31 October 2023
Who does this notice affect?
Importers, brokers, and biosecurity industry participants who import:
- Tanned hides and skins from all countries
- Untanned or untreated hides and skins from New Zealand
- Dried prawns
- Bagged marine meal which currently requires testing for animal (other than aquatic) derived material
What has changed?
The department is adding four new commodity import pathways onto the Compliance Based Intervention Scheme (CBIS). This change is scheduled to take effect on 10 November 2023.
Commodity groups
CBIS will manage the inspection rate of consignments of:
- Tanned hides and skins from all countries
- Untanned or untreated hides and skins from New Zealand
- Dried prawns
CBIS will manage the selection of consignments for testing of:
- Bagged marine meal which currently requires testing for animal (other than aquatic) derived material
Bagged marine meals will remain subject to mandatory inspections at the Australian border. Importers of this specific pathway will be notified directly by the department.
Affected tariffs
The tariffs affected under these arrangements are:
Hides and skins – 4101, 4102, 4103, 4104, 4105, 4106, 4301
Dried prawns – 0306, 1604, 1605, 1902
Bagged aquatic feed requiring analytical testing (specific pathway) - 2309900027
How does the CBIS work?
CBIS benefits importers who demonstrate consistent compliance with Australia’s biosecurity requirements for these commodities, providing reduced inspection and testing rates. Compliant importers will also benefit from faster clearance at the Australian border and reduced regulatory costs.
Reduction in inspection and testing rates will not take effect immediately as importers will first need to build their compliance history in the CBIS system.
The inspection and testing rate will once again increase if non-compliance is detected. Non-compliances which affect the CBIS referral rate include those identified during document assessment, inspection or testing. Any failures at initial document assessment eg. missing, non-compliant or expired documentation, will be recorded as a non-compliance in CBIS. After a period of compliance, consignments will then requalify for a reduced rate of intervention.
Brokers will not need to lodge consignments any differently. To qualify for risk-based intervention under CBIS, importers and brokers will need to:
- import an eligible commodity under an eligible tariff
- answer the profile questions accurately
- lodge the entry in line mode
- meet both the document, inspection and testing conditions for the goods.
Please note:
- Goods that qualify for CBIS will still be required to meet other biosecurity and imported food requirements. All imported food must meet the food safety requirements under the Imported Food Control Act 1992 and are monitored through the Imported Food Inspection Scheme. Check the imported food requirements for your food type.
- The CBIS-eligible import pathways for dried prawns and hides and skins is restricted to uses other than animal consumption, environmental purposes, growing purposes or veterinary therapeutic use. A BICON alert and change notice will shortly be available on eligible import pathways.
Further information
More information on CBIS is available on the departments CBIS webpages:
If you require further information, please email imports@aff.gov.au with ‘CBIS animal’ or your commodity of interest in the subject line. Alternatively, please contact Imports on 1800 900 090.
Biosecurity import conditions are available on the department’s Biosecurity Import Conditions database (BICON).