Other

Country
European Union (EU)
Group
Timber
End use
Processing
NPPO Details
European Commission, Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Relevant Web Addresses
https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant_en
Criteria Criteria Required?
Import Permit No
Phytosanitary Certificate Yes
Additional Declaration/Endorsement Refer below
Protocol Market No
Consignments are to be free from pests, soil, weed seeds and extraneous material.


It is the exporter’s responsibility to ensure that the phytosanitary certificate is issued within 14 days of the consignment being exported from Australia.

Refer to the departure date and inspection date in the Request for Permit.


Where applicable, the exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the endorsement and present it to the Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.


Consignments must be free of quarantine pests, including:

  • European spruce beetle (Dendroctonus micans)
  • Sharp dentated bark beetle (Ips acuminatus)
  • Bark beetle (Ips cembrae)
  • Bark beetle Ips duplicatus)
  • Bark beetle (Ips sexdentatus)
  • Chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica)

Phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration is required for coniferous and chestnut (Castanea spp) timber or wood only.

Phytosanitary certificate with no additional declaration is to be issued for all other timber or wood.

Timber or wood of conifers must be de-barked, kiln dried or heat treated.

 

Explanation of the endorsements

Endorsement 775:
  • This endorsement is to be certified for Conifer timber/wood that is de-barked. Note that timber/wood of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) or from the genus Pinus must use endorsement 6639.
  • Visual inspection is sufficient to endorse freedom from bark and holes caused by the Sawyer beetle (Monochamus spp).
Endorsement 3133:
  • This endorsement is to be certified for Castanea timber/wood.
  • An area freedom certificate is required to endorse freedom from Chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica).
Endorsement 6639:
  • This endorsement is to be certified for Conifer timber/wood of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) or from the genus Pinus.
  • Visual inspection is sufficient to endorse freedom from bark and holes caused by the Sawyer beetle (Monochamus spp).
  • Pitch canker (Fusarium circinatum) is not known to occur in Australia. No evidence is required to endorse freedom from this pest.
Endorsement 6644:
  • This endorsement is to be certified for Conifer timber/wood of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) or from the genus Pinus.
  • The exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the treatment and present it to the Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.
     Details of the treatment to be endorsed on both the treatment section of the phytosanitary certificate and in the additional declaration.
  • Pitch canker (Fusarium circinatum) is not known to occur in Australia. No evidence is required to endorse freedom from this pest.
No endorsement:
  • Applies if the timber/wood has bark and treated and is not Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) or from the genus Pinus.
It is the exporter’s responsibility to ensure that the phytosanitary certificate is issued within 14 days of the consignment being exported from Australia.

Refer to the departure date and inspection date in the Request for Permit.


The Export Control Act 2020 and the Export Control (Wood and Woodchips) Rules 2021, require an export licence issued by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for any exports of two tonnes or more of:

  • woodchips;
  • wood in the round (i.e. logs);
  • wood with a cross-sectional area of at least 225 square centimetres

These are considered 'prescribed goods' under the Export Control (Wood and Woodchips) Rules 2021. 

A licence is not required for the above listed wood and woodchips if:
  • the wood or woodchips are sourced from an area covered by a Regional Forest Agreement (RFA). Details regarding the areas covered by RFAs can be found here: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/forestry/policies/rfa.
  • the wood or woodchips are derived from trees harvested outside Australian territory, including those transiting through Australia.
  • the wood or woodchips are sourced from a plantation in a State with an approved code of practice for the establishment, management and harvesting of all plantations in that State.

If an export licence is required, it is the responsibility of exporters to obtain a licence to export prescribed wood or woodchips prior to export.

Exporters can find information on how to obtain an export licence for prescribed wood or woodchips on the departments website - Exports of unprocessed wood and woodchips (wood export licensing) - DAFF.

Any enquires on what is classed as prescribed wood or woodchips should be directed to: wood.export@aff.gov.au, or call (02) 6272 4353.

The only responsibility authorised officers have in relation to the export licences for unprocessed wood is to inform unprocessed wood exporters of the possible requirement to hold a licence to export unprocessed wood.

Treatment is not necessary if the wood is bark-free and free from grub holes caused by Monochamus spp beetles, which are defined as holes which are larger than 3mm across. If this condition can be met, use endorsement 775 in lieu of treatment. If endorsement 775 cannot be used, the following treatment options are available:
  • Kiln dried to below 20% moisture content, expressed as a percentage of dry matter, at time of manufacture, achieved through an appropriate time / temperature schedule.
  • The timber / wood or its packaging must be marked "kiln dried" or "KD".
OR
  • Heat treated to a minimum temperature of 56 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes throughout the entire profile of the wood.
  • The timber / wood or its packaging must be marked with "HT".
The exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the treatment and present it to the Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.


Details of treatment to be endorsed on the phytosanitary certificate in the treatment section.
Option 1 (EXDOC Endorsement 775)
1) The consignment is bark-free and free from grub holes which are larger than 3mm across and which are caused by the Sawyer beetle (Monochamus spp).

Option 2 (EXDOC Endorsement 3133)
1) Chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) is not known to occur in the area of production

Option 3 (EXDOC Endorsement 6639)
1) Consignment complies with Annex VII, 80 option (a) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. This declares that the consignment is bark-free and free from grub holes, caused by the genus Monochamus spp. (non-European populations), defined for this purpose as those which are larger than 3 mm across,
2) Consignment complies with Article 10, point 2, option (a) of the Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/2032. This declares that the consignment originates in a country free from Fusarium circinatum, established by the National Plant Protection Organisation in accordance with the relevant International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures.

Option 4 (EXDOC Endorsement 6644)
1) Consignment complies with Annex VII, 80 option (b) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. This declares that the consignment has undergone kiln-drying to below 20% moisture content, expressed as a percentage of dry matter, achieved through an appropriate time/temperature schedule, indicated by a mark 'kiln-dried' or K.D' or another internationally recognised mark, put on the wood or on any wrapping in accordance with current usage,
2) Consignment complies with Article 10, point 2, option (a) of the Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/2032. This declares that the consignment originates in a country free from Fusarium circinatum, established by the National Plant Protection Organisation in accordance with the relevant International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures.
EU Directive 2000/29, Commission Implementing Decision 2019/2032 sighted 24 February 2021, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 sighted 19 July 2021.
31/01/2025 - Updated general requirements due to legislation changes.
10/11/2021 - Updated general requirements due to legislation changes.
19/07/2021 - Added heat treatment option as per EU requirements.
01/03/2021 - Added fourth endorsement option as per EU requirements.
24/02/2021 - Added third endorsement option as per EU requirements.
Initial Uploaded: 29/07/2014
Reviewed Uploaded: 18/07/2026