Helpful tips for excise equivalent goods
It's important to understand your responsibilities if you import excise equivalent goods (EEGs).
Tips on this page to help you get it right:
Check your product is an EEG
The following imported products are EEGs subject to customs duty at a rate equivalent to excise duty:
Goods imported into Australia are classified under the Customs Tariff and may be subject to customs duty. Customs import entry procedures are based on self-assessment by importers, including self-assessment of the correct classification of goods.
The Department of Home Affairs – Australian Border Force website provides information on:
Make sure you know the customs duty rate that applies
Goods imported into Australia are classified under the Customs Tariff and may be subject to customs duty.
Find out about:
Make sure you have permission before moving your goods
You need permission to move underbond customable goods between licensed warehouses. To move underbond customable goods to a place of export you:
Both are lodged with Home Affairs using the Integrated Cargo System (ICS).
Goods are underbond until you have paid customs duty on them.
Find out about:
Make sure you understand and meet your reporting and payment obligations
You will need to interact with both us and the Department of Home Affairs, including their Australian Border Force division (Home Affairs), to meet your reporting and payment obligations for storing and delivering EEGs.
Find out about:
Check the quantities of deliveries received
When you receive underbond goods, check the quantities are correct. You may be liable to pay an amount equivalent to the customs duty, and GST on any missing goods if you sign for a full consignment but work out later that there's a discrepancy between the quantity listed on the documentation and actual quantity received.
Find out about:
Account for lost or stolen goods
You will need to account for EEGs that:
- you haven't paid duty on, and
- are lost or stolen.
If the goods are:
- lost, you need to apply for a remission of the duty to waive your customs duty liability
- stolen, we consider they have entered into the Australian domestic market so you must pay customs duty on the goods.
In certain situations, you may be liable to pay an amount equal to the customs duty that would have been payable if the goods had been entered into the Australian domestic market on the day we demand the payment.
Find out about:
Manage other registrations
If you're in business, you may need other registrations, licences and permissions. This will depend on your business structure and activities.
See also:
Keep accurate and complete records
You need to keep accurate and complete records of your business operations to meet the record-keeping requirements.
Find out about:
Contact us or Home Affairs if you need help
If you have questions about how this information applies to your business or you need advice, contact us or Home Affairs.
Find out about:
ATO tips to help businesses meet their obligations if they deal in excise equivalent goods.