Germany trade situation

Managing the biosecurity risk to Australia

Australia has removed Germany from the:

• List of FMD-Free Countries
• List of countries for natural casings derived from bovine, caprine, ovine or porcine animals
• List of countries approved for the import of bovine fluids and tissues
• List of countries approved for the import of camelid fluids and tissues
• List of countries approved for the import of cervine fluids and tissues
• List of countries approved for the import of ovine and caprine fluids and tissues

We are working with impacted importers to vary biosecurity import permits to reflect Germany’s new FMD status and restrict the importation of high-risk goods that were sourced, manufactured or processed in Germany after 14 November 2024.

Goods impacted by the outbreak

The detection of FMD in Germany will have impacts for a wide range of goods that contain or are derived from FMD-susceptible species. These include, but are not limited to:

• Dairy goods that contain greater than 10% dairy by dry weight where the dairy is sourced, manufactured or exported from Germany, other than commercially prepared and packaged chocolate. This includes dairy goods that contain less than 10% German dairy but more than 10% dairy by dry weight in total in the goods.
• Personal dairy and meat food items imported as passenger personal effects or through the mail into Australia from Germany.
• Natural casings derived from ovine, caprine sourced, manufactured or exported from Germany.
• Reproductive material derived from cattle, sheep, goats and susceptible zoo animals (e.g., giraffes and elephants) sourced or exported from Germany.
• Veterinary therapeutics containing or derived from bovine, porcine, ovine, caprine, cervine or camelid materials sourced, manufactured or exported from Germany.
• Pet food and stock feed containing or derived from bovine, porcine, ovine, caprine, cervine or camelid materials sourced, manufactured or exported from Germany.
• Laboratory goods containing bovine, porcine, ovine, caprine, cervine and camelid fluids and tissues (including but not limited to test kits, animal fluids and tissues, culture media, foetal bovine serum, environmental samples and other laboratory materials) sourced, manufactured or exported from Germany.
• Peat sourced, manufactured or exported from Germany

Any goods in transit will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and potentially subject to biosecurity measures. Assessment may include consideration of whether the product or ingredients were fully finished or exported from Germany before 14 November 2024.

Goods that pose an unacceptable biosecurity risk may be subject to biosecurity measures such as export, treatment or destruction. Importers and brokers who are unsure of the status of their goods should contact imports@aff.gov.au for advice before arranging the export of any goods from Germany to Australia. We are committed to ongoing trade where it is safe to do so.

Goods NOT impacted

Goods that do not require country freedom from FMD, include but are not limited to:

• Goods containing less than 10% dairy by dry weight and no other ingredients of biosecurity concern for human consumption.
• Lactose, solid chocolate (including imitation chocolate), and ghee for human consumption.
• Collagen, with a permit, for human consumption.
• Retorted dairy and meat, with a permit.

Impacts on import permit holders

To manage the biosecurity risks to Australia, we have initiated contact with permit holders and permit applicants impacted by the FMD outbreak in Germany. We are now working with importers to vary import conditions to reflect the change in Germany’s FMD-status.

It is expected that the changes to import conditions will restrict the entry of high-risk goods to Australia containing or derived from FMD-susceptible species sourced, manufactured or processed in Germany after 14 November 2024.

Importing goods sourced, manufactured or processed in Germany before 14 November 2024

Importers may continue to import goods containing or derived from FMD-susceptible species that were finished or exported from Germany prior to 14 November 2024 and where all other import conditions are met. Importers/brokers will still need to supply evidence of the date of sourcing, manufacturing or processing before goods can be released from biosecurity control. The additional requirements may cause delays in releasing your goods from biosecurity control.

Enroute shipment of goods sourced, manufactured and processed in Germany after 14 November

The goods will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, but it is unlikely that the goods will be deemed as posing an acceptable biosecurity risk.

Goods that are assessed as having an unacceptable level of biosecurity risk may be subject to biosecurity measures such as export, treatment or destruction.

Importers and brokers that are unsure of the status of their goods should contact imports@aff.gov.au for advice before arranging for the export of any product to Australia.

Clarification of composite products and the 14 November 2024 cutoff

The 14 November 2024 cutoff date refers to the date when the dairy component of the goods was sourced, processed or manufactured in Germany.

Viable FMD virus could be introduced into dairy products if contamination with raw milk or other dairy ingredients sourced from infected animals occurs during processing. Accordingly, products manufactured in Germany after 14 November 2024 may not be permitted entry into Australia and may be directed for export, treatment, or destruction.

Dairy ingredients sourced from Germany before the cutoff

If dairy ingredients sourced from Germany were imported to another FMD-free country for processing, the importer or broker will need to be able to demonstrate that the dairy ingredients were fully finished or exported from Germany before 14 November 2024, and link the ingredients to a consignment. This may include evidence such as commercial documentation specifying when the dairy goods were processed or manufactured in Germany. An import permit is required import these types of dairy goods.

Regionalisation agreements

Australia does not have established regionalisation agreements with any country for FMD.

Chocolate and goods containing dairy

Goods containing less than 10% dairy by dry weight and solid chocolate, including imitation chocolate, for human consumption, can continue to be imported into Australia from Germany. The goods still need to meet the relevant import conditions specified on BICON.

Peat imports

Peat can continue to be imported into Australia from Germany provided all biosecurity import conditions can be met. This includes the requirement that the peat not be sourced from an area:

• in which FMD has occurred in the past 12-months or
• within a three (3) kilometre radius of an FMD affected property.

Dairy foods for medical purposes

Foods for special medical purpose (FSMP) and special medical purpose products for infants (SMPPi)are critical for vulnerable people and trade in these products will continue where safe. We are conducting risk assessments on these types of products and will issue bespoke import permits, provided the biosecurity risk is acceptable low. Only SMPPi and FSMP as per Standard 2.9.1 or 2.9.5 respectively, of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (Food Standards Code) are being prioritised and considered for the bespoke import conditions at this time.

Double pasteurised or ultra heat-treated dairy goods

Double pasteurisation or UHT is not considered acceptable treatment to inactivate FMD virus. Dairy products from countries that are not considered free from FMD by the Director of Biosecurity are required to be retorted. Retorting is a process where the goods are sealed in a hermitically sealed container and then heat treated at extreme temperatures for a period to render the goods commercially sterile, achieving an F0 value of 2.8. Standard retort processes parameters include achieving a core temperature of 121.1°C for 2.8 minutes. Retorting is a process that has been proven to inactivate harmful pathogens of concern including FMD virus.