Exceptions (ships stores)

Export certification is not issued for ships stores as the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021 do not apply. Ships stores are milk and milk products on ships or aircraft for the use of passengers and crew or for the service of the ships or aircraft on a voyage from Australia.

There are no known products that are prohibited for export to this market.

Registration of new products

To register a new product for import into the Philippines, a Department officer may provide a certificate of status of manufacturer on a letterhead stating:

'This is to certify that (occupier name/s, address/es and registered number/s of establishment/s) is/are licensed by the Department to manufacture and export:

(name product/s)

1. i)   The above manufacturing plant/s is/are subject to and follow/s requirements of relevant Australian legislation
2. ii)   The above manufacturing plant/s manufacture/s under sanitary conditions in accordance with Australian legislation
3. iii)  The above product/s is/are fit for human consumption, is/are freely sold in Australia and can be exported from Australia.'

Electronic certification (eCert)

The Philippines requires electronic certification (eCert) for dairy products sourced and exported from Australia. Export clearance information (including endorsements), is sent from NEXDOC to Philippine import clearance authorities at the same time the extract prints. An extract of the data sent via eCert will be issued to the exporter in lieu of the paper health certificate. The extract carries only commercial information required to identify the product.

Milk and milk products of bovine origin are defined as prescribed goods under the Export Control Act. Production of these products for export is regulated under the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021.

Milk and milk products manufactured from non-bovine species, for example buffalo, goat and sheep, may also need to be regulated through the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021, though this is only required when export registration and health certification from the department is required by Philippines.

We are not aware that the Philippines has any known additional requirements for the production and export of non-bovine milk and milk products

Raw milk

The Philippines has no known additional requirements for processing of raw milk that differ from those required in the Food Standards Code (Standard 4.2.4) and the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021.

Unless technical products and pharmaceutical material are prepared at an establishment that produces milk and milk products for export as food, these products are non prescribed goods. They are not regulated by the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021.

Unless animal food is prepared at an establishment that produces milk and milk products for export as food, these products are non prescribed goods.

In accordance with the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021, animal food must be clearly identified as animal food and not for human consumption. It must also be segregated from and not contaminate milk and milk products that are for human consumption.

The Philippines has no known additional requirements for Manufacturing Grade milk and milk products that differ from the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021.

Manufacturing Grade products are defined in the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021.

The Philippines has no known additional requirements for microbial sampling of milk and milk products that differ from those required in the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021.​

The Philippines residue standards

Maximum residue limits (MRLs) or import tolerances for residues of specific agricultural and veterinary chemicals approved for use in Australia may not exist in the Philippines or may be established at levels lower than those established in Australia. Maximum Limits (MLs) for contaminants may also vary between the Philippines and Australia.

Food business operators should note that:

• These differences can be interrogated case-by-case by considering the ​Philippines standards and the Australian standards.
• Any detection of a residue above the Philippines ​MRLs/MLs (as applicable) at the border may result in rejection of the consignment.

Note

Importing country residue standards can usually be found via the official webpages of their competent authority. Links to a limited number of export markets and Australia are provided on the DAFF website.​

The Philippines has no known additional requirements for general operations that differ from those required in the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021.

The Philippines has no known additional hygiene requirements that differ from those required in the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021.

Milk and milk products that are prescribed under Australia's export rule

1. are milk or milk products derived from a bovine animal; and
2. are intended to be exported as food.

Milk and milk products that are not prescribed under Australia's export rules

Milk and milk products which do not meet the criteria under the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021 are classified by Australia as non-prescribed goods. It is the responsibility of the exporter to confirm with the Philippines if there are any specific requirements for the import of these products. Typically, non-prescribed goods include, ice-cream, non-bovine milk products, colostrum and products with a minor component of dairy.

Further information on exporting non-prescribed goods from Australia is available on the Department's website.

In some cases, an importing country requires specific health certification and government oversight for what would typically be non-prescribed milk and milk products. When required, these products become prescribed under export legislation and must meet all export and importing country requirements. This includes the products being manufactured and stored at an export registered establishment and must have a valid export permit and health certificate for each consignment. Guidance on export registration can be found at Dairy export registered establishments.

5.1.1 Health certification for milk and milk products

For milk and milk products produced for human consumption (including milk and milk products classified as a prescribed good by an importing Country), use PHEXDC Health Certificate (electronic).

PHEXDC Dairy Health Certificate

The PHEXDC Certificate (electronic) contains the following attestations:

I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed good described above, being goods that are:

1. In sound condition
2. Fit for human consumption
3. Of Australian origin

For milk and milk products, the PHEXD Health Certificate (electronic) can be used with optional endorsements; 300, 5336, 5335 or 2943.

Optional endorsement 300 – DAIRY – GENERAL radioactivity statement - 50Bq/kg

The goods described in this certificate have not been contaminated by radioactive elements from nuclear fallout. Analysis of representative samples of similar products has shown that the radioactivity level does not exceed 50 Bq/kg.

Optional endorsement 5336 – DAIRY – PHILIPPINES –​ Radioactivity and diseases statement

The goods described in this certificate have not been contaminated by radioactive elements from nuclear fallout. Analysis of representative samples of similar products has shown that the radioactivity level does not exceed 50 Bq/kg. Animals from which these products were taken were clinically free from foot and mouth disease, peste des petits ruminants and vesicular stomatitis. I hereby certify that these products have been subjected to pasteurisation or a combination of control measures with equivalent performance as described in the Codex Alimentarius Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products.

Optional endorsement 5335 – DAIRY – PHILIPPINES – Animal health statement, foot and mouth disease, Codex​

Animals from which these products were taken were clinically free from foot and mouth disease, peste des petits ruminants and vesicular stomatitis. I hereby certify that these products have been subjected to pasteurisation or a combination of control measures with equivalent performance as described in the Codex Alimentarius Code of Hygienic Practice for Milk and Milk Products.

Optional endorsement 2943 – Philippine disease statement

I hereby certify that:

1. The above products originate from animals showing no clinical signs of anthrax at the time of milking, and
2. The above products were processed using a heat treatment at least equivalent to pasteurisation.

Exporter declaration

Whenever export documentation is obtained, the exporter must provide a declaration stating that all the information provided in the permit is true and complete. They must also state that they are in possession of a declaration of compliance that:

1. applies to the milk and milk products
2. complies with the requirements of the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021.
   

Transit certification requirements

Milk and milk products transiting the European Union or the United States may require transit documentation. These certificates are available as additional certificates through the EXDOC system. If the product is transiting the United States, standard certification is required and the exporter should contact the Department for advice on how this certification may be issued. If the product is transiting a European Union member state, see the particular European Union member state regarding the certificate template to select.

For Manufacturing Grade milk and milk products, use the PHEXMG Certificate as to Condition (electronic) for Manufacturing Grade products.

The PHEXMG Certificate as to Condition (electronic) contains the following attestations:

I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed good described above, being goods that are:

1. In sound condition
2. Of Australian origin
   

The PHEXDC Certificate as to Condition (electronic) may be issued for technical products and pharmaceutical material.

The PHEXDC Certificate (electronic) contains the following attestations:

I certify to the best of my knowledge that the information on this form is true and correct in every particular details and that the product described above is of Australian origin and is acceptable for sale in Australia.

The PHEXSF Certificate as to Condition (electronic) for Stockfood can be issued for stockfood made from milk and milk products.

The PHEXSF Certificate (electronic) contains the following attestations:

I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed good described above, being goods that are:

1. In sound condition
   
2. Of Australian origin.
   

It is the responsibility of exporters to determine through their importers if export certification is required for consignments and trade samples that are less than 10 kilograms or 10 litres, as an export permit is not required.

The ZX01 Certificate as to Dioxin Status of Australian Dairy Products is available on request.

European Union (EU) transit certificates are available for consignments transiting the EU. Refer to the EU documentation requirements for edible products for the reference numbers and attestations in these certificates.

The Bureau of Animal Industry does not issue import permits for processed food products of animal origin intended for human consumption, such as:

processed food which may contain products derived from animals and other substances that are intentionally incorporated into the food during the manufacture or preparation of the food product such as milk and milk by-products (ice creams, chocolates, chocolate drinks, pasteurized milk, marshmallows, cheese, cheddars, butter, cereals, cakes, tarts, pastries, candies, sauce with milk, soya milk, cocoa spread, coffee with milk, mayonnaise, whipping creams, egg powder, royal jelly, pasteurized eggs, noodles).

These products are under the supervision of Philippine Food and Drug Administration (PFDA).

The Department will issue export certification for products where an import permit is not provided. Exporters can raise a Request for Export (REX) by entering 'not applicable' into the import permit number field.

Exporters should confirm with their importers that they have obtained a Veterinary Quarantine Clearance (VQC). If the VQC has not been obtained in accordance with Filipino requirements, then consignments may be detained.

The Philippines has no known specific requirements for packaging in addition to those provided in the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021.

The Philippines has no known specific requirements for labelling in addition to those provided in the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021.

The Philippines has no known specific requirements for shelf life restrictions other than those provided in the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021.

The Philippines has no known specific requirements for shipping marks (port marks).