Guidance Document  
 
A guidance document issued by the Ministry for Primary Industries  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Hides and Skins  
HIDESKIN.ALL  
      
 Guidance Document : Hides and Skins   
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 Title 
Guidance Document : Hides and Skins  
About this document  
This guidance document contains information about acceptable ways of ensuring compliance with the 
requirements in the Import Health Standard (IHS): Hides and Skins.   
Any guidance on how to comply with the applicable requirements may not be the only way to achieve 
compliance. Stakeholders are encouraged to discuss departures from the approaches outlined in this 
guidance document with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to avoid expending resources on the 
development of alternative approaches which may later be considered unsuitable.  
The term “must” is not typically used in guidance. In this particular document if the term “must” is used, it is 
used in the context of quoting or paraphrasing the requirements set out in the related IHS: Hides and Skins  
Related Requirements  
IHS: Hides and Skins , HIDESKIN.ALL  
Document  history  
Refer to Appendix 1.  
Contact Details  
For further information and questions about this gu idance document, please contact:  
 
Ministry for Primary Industries  
Agriculture and Investment Services  
Animal Imports  
PO Box 2526  
Wellington 6140  
Email: animal.imports@mpi.govt.nz   
Disclaimer  
This guidance does not constitute, and should not be regarded as, legal advice . While every effort has been 
made to ensure the information in this guidance is accurate, the Ministry for Primary Industries does not accept 
any responsibility or liability whatsoever for any error of fact, omission, interpretation or opinion that may be 
present, however it may have occurred.  
 
Copyright  
Crown copyright ©. This copyright work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand 
licence. In essence, you are free to copy, distribute and adapt the work, as long as you attribute the work to the Ministry f or Primary 
Industries and  abide by the other licence terms. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/nz/ . 
Please note that no governmental emblem, logo or Coat of Arms may be use d in any way which infringes any provision of the Flags, 
Emblems, and Names Protection Act 1981 or would infringe such provision if the relevant use occurred within New Zealand. 
Attribution to the Ministry for Primary Industries should be in written form a nd not by reproduction of any such emblem, logo or Coat of 
Arms.  
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 Contents  Page 
1 Purpose  3 
2 Background  3 
3 Definitions  3 
4 Importer Responsibilities  3 
5 Guidance  3 
5.1 Equivalence  3 
5.2 Incorporation of material by reference  4 
5.3 Harmonised system (HS) codes  4 
5.4 Exporting country system and certification  4 
5.5 Inspection and verification  5 
6 Specified Requirements for Identified Risk Organisms  6 
6.1 Model veterinary certificate  6 
Appendix 1 – Document History  9 
 
 
 
  
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 1 Purpose  
(1) This guidance document has been issued to accompany the IHS: Hides and Skins . This guidance 
document should be read in conjunction with that IHS.  
(2) This document includes:  
a) A model veterinary certificate.  
b) Links to a greed country -specific veterinary certifica tes. 
2 Background  
(1) The IHS: Hides and Skins  which this guidance  document accompanies, contains import requirements. 
These are the rules to manage the biosecurity risk of importing hides and skins from all countries  that 
can meet the requirements of the IHS an d in doing so meet New Zealand’s appropriate level of 
protection. The IHS serves as the basis for country -to-country (bilateral) negotiations. This guidance 
document contains a model veterinary certificate and the bilaterally -agreed veterinary certificatio n for 
trade  in hides and skins . Country -specific veterinary certificate s represent  what will be certified prior to 
exporting consignments of hides and skins  from the country specified.  
3 Definitions  
(1) Refer to Schedule 1 in the IHS: Hides and Skins.  
4 Importer Responsibilities  
(1) The costs to MPI in performing functions relating to the importation of hides and skins  will be recovered 
in accordance with the Biosecurity Act 1993  (the Act)  and any regulations made under that Act. All 
costs involved with docum entation, transport, storage and obtaining a biosecurity clearance must be 
covered by the importer or agent.  
(2) Consignments that do not comply with the requirements of the IHS may be re -shipped, rendered or 
destroyed using an MPI -approved destruction method.   
5 Guidance  
5.1 Equivalence  
(1) MPI may accept an alternative method, system or process that can be shown to achieve the 
biosecurity requirements of the IHS (i.e. equivalence).  
(2) MPI’s preference is that the exporting country’s Competent Authority makes equivalence requests. 
Equivalence requests can be lodged with animal.imports@mpi.govt.nz . 
(3) An import  permit may be required where sp ecific equivalence measures are approved by MPI. A n 
import permit serves as evidence of equivalence decisions and will be written as specific notes in the 
special conditions section of the permit.  
(4) Import permit  application forms can be found on the MPI web site at: Application for Permit to Import 
Animal Products .  
(5) Completed applications are lodged with Animal Imports animal.imports@mpi.govt.nz . 
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 5.2 Incorporation of material by reference  
(1) Incorporation by reference means that standards, guidelines or lists are incorporated into the IHS and 
they form part of the requirements. This is done because technical documents are too large or 
impractical to inclu de in the IHS.  
(2) Where the IHS states that section 142O(1) of the Act does not apply, this means that importers need to 
refer to the most recent version of any standards, guidelines or lists that are incorporated by reference 
in the IHS.  
5.3 Harmonised system (H S) codes  
(1) The harmonised system is an international product numbering classification developed by the World 
Customs Organisation (WCO). The New Zealand harmonised system is found here: 
http://aria.stats.govt.n z/aria/  
(2) Animal products imported using the IHS will be under the following HS Code  
 
HS Code  Commodity Description  
05 Animal originated products; not elsewhere specified or included  
5.4 Exporting country system and certification  
5.4.1 Agreed country specific veterinary certificates  
(1) All country -specific veterinary certificates agreed between an exporting country’s Competent Authority 
and MPI are included in the table below:  
 
Country  Link to certificate  S27 CTO direction #  Date agreed  Date applicable for 
use 
European Union  EU Veterinary 
Certificate  CTO direction 2015 
043 NZ/EU 
Agreement 
(98/132/EC) as 
last amended  May 8, 2015  
Note: This 
certifi cate is only 
for hides and skins 
of ungulates. 
Members of the 
Family Equidae  
are excluded.  
Chile  Chile Veterinary 
Certificate  Not applicable  October 2014  November 1, 2014  
 
(2) Country -specific veterinary certificates with equivalent measures will be recorded with a number 
relevant to a Chief Technical Officer (CTO) direction under section 27(1)d(iii) of the Act, to enable 
border staff to clear the goods and record the number in the MPI database.  
(3) When a newly negotiated country -specific veterinary certificate replaces one which is currently in use, 
the application of new import conditions will apply according to the dates listed in the table. At that time 
previous veterinary cert ificates for that country can no longer be used.  
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 5.5 Inspection and verification  
(1) On arrival, all documentation accompanying the consignment will be verified by an inspector. The 
inspector may also inspect the consignment, or a sample of the consignment on arri val. 
(2) Inspectors are able to inspect and verify due to their authorised powers under the Act.  
(3) This inspection and verification is independent of the IHS requirements.  
 
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 6 Specified Requirements for Identified Risk Organism s 
6.1 Model veterinary certificate  
(1) Below is a model veterinary certificate for trade in hides and skins. This model meets the requirements 
of the IHS: Hides and Skins . 
(2) This model veterinary certificate format is based on the Code  Chapter for model veterinary certificates 
for international trade in products of animal origin.  
 Part 1: Details of dispatched consignment  1.1.   Consignor (Exporter):  
Name:  
Address:  
 1.2.  Certificate reference number:  
 
1.3.  Competent Authority:  
 
1.4.  Consignee (Importer):  
Name:  
 
Address:  
 
1.5. Country of origin:  
  1.6.   Zone or compartment of origin : 
 
1.7. Country of destination:                             1.8.   Zone  or compartment of destination :  
1.9.  Place of origin:  
Name:  
 
 
Address:  
 1.10.  Place of shipment:  1.11.  Date of departure:  
1.12.  Means of transport:  
 
     Aeroplane           Ship 
 
         
Identification:  
 1.13.  Species derived from : 
1.14.  Hides and skins derived from animals born and reared in:  
  
1.15. Description of commodity:  
 1.16. Net weight (kgs) : 
1.17. Total number : 
1.18.  Temperature of commodities for transport : 
     Ambient                    Chilled                   Frozen  1.19.  Total number of packages:  
1.20.  Identification of container/serial number:  1.21. Type of packaging:  
1.22.  Processing establishment:  
Name:  
Address:  
ID number:  
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        Part 2:  Veterinary  Information  Country:   Certificate reference number:  
I, the undersigned Official Veterinarian , after due examination certify that the hides and skins in this consignment:  
(1) appeared clean, and are not visibly  contaminated with soil, dirt, plant/seed material and arthropod p ests.  
(2) have been packaged in new, clean, and secure packaging that is free from  any extraneous contamination.  
Please delete clauses not applicable to product for export.  
For processed hides and skins1 
(3) Pigs 
(a) Have been subjected to a liming process at a pH equal to or greater than 12.5; or  
(b) Have been subjected to a pickling process in a solution of salt and mineral acid at a pH less than 3.  
(4) All other species  
(a) Have been subjected to a liming process at a pH equal to or greater than 12.5; or  
(b) Have been subjected to a pickling process in a solution of salt and mineral acid at a pH  equal to or less than 
4. 
For salted or dried hides and skins  from specified animals2  
(5) Originate from animals that have been slaughtered in a government -licensed processing establishment ; and 
(6) Anthrax requirements (for  ruminants, alpacas, llamas , horses,  donkeys  and pigs ): 
(a) Originate from establishments that were not subject to restrictions imp osed for the control of anthrax ; and 
(b) Originate from animals that have be en slaughtered in a government -licensed processing establishment 
under the direct supervision of an official veterinarian, subjected to ante and post -mortem inspection, and 
certified as fit for human consum ption; and  
(7) Foot and mouth disease (FMD)  virus  requirements  (for ruminants, alpacas, llamas , and pigs  only) : 
(a) Originate from a country  that is officially free from FMD in accordance with the Code;  or 
(b) Have been treated for 28 days with salt containing 2% sodium carbonate  
For casualty (slink) skins3  
(8) Anthrax requirements:  
(a) Originate from establishments that were not subject to restrictions imp osed for the control of anthrax; and  
(9) FMD requirements:  
(a) Originate from a country that is officially free from FMD in accordance with the Code; or  
(b) Have been treated for 28 days with salt containing 2% sodium carbonate.  
For macropod hides and skins  
(10) Anthrax requirements:  
(a) Originate from establishments that were not subject to restrictions imposed for the control of anthrax; or  
(b) Originate from animals that have been processed under the Australian Standard for the Hygienic Production 
of Game Meat f or Human Consumption and  have passed a post -mortem inspection in a government -
licensed processing establishment.  
1 Hides and skins that have been pickled and/or limed, this includes wet whites, wet blues,  and wet browns.  
2 Hides and skins that have been air dried or dry/wet salted derived from the following farmed animals: alpacas, buffalo, cattl e, deer, emus, 
goats, horses, donkeys, llamas, ostriches, pigs, and sheep.  
3 Skins derived from a lamb or calf up to the age of 6 months that has died of natural causes, also known as a slink skin.  Guidance Document : Hides and Skins   
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  Official Veterinarian  
Name:  
Address:  
Email:   
Official Position  
Signature:   
Date:  
  
Official Veterinarian signature, 
Official stamp and date  Guidance Document : Hides and Skins   
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 Appendix 1 – Document History  
Date First Issued  Title Shortcode  
30 June 2011  Guidance Document: Hides and Skins  HIDCOMIC.ALL  
Date of Issued A mendments  Title Shortcode  
7 August 2015  Guidance Document: Hides and Skins  HIDESKIN.ALL  
22 July 2020 (Internal Consultation)  Guidance Document: Hides and Skins  HIDESKIN.ALL  
24 September 2020  
(External Consultation)  Guidance Document: Hides and Skins  HIDESKIN.ALL