6 September 2019
Who does this notice affect?
Stakeholders in the import and shipping industries—including Master Consolidators, vessel masters, freight forwarders, treatment providers, Biosecurity Industry Participants, importers, customs brokers and principal agents—associated with shipping or importing goods that require increased intervention during the 2019- 20 BMSB risk season.
What has changed?
In response to the rapid expansion of BMSB throughout Europe and North America, the Department of Agriculture (the department), has implement heightened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB from entering and establishing in Australia during the 2019-20 BMSB risk season.
For the 2019-20 BMSB risk season, heightened biosecurity measures will apply to:
- certain goods manufactured in, or shipped from target risk countries, and/or
- vessels that berth at, load or tranship from target risk countries
from 1 September 2019 and that arrive in Australian territory by 31 May 2020 (inclusive).
Target high risk goods shipped between 1 September and 30 April need to be treated, and will be referred for intervention if they arrive by 31 May 2020.
For goods that are shipped prior to 30 April and arrive after 31 May, they may be subject to intervention as required.
For further information on the 2019-20 seasonal measures please visit the BMSB webpage.
Master Consolidator Identification (MC ID) Registration and Declarations
Under the 2019-20 BMSB seasonal measures, new registration and early reporting requirements by Master Consolidators for LCL/FAK containers will be required as published through Industry Advice Notice 89-2019 (Final measures for the 2019-20 BMSB risk season).
Master Consolidators who have registered before 27 August should have received an email from the department with their username, password and link to the online lodgement form. If you have registered before this date, and have not received an email please check your junk email folder before contacting the department via email at Seasonal Pests Policy. Master Consolidators that are not registered will not be able to lodge a declaration. Registration and further information including on how to lodge a declaration is available on the 2019-20 BMSB Management of LCL/ FAK webpage.
New Request for Inspection Form
The department has published a new Request for Inspection Form for the BMSB risk season. The form allows industry to advise relevant shipping information about the goods including if shipped as Open Top/ Flat rack or are classified as hazardous goods, and also to advise of a change in location for an inspection. The form will replace the need for industry to call the department and advise this information. The new Inspection form can be downloaded from the Request for Inspection Form webpage.
Offshore Treatment Providers Scheme
The department and the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries introduced a joint Offshore BMSB Treatment Providers Scheme aligning treatment options, rates and compliance requirements for the 2019-20 BMSB risk season.
All BMSB treatment providers in target risk countries must be registered under the scheme to be able to conduct BMSB treatments. Treatments conducted by an unapproved treatment provider in a target risk country will not be recognised as valid and will be referred for intervention on arrival.
Applications to become a new provider or to renew as a provider under the 2019-20 Offshore BMSB Treatment Providers Scheme can be found on the Offshore BMSB treatments website. Treatment providers that were registered during the 2018-19 BMSB season must complete a renewal application for the 2019-20 season.
Offshore treatment providers are being published on the BMSB Offshore BMSB Treatment Providers Scheme webpage as they are approved. Offshore treatment providers approved under the scheme must report all BMSB treatment certification issued using the department’s new Offshore BMSB Treatment Certificate Form. Further information on how to lodge the form is available on the 2019-20 BMSB season lodgement page.
Treatment reporting requirements - AEI
The Entity Identifier (AEI) number will again play a key role in identifying target high risk goods that have been treated for BMSB concerns offshore during the 2019-20 BMSB season.
The AEI must be entered for any treatments performed by an approved BMSB offshore treatment provider.
To improve efficiencies for industry there has been some changes to AEI reporting requirements for target high risk goods during the 2019-20 BMSB season. The AEI is now required to only be entered against the first tariff line of the import declaration.
The only exception is for BMSB treatments of break bulk cargo, where the AEI still needs to be entered against every line of target high risk goods.
The department has developed a new AEI reporting web page and guide to assist customs brokers and self-reporting importers with the reporting requirements for the AEI number.
Utilising AEPCOMM for target high risk goods
Accredited persons operating under class 19.2 automatic entry processing for commodities (AEPCOMM) approved arrangement will again be able to utilise AEPCOMM for the management of target high risk BMSB goods during the 2019-20 BMSB season. Pathways approved for AEPCOMM have now been authored into the BMSB hitchhiker pest BICON case and will be available through your BICON AEPCOMM user account. This replaces the class 19.2 Assessment Guide that was utilised during the 2018-19 BMSB season.
The department is working on further enhancements to AEPCOMM settings for target high risk goods and will provide further updates and information during the 2019-20 BMSB season to improve onshore management options.
Please review the available information in BMSB hitchhiker pest BICON case and contact AEP support if you require assistance with your AEPCOMM lodgements.
Further information
For further information regarding BMSB seasonal measures, can be found on the BMSB webpage agriculture.gov.au/bmsb or for policy information email Seasonal Pests Policy.
The Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) hitchhiker pest BICON case has been updated for the 2019-20 risk season and will be published shortly.
If you see something that could have entered Australia with imported goods report it to See. Secure. Report. on 1800 798 636 or complete the online form.