16 April 2025
Who does this notice affect?
Importers and brokers of:
- Test kits not testing for disease agents, imported under tariff codes 3822.19, 3002.12 or 3002.15.
- Purified antibodies raised against inorganic material or antigens from multicellular organisms, imported under tariff codes 3002.12 or 3002.15.
What has changed?
Additional commodity import pathways onto the CBIS
The department is adding two new document-controlled commodity import pathways onto the CBIS. This change is scheduled to take effect on 1 May 2025. CBIS will manage the document assessment rate of consignment lines at the time of importation. Only the tariff codes specified below will be eligible.
| Import Pathway | Eligible tariff codes | Intervention measure |
|---|---|---|
| Test kits not testing for disease agents (standard permit required) | 3002.12 3002.15 3822.19 | Documentation |
| Purified antibodies raised against inorganic material or antigens from multicellular organisms (standard permit required) | 3002.12 3002.15 | Documentation |
Importers will still be required to import goods with a valid import permit. Importers must meet the import conditions. There are no changes to the import conditions.
If biosecurity risks change, or the CBIS is not operating as anticipated, the department may adjust the rate at which we conduct biosecurity document assessments to ensure safe trade while meeting Australia’s appropriate level of protection (ALOP).
What if I import an eligible commodity import pathway under a different tariff code?
Currently only the above tariff codes are eligible for the CBIS. You are welcome to suggest a tariff codes for an eligible commodity import pathway to the CBIS program by email to CBIS@aff.gov.au. The department will consider whether to expand tariff code eligibility in the future. Any tariff codes added will be communicated through an Import Industry Advice Notice.
What is the Compliance-Based Intervention Scheme (CBIS)?
The Compliance-Based Intervention Scheme (CBIS) is a regulatory compliance tool designed to benefit importers who consistently meet Australia’s biosecurity requirements with reduced intervention. By demonstrating and maintaining good compliance with our import requirements, importers benefit from a more streamlined biosecurity clearance process at the Australian border and reduced regulatory costs.
How does the CBIS work for document-controlled commodity import pathways?
Document-controlled pathways currently undergo a 100% mandatory biosecurity document assessment at the time of importation. This includes presentation of an import permit where required for the commodity import pathway, and further documentation as specified within the import conditions.
Document-controlled pathways must continue to meet biosecurity import conditions, however the CBIS will reduce the % rate at which we conduct biosecurity document assessments based on the importers demonstrated compliance history for those goods.
Reduction in document assessment rates will not take effect immediately as importers will first need to build their compliance history in the CBIS system.
When eligible for a reduced biosecurity document assessment rate, brokers and importers will notice some consignment lines are not referred to the department for biosecurity assessment, and instead receive a clear status. Brokers and importers will also receive a notice from the department advising that the consignment lines have been released from biosecurity control under the CBIS.
The biosecurity document assessment rate will automatically increase back to 100% if non-compliance is detected. Any failures at initial document assessment (eg. missing, non-compliant or expired documentation) will be recorded as a non-compliance in CBIS. Importers will have to rebuild their compliance history again to requalify for a reduced rate of intervention.
What do I need to do?
To qualify for risk-based intervention under CBIS, importers and brokers will need to:
- import an eligible commodity under an eligible tariff code
- answer the new profile questions outlined below accurately
- lodge the entry in line mode
- hold a valid import permit
- meet import conditions for the goods.
Imported goods eligible for CBIS will still be required to meet other Australian regulatory requirements, such as those imposed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
New community protection profile questions on tariff codes 3002.12, 3002.15 and 3822.19
The following profile questions will take effect prior to 1 May 2025.
Customs brokers lodging declarations in the Integrated Cargo System (ICS) must answer ‘Y’ to these questions if the goods are to be imported via the commodity import pathways outlined in this notice and become eligible for CBIS.
If the goods are not imported by the commodity import pathway, then customs brokers must answer ‘N’. It is possible that all answers will be ‘N’.
| Tariff code | Profile question | YES response for BICON commodity import pathway and become eligible for CBIS |
|---|---|---|
| 3822.19 3002.12 3002.15 | Biosecurity: Are the goods test kits that are not testing for disease agents, and accompanied with a valid import permit? This includes haematology tests; hormone tests including pregnancy tests; drug tests; chemical tests; genetic tests; environmental test kits including soil test kits; and allergy test kits for use on humans only. | Test kits — Test kits not testing for disease agents (standard) |
| 3002.12 3002.15 | Biosecurity: Are the goods purified antibodies raised against inorganic material or antigens from multicellular organisms, and accompanied by a valid import permit? | Purified antibodies – Raised against inorganic material or antigens from multicellular organisms (standard permit) |
Further information
If you require further information, please email the CBIS program on CBIS@aff.gov.au. Alternatively, please contact Imports on 1800 900 090 or imports@aff.gov.au.
More information on CBIS is available on the department’s webpage Compliance-Based Intervention Scheme (CBIS).
Biosecurity import conditions are available on the department’s Biosecurity Import Conditions database (BICON).