UPDATED July 6, 2021

A number of countries are relaxing certain import requirements in light of COVID-19 trade complications. Below is a summary of details on the reported relaxation of import requirements during the pandemic. USDEC will continue to monitor and update this list as information is received. Please contact Sandra Benson at sbenson@usdec.org

Australia

• Until June 30, 2022, Australia’s government will allow importers to provide electronic copies of health certificates at the time of import. The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment may reach out to the competent authority of the exporting country to verify the certificate’s authenticity.
• Exporters may provide an electronic copy of the Manufacturer’s Declaration (MD) to the APHIS Service Center at the time the request for endorsement is made and this MD may contain an electronic signature; however, APHIS requests that exporters try to provide the hard copy of the original document with the wet signature prior to any additional endorsement requests.

Chile

• According to the guidelines, SAG’s Livestock Protection Division will accept electronic copies of the animal health certificates (instead of the original documents) presented by the importer, custom agent, or designee, to conduct the import/verification process and physical inspection of the products. The importer or designee must send an electronic letter of commitment to SAG’s Livestock Protection Division explicitly stating that the original certificates required by the current regulations, will be delivered within a period not exceeding 60 calendar days to the corresponding SAG office.

Colombia

• Colombian port inspection agencies, such as INVIMA and ICA, will accept certificates and other required documents electronically in place of a signed hard copy in order to better facilitate trade until August 31, 2021.

Costa Rica

• Costa Rica will accept a scanned copy of an original paper certificate from AMS Dairy Grading as a temporary measure during the currently ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. AMS asks that exporters only request an emailed certificate in exceptional circumstances.

Egypt

• Egypt has reinstated its legalization requirements but is allowing importers to present copies of documents with a pledge that the original legalized documents will be presented as soon as possible.

European Union

• Border Control Posts (BCPs) will accept scanned certificates from AMS, with original presented as soon as possible. AMS asks that exporters only request an emailed certificate in exceptional circumstances.

Indonesia

• Checks with Customs officers at different ports reveals that the relaxation of the document submission varies with the ports as well as with which officer is handling the import shipment. Relaxation of submission of documents at Customs is happening in Indonesia, but it really depends on the importer to establish that final agreement with the officer in charge at the particular customs. Some importers report that the Customs office will temporarily allow the use of original e-copy (scanned) to release the imported products at the port but this is only applicable when there is a delay with the delivery of original documents such as Certificate of Health and Halal Certificate. The hard copy of the original document will still be required to be delivered and shown to the officers upon receipt.

Korea

• For the benefits of the free trade agreement, even though companies must submit the original certificate of origin (COO), they will be allowed to submit a copy for the duration of the crisis.

Kuwait

• Kuwait has temporarily suspended its legalization requirements.
• Kuwait has also extended the grace period for the implementation of its new Arabic nutritional labeling requirement until further notice.
• Kuwait had postponed, due to COVID-19, the adoption of the following technical regulations: KWS GSO 9, KWS GSO 2233, KWS GSO 2483, KWS GSO 1980, KWS GSO 833, KWS GSO 2098, KWS GSO 336, GSO 2332, and GSO 1995. The first two focus on labeling and nutritional labeling, the rest are specific on trans-fat, halloumi cheese, mozzarella, cottage, cheddar, cream-like products, and evaporated skim milk mixed with vegetable fats. The latest circulars received from the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition (PAFN) had a deadline of complying set for January 2, 2022.

Oman

• Oman has temporarily suspended its legalization requirements.
• Oman is also permitting the importation of food products with only an English label until further notice.

Philippines

• The Bureau of Customs has stated that in consideration of the COVID-19 predicament where original document arrival is delayed, the importers are advised to submit to the system the "copy" version and for the submission of the original documents to follow.
• The Bureau of Animal Industry will allow a copy of the APHIS certificate to be presented and will verify the authenticity of this certificate with the competent authority of the exporting country.

Qatar

• Legalization in the Qatari embassy in the country of origin is mandatory in case the food products are shipped by sea cargo and it is not mandatory in case the food products are shipped by air cargo. However, since the start of the pandemic, the Ministry of Public Health has been more flexible regarding the legalization for the sea cargo due to closure of the embassies in many countries. Nevertheless, if the Qatari embassy is open and working normally, the legalization of the documents must be performed.

Taiwan

• Taiwan’s TFDA allows importers to apply a scanned AMS sanitary certificate for import clearance through December 31, 2021. The acceptance of scanned copy is an alternative/temporary measure to facilitate trade due to the pandemic situation, but the hard copy is still required to be presented as soon as possible.

Thailand

• The Thai FDA may accept electronic instead of the usual original signature required on a document. Also, the FDA may allows Customs clearance agents and importers to submit documents signed off by a manufacturer instead having to be endorsed by an exporting country’s government entity. Check with the importer prior to shipment to confirm on which documents the electronic signature and manufacturer’s signature may be allowed.
• The legalization requirement for the free sale certificate used for feed registration is waived, though exporters should confirm with importers prior to submission.

Turkey

• On April 30, 2020 the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MinAF) informed trading partners that electronic copies of certificates via email will temporarily be accepted for all animal products shipments if the original certificate cannot accompany the shipment (as required by Turkish law) in order to facilitate trade during the pandemic.

United Arab Emirates

• Cancellation of the DH50,000 (around $13,613) bank guarantee or cash required to exercise customs clearance activity.
• Dubai Municipality allowed food items to enter all Dubai ports without the mandatory Arabic labeling requirement and without having to date stamp production dates on mandatory items. Please be advised that this is valid for goods entering the UAE via Dubai ports only and for goods to be sold within the Emirate of Dubai. They have not provided an end-date to this.