Traders have deteriorated, been damaged, destroyed,
lost or stolen while under customs control, Trusted Traders might be eligible for a remission
of duty. Under such circumstances, Trusted Traders will also be allowed to conduct
unsupervised destruction of goods.
More information
For more information visit www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader
www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader
Follow #AusTrustedTrader to join the conversation
Differentiated examinations
What is Australian Trusted Trader?
The Australian Border Force (ABF) has implemented a voluntary trade facilitation initiative:
the Australian Trusted Trader (ATT) programme. The programme recognises businesses
with a secure supply chain and compliant trade practices. Trusted Traders are rewarded
with a range of trade facilitation benefits, including differentiated examinations.
What is differentiated examination?
Once accredited as a Trusted Trader, your business will be formally recognised as ‘low risk’
by the ABF. As a result, your business may be subject to fewer interventions at the border.
This is intended to minimise delays to the clearance of your business’ goods at the border,
and enable ABF officers to focus examinations on high risk cargo.
What does this mean in practice?
Goods
Trusted Traders will be entitled to priority treatment in circumstances where Trusted
Trader cargo needs to be examined—meaning goods will be examined ahead of cargo
belonging to non-Trusted Traders.
Documentation
Documentary examinations of Trusted Traders will be waived on a case-by-case basis.
Trusted Traders will be subject to priority processing of documentary examinations in
circumstances where such examinations are unable to be waived.
More information
For more information visit www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader
www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader
Follow #AusTrustedTrader to join the conversation
Mutual Recognition Arrangements
What is Australian Trusted Trader?
The Australian Border Force (ABF) has implemented a voluntary trade facilitation initiative:
the Australian Trusted Trader (ATT) programme. The programme recognises businesses
with a secure supply chain and compliant trade practices. Trusted Traders are rewarded with
a range of trade facilitation benefits, including Mutual Recognition Arrangements.
What are Mutual Recognition Arrangements?
Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRA) are customs to customs agreements made
between the Australian Government and our key trading partner customs’ agency. The MRA
will provide Trusted Traders with increased reliability and predictability in border processing,
thereby increasing market access to the destination country.
An established MRA will enable Trusted Traders to have more control over timeframes for
moving goods across their international supply chain, and speed to market.
Trusted Traders will access benefits of the reciprocal trading partner, including increased
access to international markets. This will also reduce the customs regulatory burden for
Australian exporters entering foreign markets, reducing costs and increasing revenue for
Australian businesses.
Mutual Recognition Arrangements in place
The Department of Immigration and Border Protection continues to engage with prospective
MRA partners to provide improved access to markets for Australian exporters.
All MRAs will be available on www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader as they are signed.
Trusted Traders will be provided information on the process for receiving applicable benefits
once the MRA is signed.
More information
For more information visit www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader
www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader
Follow #AusTrustedTrader to join the conversation
Australian Trusted Trader and Known Consignor
Australia’s supply chain security initiatives
In response to increasing trade volume and complexity, the Australian Government is
changing the way it manages the supply chain security of Australian trade. Two key
initiatives have been developed in support of this:
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The Australian Trusted Trader (ATT) programme, managed by the Department of
Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP).
The Known Consignor scheme (Known Consignor), managed by the Office of
Transport Security (OTS) at the Department of Infrastructure and Regional
Development.
The Australian Government is progressing reforms to support efficient and effective border
management that will integrate requirements for ATT and Known Consignor, where possible,
in a way that provides a seamless experience for industry.
What is Australian Trusted Trader?
ATT is a voluntary trade facilitation initiative. The programme recognises businesses with a
secure supply chain and compliant trade practices, rewarding accredited businesses with a
range of trade facilitation benefits. ATT was fully implemented on 1 July 2016.
What is Known Consignor?
The Known Consignor scheme is a new, internationally recognised initiative that will offer
Australian exporters an alternative way to meet new United States (US) legislative air cargo
requirements. From 1 July 2017, all US-bound export air cargo will need to be piece-level
examined (by an approved business), or originate from a Known Consignor. From late 2016,
exporters will be able to apply with OTS to become Known Consignors.
The scheme will recognise businesses that use international best-practice security controls
and effective measures to prevent unlawful acts against aviation. A Known Consignor will be
responsible for securing air cargo that originates from their business until the air cargo is
provided to another regulated business. Businesses that do not export by air to the US will
not need to become Known Consignors, or have their export air cargo examined at piecelevel, to continue trading.
International AEO and trade facilitation
Key differences between ATT and Known Consignor
Australian Trusted Trader
Any Australian importer, exporter
or service provider that has been
engaged in international trade for
at least 2 years.
Known Consignor
Australian businesses that export
cargo by air.
Applicability
Imports and exports, by sea and
air.
Exports by air to the US.
Participation
Voluntary. You may still trade
without becoming a Trusted
Trader.
Any business seeking to export air
cargo to the US must either become
accredited as a Known Consignor or
engage a regulated business to
conduct piece-level examination of
cargo on its behalf.
Purpose
Trade facilitation, increased supply
chain security and trade
compliance.
Supply chain security, to meet the
requirements of the US Government.
Benefits
2016/17: Dedicated Account
Manager, priority trade services,
differentiated examination, and
benefits arising from Mutual
Recognition Arrangements.
Negates requirement to engage a
regulated business to examine air
cargo exports to the US.
Eligibility
2017/18: Duty deferral and
streamlined reporting.
Future alignment
DIBP and OTS are currently exploring opportunities to align aspects of ATT and Known
Consignor, with a view to alleviating the administrative and regulatory burden placed on
businesses seeking to be accredited under both supply chain security initiatives.
More information
For more information on ATT visit www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader. For more information on
Known Consignor visit https://infrastructure.gov.au/security/air-cargo/factsheet-knownconsignor-scheme.aspx or register your interest and receive updates by providing your
details at https://infrastructure.gov.au/security/air-cargo/registration-known-consignor.aspx
www.border.gov.au/trustedtrader
Follow #AusTrustedTrader to join the conversation