Reminder Customs - Plant Samples entering Australia
Message du Président, LILA:La destruction récente par les douanes australiennes de plantes rares françaises (http://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/asie/australie-des-plantes-rares-francaises-detruites-par-des-douaniers_2181603.html) nous rappelle que les affiliés doivent vérifier les lois des pays avec lesquelles ils font affaire avant d'y envoyer des colis.
The recent destruction by Australian authorities of plant samples entering Australia (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/08/australian-biosecurity-officials-destroy-plant-samples-from-19th-century-france) leads us to remind all affiliates of the need to check the laws pertaining to any shipment before sending to another country. Albums of pressed flowers or seaweed, bindings with ivory decoration, books in wooden boxes,.... are you sure they are legal to send? And then there are import duties... Don't risk losing your shipment or having an item held by customs for weeks because you or your customer was not aware of the taxes that were required to be paid on entry. These are just a few examples of things that can go wrong, there are others. Remember ignorance of the law is not regarded as an excuse.
ILAB President
How to find the information? The affiliates section of the ILAB site is a very good place to begin - see 2012 Compendium of Import/Export Rules (ILAB website under ILAB Documents / Art Laws and Regulations). For non-ILAB countries the country's own customs website or the post office site of your own country are also a good places to refer to.
Gonzalo F. PontesILAB President