Delayed implementation of new import conditions for cut flowers entering Australia

 

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Reporting Obligation

• Legislation: Phytosanitary Requirements/Restrictions/Prohibitions

Publication Date

10-08-2021

Last Updated

10-08-2021

Short Description

Australia has delayed implementation of the new conditions for importing fresh cut flowers and foliage into Australia to 1 March 2018 to allow the National Plant Protection Organisations (NPPOs), exporters and importers sufficient time to transition to the new conditions Australia will continue to accept consignments under current import conditions during the transition to the new measures, which will run from 1 November 2017 to 28 February 2018. In preparation for the commencement of the new conditions on 1 March 2018, Australia will exempt consignments from the mandatory onshore fumigation if they are treated prior to export or are produced under an NPPO approved systems approach. Details of pre-shipment treatment(s) must be provided on a treatment certificate or phytosanitary certificate. Consignments produced under a systems approach must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with the relevant additional declaration. All consignments will be inspected on arrival to confirm that they meet Australia’s import requirements, including the absence of quarantine pests. If live quarantine pests are detected the consignment will be directed for remedial treatment. Imports into Australia will be closely monitored during the transition period for freedom from quarantine pests and details of non-compliance will be provided to trading partners to allow them to apply corrective actions for subsequent importation and in preparation for the commencement of the new import conditions on 1 March 2018.
From 1 March 2018, all consignments imported in to Australia must meet the new import conditions ie. goods to be shipped in insect-proof packaging and labelled with the scientific name of the plant species. Certain species will require a devitalisation treatment to prevent propagation. The following phytosanitary measures may be applied to ensure absence of quarantine pests to achieve the required phytosanitary status: - Produced and prepared for export under an NPPO-approved systems approach, or - Pre-export fumigation with methyl bromide, or - Alternative pre-shipment disinfestation treatments. On-arrival fumigation will only be used by Australian Government authorities as a remedial treatment when quarantine pests are detected on consignments that are verified by the exporting NPPO as having met Australia’s import conditions. If non-compliance continues to be high, Australia will notify trading partners in accordance with International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) No. 13 and may request details of their investigation and any corrective actions taken to ensure compliance, consistent with the ISPM. Continued detections of quarantine pests or repeated non-compliant shipments entering Australia may result in additional measures or may trigger the need for an Australian Government audit of the exporting country's phytosanitary certification system. The amended import conditions will be published on Australia’s Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON). More information on the new import conditions can be found at the following link: http://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/goods/plant-products/cut-flowers-foliage/importing-fresh-cut-flowers-into-aus-safely

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