Notifications for Australia (406 notifications)

The Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has completed this risk analysis in response to the market access request for fresh nectarine fruit from China into Australia. The final report recommends a combination of risk management measures and a system of operational procedures that will reduce the risks associated with the importation of fresh nectarine fruit from China to achieve Australia's appropriate level of protection. The final report recommends that the importation of fresh nectarine fruit into Australia from China meets Australian biosecurity requirements subject to a range of risk management measures, including measures for fruit flies (two species), fruit borers (four species), leaf rollers (three species), thrips (two species), Hawthorn spider mite, Comstock mealybug, spotted wing drosophila, brown rots (four species) and plum pox virus. The draft report for this risk analysis was published on the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources website on 28 May 2015 for a 30 day stakeholder consultation period and was published as an SPS notification with reference number G/SPS/N/AUS/360 on 28 May 2015. The completed report is available in English on the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources website at http://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity/risk-analysis/memos/ba2016-11.

The Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources initiated this pest risk analysis to review the scientific basis for Australian emergency measures to manage Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) seed-borne host seeds for sowing, including Citrullus lanatus, Cucumis melo, Cucumis sativus, Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita pepo, Lagenaria siceraria, Trichosanthes cucumerina and any hybrid of these species. This pest risk analysis proposes that the emergency measures become the standard import conditions for CGMMV host seeds.

This Proposal seeks to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code to align certain maximum residue limits (MRLs) for various agricultural and veterinary chemicals so that they are consistent with other national regulations relating to the safe and effective use of agricultural and veterinary chemicals.

The Australian Government, through the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, has released further draft determinations under Australia's new Biosecurity Act 2015 for public consideration. These documents provide additional detail for those who will be affected by the biosecurity legislation. The following draft determinations were published on the departmental website (http://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity/legislation/new-biosecurity-legislation) on 18 March 2016: - Biosecurity (Reportable Biosecurity Incidents) Determination 2016; and - Biosecurity (Prohibited and Conditionally Non-prohibited Goods) Determination 2016. The Biosecurity (Reportable Biosecurity Incidents) Determination 2016 provides the events that are reportable biosecurity incidents relating to goods that are subject to biosecurity control or an exposed goods order and the requirements for reporting. It sets the details in relation to the new requirement under the Biosecurity Act on reportable biosecurity incidents. This will be of interest to importers of goods and others who are in charge of these goods prior to release from biosecurity control, such as persons transporting or who are in possession of these goods. The Biosecurity (Prohibited and Conditionally Non-prohibited Goods) Determination 2016 provides the specified goods or specified class of goods that are prohibited goods or conditionally non-prohibited goods for the purpose of the Biosecurity Act. It will simplify and replace the provisions relating to conditions for importation of goods in the Quarantine Proclamation 1998. This will be of interest to the import industry and other stakeholders. The release of the draft determinations gives interested clients, stakeholders and trading partners the opportunity to provide feedback on how they will work in practice when the new Act takes effect on 16 June 2016. For more information, or to make a submission, please visit: http://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecuritylegislation or contact the Biosecurity Implementation Branch at newbiosecuritylegislation@agriculture.gov.au.

This Proposal sought to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code for hydrocyanic acid in raw apricot kernels. In order to manage the potential risks of consumption of raw apricot kernels, FSANZ approved a food regulatory measure to prohibit the sale of raw apricot kernels both unhulled (with skin) and hulled (without skin). This prohibition also applies to any substance derived from raw apricot kernels (ground, milled, cracked, chopped) with an exemption for apricots containing raw apricot kernels, alcoholic beverages, oil, flavourings, stone fruit juices, marzipan, cakes, biscuits and confectionery.

This Proposal seeks to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code to align certain maximum residue limits (MRLs) for various agricultural and veterinary chemicals so that they are consistent with other national regulations relating to the safe and effective use of agricultural and veterinary chemicals.