15 June 2026: Notification of changes to Australia’s export certification for edible meat and meat products
Updated 16 June 2026
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/official-veterinary-surgeon-ovs-notes/15-june-2026-notification-of-changes-to-australias-export-certification-for-edible-meat-and-meat-products
OVS note number: 2026/31
Date: 15 June 2026
Purpose
To notify official veterinary surgeons (OVSs) of upcoming changes to Australia’s export certification for edible meat and meat products, including changes to certification format and security features.
Background
The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is transitioning export certification for edible meat and meat products to a new digital system. This system is called next export documentation system (NEXDOC).
OVSs were previously notified of Australia’s transition to NEXDOC for animal by-products (ABPs) in OVS note 2025/72 (21 October 2025). This note provides an update on the extension of that transition to edible meat and meat products.
This transition applies to export certification of edible meat and meat products from Australia to Great Britain.
Main changes:
- export certification for edible meat and meat products issued from 6 July 2026 will be generated through the NEXDOC system (previously planned for 15 June 2026 but delayed)
- there will be a short transition period during which both NEXDOC and the previous Export Documentation System (EXDOC) certificates may be in circulation to account for consignments already in transit (for example sea freight)
- border officials may therefore encounter 2 different Australian export certificate templates during this period
Changes to certification include:
- introduction of a unique Quick Response (QR) code on certificates, to allow verification of consignment details using a smartphone
- certificates will no longer be issued on blue security paper - NEXDOC certificates will instead be issued on plain paper
- minor administrative changes to certificate templates, including formatting, grammar, spelling, and the positioning of information
These changes are intended to improve the security and traceability of Australian export certification.
Actions for OVSs
Note the information above and be aware of the upcoming transition to Australia’s NEXDOC export certification system for edible meat and meat products from 6 July 2026. Both existing (EXDOC) and new (NEXDOC) certificate formats will remain acceptable for goods entering Great Britain during the transition period. Certificates issued using the previous format will remain valid until their normal expiry date.
Contact point for enquiries
Email: GBHealthCertificates@defra.gov.uk
Imports and EU Trade Team