28 October 2024
Who does this notice affect?
Importers and brokers of:
- Herbal tea bags from all countries (0902)
What has changed?
Herbal tea bags will be managed on the CBIS under a new documentation trial
The department is expanding CBIS onto document-controlled pathways, commencing with a trial on herbal tea bags. These changes are scheduled to take effect on 6 November 2024.
The trial will focus on the outcome of the document assessment to determine if a risk-based rate of intervention can be applied. This is based on the importers compliance history associated with the documentation results. This information is outlined in the Import Industry Notice (IIAN 77-2024), published 29 April 2024.
The risk-based rate is automatically applied by the import system when the importer’s consignments or lines have passed a set number of consecutive document assessments. Once an importer has qualified for CBIS, a reduction in the level of documentation referrals will occur.
Use of profile questions to improve CBIS uptake
The department has been running a new profile question on the herbal tea pathway to improve the quality of the data associated with herbal tea imports and support the identification and referral of eligible goods for CBIS processing. The profile question will also be used as a mechanism to exclude ineligible goods from being processed.
For imports of herbal tea products, the following profile question will appear:
- Biosecurity: Are the goods derived from permitted plant ingredients (other than Camellia sinensis), commercially packaged in tea bag or capsule form, imported for Human consumption end use?
- Tariff code in scope: 0902
Importer or Importing agents’ response:
Answer Yes, if the goods are eligible for CBIS processing;
Answer No, if the goods are not eligible for CBIS (i.e. contain restricted plant or mushroom species, bulk or loose tea, imported for personal use only). Incorrect answers may cause consignment delays.
New Biosecurity directions
Importers and brokers lodging herbal tea bag consignments will notice that we have created two new directions to support these changes:
CBIS documentation pathway: This direction will be applied when the goods are eligible and have been selected for a document assessment under the Compliance Based Intervention Scheme.
CBIS electronic release: This direction will be applied when the goods have qualified, and the risk-based reduced intervention rate is applied. Lines receiving this direction do not require a document assessment.
Note: Lines that qualify for the CBIS electronic release outcome may still need to meet other Imported food or non-commodity requirements. All imported food must meet the food safety requirements specified under the Imported Food Control Act 1992.
What do I need to do?
The change will require importers and brokers to accurately answer one or more profile questions, provide the relevant tariff code, and lodge complete and accurate documents in COLS, when directed. Incomplete information will likely result in clearance delays and additional charges.
Lodging incomplete documents can also result in the importer receiving a Document failure result, which will impact the CBIS compliance counter.
Further information
Subscribe to the relevant BICON case or visit the CBIS webpage.
If you have any enquiries relating to these changes, please contact the CBIS program CBIS@aff.gov.au or imports@aff.gov.au (Tier 2- CBIS) or telephone 1800 900 090.
The department also announces changes on the CBIS webpage.