G/SPS/N/AUS/479  
 
5 July 2019  
(19-4489) Page: 1/3 
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  
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):  Sea freight consignments of containerised and break bulk cargo  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the e xtent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, 
Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, 
Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, N orth Macedonia, Montenegro, 
Netherlands, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, 
Spain, Turkey, United States of America  
5. Title of the notified document:  2019 - 2020 Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) 
Seasonal Measures . Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  2 
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/bmsb  
6. Description of content:  In response to the rapid expansion of brown marmorated stink 
bug (BMSB) throughout Europe and North America, the Australian Government has 
strengthened seasonal measures for the 2019 -20 season to manage the risk of BMSB 
arriving in Australia.  
Target risk countries have increased from 10 in the 2018 -19 risk season to 33 in the 
2019-20 season. Measures will apply to certain goods manufactured in, or shipped from 
target risk countries, and/or vessels that berth at, load or tranship from target risk 
countries.  
All roll -on roll -off (ro -ro) vessels will be subject to heightened vessel surveillance.  
All ro -ro vessels that berth at, load or tranship in target risk countries from 
1 September  2019 and that arrive in Australian territory by 31 May 2020 (inclusive) wil l 
be required to:  
− conduct self -inspections and respond to specific questions as part of the pre -arrival 
reporting requirements; and  
− undergo a mandatory seasonal pest inspection on arrival in Australia.  
Due to the changing risk status of BMSB, random onshore inspections on goods from 
emerging risk countries will be undertaken to verify pest absence.  
The measures will apply to goods loaded from 1 September 2019 and that arrive in 
Australian territory by 31 May 2020 (inclusive).  
These measures are requir ed to effectively manage the biosecurity risk from BMSB and 
to achieve Australia's appropriate level of protection.  G/SPS/N/AUS/479  
 
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  The approved treatment options for BMSB risk are heat treatment, methyl bromide 
fumigation and sulfuryl fluoride fumigation. Further informa tion on the seasonal 
measures, including advice on target risk countries, measures for vessels, target high risk 
goods, measures relating to goods, exemptions, treatment options and rates, 
safeguarding arrangements and Industry Advice Notices are published  on 
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/before/brown -marmorated -stink-bugs/offshore -
treatment -providers . 
A draft pest risk analysis report  that identifies BMSB as a pest requiring risk management 
measures in order to achieve the appropriate level of protection for Australia was released 
in August 2017 and is available at:  
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity/risk -analysis/plant/brown -marmorated -stink-
bug 
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [  ] animal health, [X]  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 standard:  
[ ] 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) :  
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) : ISPM No  2 
and 11  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] 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:  
This measure builds on G/SPS/N/AUS/432/Add.2 , released in September 2018.   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 1 September 2019  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 1 September 2019  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 1 Septe mber 2019  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 27 August 2019  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority , [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
The Australian SPS Notification Authority  
GPO Box 858  
Canberra ACT 2601  
Australia  
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au  G/SPS/N/AUS/479  
 
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  13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
The Australian SPS Notification Authority  
GPO Box 858  
Canberra ACT 2601  
Australia  
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au