G/SPS/N/AUS/495  
 
2 March 2020  
(20-1569) 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, Water and the Environment  
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):  Uncooked prawns for human consumption  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trad ing partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Biosecurity Advice 2020 -A02: Proposed interim import 
conditions for uncooked prawns for human consumption . Language(s):  English . 
Number of pages:  3 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/AUS/20_1521_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  As set out in Biosecurity Advice 2020 -A02 published on the 
depar tment's website on 28  February  2020 at:  
agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity/risk -analysis/memos/ . 
The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment has 
determined that interim import conditions for uncooked prawns imported into Australia 
are required to manage the risks associated with infection by Enterocytozoon 
hepatopenaei (EHP). Australia's current import conditions for uncooked prawns (including 
freezing and head and shell removal) does not achieve Australia's appropriate level of 
protection (ALOP) for EHP. Interim import conditions are proposed to allow safe trade in 
uncooked prawns to continue and achieve Australia's ALOP.  
Pending consideration of co mments received during the 60 day comment period, Australia 
is proposing that all uncooked prawns arriving in Australia from 1 July 2020 must be 
certified by competent authorities of exporting countries to have been deveined during 
processing (removal of t he digestive tract that sits along the dorsal ridge of the prawn to 
at least the last shell segment and tail fan). Once the proposed interim import conditions 
are implemented, only prawn consignments that are verified to have undergone 
acceptable deveining , and that meet all other requirements for uncooked prawns, will be 
released from biosecurity control.  
The proposed import conditions for uncooked prawns would remain 'interim' while 
Australia finalises the  Review of the biosecurity risks of prawns importe d into Australia for 
human consumption  as announced by Australia's Director of Biosecurity on 16  May 2017 
(Biosecurity Advice 2017/07; G/SPS/N/AUS/422 ). The Department of Agriculture, Water 
and the Environment anticipates the draft report will be available for comment in 
mid-2020.  G/SPS/N/AUS/495  
 
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  Australia's updated model health certificate for prawns and prawn meat for human 
consumption is attached, which includes the proposed additional wording (see Point 7.1 
(2)) for competent authorities to certify that product has been deveined. Follo wing the 
conclusion of the consultation period, trading partners are encouraged to implement 
required certification changes in a timely manner to prevent disruptions to trade from 1 
July 2020. A further Biosecurity Advice and SPS notification will be issue d following the 
consultation period.  
Comments on the proposed interim import conditions for uncooked prawns can be 
provided until 28 April 2020 and should be directed to: Animal Biosecurity Branch 
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment GPO Box 858 CANBERRA ACT 
2601. 
Email: Prawnreview@awe.gov.au  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage fr om 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) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international st andard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment 
proposes these changes to import conditions for uncooked prawns for human consum ption 
following an assessment of information gathered during the Review of the biosecurity 
risks of prawns imported into Australia for human consumption. There is no known 
published research indicating that EHP spores in the digestive tract of imported pra wns 
would be inactivated through exposure to commercial freezing, storage and transport 
temperatures (i.e. -18°C to -20°C).  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 1 July 2020  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 28 February 2020  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 1 July 2020  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 1 May 2020  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if availab le) of other body:   
The Australian SPS Notification Authority  
GPO Box 858  
Canberra ACT 2601  
Australia  
Email: sps.contact@awe.gov.au  G/SPS/N/AUS/495  
 
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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  
Email: sps.contact@awe.gov.au