As reported in the Export Development Council (EDC) e-newsletter, the inaugural exchange of electronic Phytosanitary (ePhyto) certificates between the Philippines and Indonesia was successful.
The exchange was facilitated through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Single Window (ASW) regional platform during the 67th Meeting of the Working Group on Technical Matters last month at the ASEAN Headquearters in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Philippines began exchanging ePhyto certificates with Indonesia through the Bureau of Customs (BOC) ePhyto Management Portal.
EPhyto serves as the digital counterpart to a phytosanitary certificate, allowing data to be defined and shared in a standardized manner.
The e-Phyto consists of three main components: the Central Hub that facilitates the transfer of ePhytos between National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs), either through their own national electronic systems or by using the generic system; the Generic ePhyto National System (GeNS) is a web-based platform capable of generating and receiving ePhytos, enabling countries without a national electronic system to create, send, and receive ePhytos; the Harmonization is a structured format of mapping, codes and lists.
The ePhyto certificates issued by the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), the country’s designated National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) and other exporting countries’ NPPO can be accessed in the BOC ePhyto Portal. This system benefits businesses by cutting down on expenses related to printing, reproduction, storage, filing, postage, and document retrieval, thus lowering overall operating costs.
In 2022, 72 countries are fully operational among 116 countries that have adopted the system. The ePhyto system allows countries to link their electronic phytosanitary certification systems via a unified online hub. These standardized ePhyto certificates enable swift, accurate, and cost-effective exchanges between multiple countries. It also helps to streamline trade processes, reduces delays, and lowers costs associated with paper-based certification.
The ePhyto system is crucial for improving market access, enhancing the competitiveness of their agricultural products, and facilitating their integration into the global market especially for developing countries . By adopting the ePhyto system, developing countries can modernize their trade infrastructure at minimal cost. It also guarantees the initiative to speed up the cargo clearance which, in turn, will help exporters streamline their processes and provide them with the tools they need to navigate international trade with ease.
