Adoption of biosecurity import requirements for the import into Australia of live zoo bovids and their semen from approved countries

On 29 April 2019, Australia issued an SPS notification (G/SPS/N/AUS/473) informing trading partners of the release of the draft report for the review of import conditions for zoo bovids and their semen from approved countries, for consultation.

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment has assessed submissions received during the consultation period. As a result, changes were made to proposed import conditions for the following diseases: bluetongue virus, bovine tuberculosis, bovine viral diarrhoea virus, contagious caprine pleuropneumonia, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, lumpy skin disease and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.

Additional changes were made to clarify certain aspects of the review, and the general import requirements applied for imports of zoo animals into Australia were updated to reflect current standards.

The review report has now been finalised. Imports of zoo bovids and their semen from approved countries may now occur in accordance with the import requirements detailed in the review report.

Further information, including a copy of the Importation of zoo bovids and their semen: final report is available at the following web address: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity/risk-analysis/memos/ba2021-a05