G/SPS/N/AUS/565  
9 June 2023  
(23-3946) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  AUSTRALIA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Prawn and prawn products for human consumption  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Review of the biosecurity risks of prawns imported from 
all countries for human consumption –final report . Language(s):  English . Number of 
pages:  465 
https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity -trade/policy/risk -analysis/animal/prawns   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/SPS/AUS/23_10065_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries  
and Forestry has released the final report for the Review of the biosecurity risks of prawns 
imported from all countries for human consumption  (the prawn review) and the proposed 
changes to Australia's import conditions for prawns and prawn products.  
The final report for the prawn review is available on the department's website: Review of 
Prawns and Prawn Products - DAFF ( https://www.agriculture.gov.au ). 
The department has published the final report for the pr awn review after considering the 
recommendations from the members of the scientific advisory group on the draft report 
and provisional final report, as well as all stakeholder feedback and all available scientific 
information.  
The final report proposes tha t prawns continue to be permitted import into Australia, 
subject to compliance with a range of amended biosecurity measures. These measures 
include freezing, freedom from additional pathogenic agents for whole uncooked prawns 
exported to Australia, and a s trengthening of requirements for cooked prawns.  
Australia's updated model health certificate for prawns and prawn meat for human 
consumption, which includes wording to reflect the proposed changes to import conditions, 
is available on the department's webs ite:  
https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity -trade/policy/risk -analysis/memos  and at 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/SPS/AUS/23_10065_00_e.pdf . 
Trading partners may provide written comment to the department on the proposed 
requirements until 4 August 2023 (60 -day comment period).  
Pending consideration of comments, the department will require that prawns and prawn 
products arriving in Australia from 13 October 2023 be certified by the competent 
authority of the exporting country to meet the amended health certification requirements.  G/SPS/N/AUS/565  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the s tandard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protectio n Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 13 October 2023  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 5 June 2023  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publicati on, and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : 13 October 2023  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 4 August 2023  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [  ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry  
GPO Box 858  
Tel: +(61 2) 6272 3933  
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au  
Website: http://www.agriculture.gov.au  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [  ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry  
GPO Box 858  
Tel: +(61 2) 6272 3933  
E-mail: sps.contact@agricultu re.gov.au  
Website: http://www.agriculture.gov.au