Some customs authorities or importers require additional certification for wine imports. Refer to the Export Market Guides for country specific information. Wine Australia is authorised to issue VI-1 documents for exports to the EU and UK and Certificates of Origin for most markets. Wine Australia can also issue Certificates of Free Sale.

Exporters can apply for most export documents online via WALAS Fees are charged. 

China-Australia Free Trade Agreement

Wine Australia is an authorised body under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) to issue certificates of origin for wine. Wine Australia is an authorised body under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) to issue certificates of origin for wine.

China self-registration and labelling requirements

From 1 January 2022, the People’s Republic of China requires imported food (including wine) to register a ‘production facility’ with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) and include this registration number on Chinese customer declaration documentation and on bottles and outer carton or the bulk/tank vessel in which the product is exported.

For wine and wine products, from 1 January 2022, a ‘production facility’ must be registered with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) in relation to every product before it will be cleared for import into China. It is recommended that either the facility at which packaging/bottling occurred (for packaged/bottled product) or the place from which product was transferred to the bulk tank/vessel in which it is to be exported (for bulk product) be registered. In the case of contract processing, bottling or packaging, exporters should decide which facility best describes the ‘production facility’, hence choosing whether to identify the contract facility, or one of their own sites. It is not incumbent upon a contract bottler or processor to register their facility, but rather, the exporter must decide which site best identifies the ‘production facility’.

Wine and wine products packaged/bottled or loaded into bulk tanks/vessels in preparation for export after 1 January 2022 will be required to bear the registration number issued by GACC. Bottled/packaged product will be required to include the registration number on both the individual bottles and the outer carton, and bulk/tanks vessel in which product is exported must also bear the registration number. 

The registration number must appear on Chinese customs declaration documentation relating to wine and wine product that leaves Australia after 1 January 2022, regardless of when the product was bottled or loaded in bulk tanks/vessels.

Wine production and storage facilities handling wine exported to China are encouraged to self-register through China's Single Window website.

Certificates of Origin

Some Certificates of Origin can be obtained through the Wine Australia Licensing Approval System (WALAS). Providers such as the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Australian Industry Group also issue Certificates of Origin. 

Please refer to the Wine Australia’s summary document for certificate options in WALAS and providers of Free Trade Agreement Certificates of Origin.

VI-1 documents for the EU and the UK

On 1 January 2022, the UK Government abolished the requirement for imported wine products to be accompanied by VI-1 documents. VI-1 documents are still required for imports to EU – including Australian wine exported from Australia to the UK and subsequently re-exported to the EU. Australian wine exported to the EU from the UK must be accompanied by a VI-1 certificate from the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), which can be provided by DEFRA either after a certificate on analysis is provided to DEFRA, or after a VI-1 “equivalence” certificate issued by Wine Australia is provided to DEFRA. Wine Australia's Licensing and Approval System (WALAS) is configured to allow exporters to apply for VI-1 equivalent certificates after a ship has sailed that can subsequently be provided to DEFRA, allowing them to generate the certification for the EU (including Northern Ireland). The other option that is available to exporters is to continue to request that WALAS generates VI-1 certificates for every shipment/product traveling to the UK just in case the relevant product is trans-shipped to the EU.

Exporters must obtain a VI-1 analysis report for each product destined for the EU or UK. The analysis can be obtained from any NATA-accredited laboratory.

VI-1 documents are not required for consignments less than 100 litres or for exports to consular establishments or when held in stores on board ships and airplanes operating in international transport. Wine intended for display at trade fairs is also exempt from requiring a VI-1 document.

Wine Australia issues security encrypted VI-1 documents (in PDF) in WALAS after the date of departure indicated on the shipping application. It is open to the exporter or their agent or importer to print or download the VI-1 document and provide it to the relevant EU or UK authority. Exporters may still nominate for Wine Australia to print the VI-1 document issued in WALAS or choose to print the document themselves.

The analytes required for the VI-1 document differ for packaged and bulk wine and include the following parameters:

Exemptions to the requirement to have a VI-1 document for exports to the EU

You do not need a VI-1 document for wines exported from Australia to the EU that is:

• labelled containers of not more than five litres fitted with a non-reusable closing device where the total quantity transported, whether or not made up of separate consignments, does not exceed 100 litres
• in quantities not exceeding 30 litres per traveller contained in the personal luggage of travellers
• in quantities of not exceeding 30 litres, sent in consignments from one private individual to another
• forms part of the belongings of private individuals who are moving house
• for trade fairs - provided that the products in question are put up in labelled containers of not more than two litres fitted with a non-reusable closing device
• imported for the purpose of scientific or technical experiments, subject to a maximum of 100 litres
• or bound for diplomatic, consular or similar establishments and imported as part of their duty-free allowance
• held on board international means of transport as victualling supplies

Organic goods certificate

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment administers the export organic program for the organic and biodynamic sector in Australia.

Australia’s agricultural export legislation comprises the Export Control Act 2020 and the Export Control (Organic Goods) Rules 2021. Under the Organic Rules, the export from Australia of goods described as ‘organic’, ‘biodynamic’ (or indication of similar meaning, including ‘biological’, ‘ecological’ and ‘in-conversion to organic or biodynamic’) in a wine’s description and presentation is considered an organic claim. Wines with organic claims require an Organic Goods Certificate (OGC) issued by an approved certifying body prior to export. It is an offence to export a product labelled as organic or biodynamic in the absence of an OGC and significant penalties apply.

Exporters of organic wine must upload an OGC to WALAS prior to gaining shipping approval.

Most markets including China, Japan, South Korea, the USA, Canada, the EU and UK have specific requirements for organic products that must be met to ensure market access.

Wine Australia has published an Organic Wine Export Requirements Guide.