APHIS to Use Plain Paper for Export, Reexport Certificates Beginning Jan. 1

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will, beginning Jan. 1, 2022, print phytosanitary certificates for export and reexport on plain paper, it said by email Nov. 10. “The use of plain paper and the continued implementation of electronic phytosanitary certificates (ePhyto) worldwide illustrate that commodities can be safely and successfully traded without traditional security paper,” it said. For companies that use the Authorized Entity role, all certificates will still need to be physically signed by the Authorized Certification Officials (ACOs), APHIS said. “All other companies will be able to print their approved phytosanitary certificates upon approval, as long as the ACO has their signature uploaded in PCIT,” and “will receive notifications through PCIT when their phytosanitary certificates are ready to print,” the agency said. “If the ACO does not have a signature uploaded, the phytosanitary certificate will still be printed by the ACO on plain paper, hand signed, and distributed like current practices.“