PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, August 28, 2008

MAF Documentation Goes Electronic

Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry (MAF)  has introduced a new and significantly more efficient process for Importers who can now lodge Biosecurity Authority Clearance Certificate (BACC) applications electronically (eBACCa).

The new eBACCa messaging system was developed and hosted by the ECNgroup. It implements online document download, registration and testing with 24X7 technical support, thus reducing  paperwork, increasing transparency and enables users to send and receive eBACCa.

FedEx has become the first importer to go live with this electronic solution.

Prior to the new system, all applications were by fax –over 1.3 million pieces of paper a year. Much of the applications’ data had to be rekeyed by uniformed staff and delays in processing were common.

Rosemarie Dawson, Executive Director of The Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Federation (CBAFF) says “The fax system gave no acknowledgement of receipt of a submission which resulted in applications often being faxed more than once. It was a situation that created opportunities for delays and confusion. The new system foresees greater accuracy and more efficiency for CBAFF members. It’s all about an end-to-end seamless documentation process, capturing the data once.”

MAF Information Systems Manager Tim Pardy agrees: “We’ve made the move from fax to EDI, and are creating closer alignment between border agencies. Standard processing time has been cut by one third. We’re decreasing the pain for industry and our staff. The next step will be the design of a trade single window.”

 “New Zealand’s imports grow at five percent per annum. As a country we are heavily reliant on them. Any improvement in import efficiency is going to impact positively on the supply chain,” adds Pardy.

The new eBACCa system is EDI based and is open to all importers that can submit EDI documents correctly formatted to eBACCa messaging standards.

For more information and technical specification of the system, contact ECN Group on 0800 692 878 or visit  www.ecngroup.co.nz

Ends

About theECNgroup

ECN is a wholly owned subsidiary of NZ Post. It is an IT company specializing in Business Process Management and Messaging in the border security and retail supply chains.

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