G/SPS/N/AUS/415  
 
21 March 2017  
(17-1560) 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: Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water 
Resources  
3. Products covered (provide tariff ite m number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Natural casings (ICS Codes: 0504.22, 0504.23, 
0504.26)  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent rele vant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document: Biosecurity import conditions for natural casings . 
Language(s): English . Number of pages: 13 
6. Description of content: The Australian  Government has finalised a review of natural 
casings. As a result of the review, some changes will be made to import conditions. 
These changes include:  
 Removal of the requirement for an import permit. The goods will still have to meet 
Australia's import c onditions, which will continue to be available through the 
department's Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) at: 
https://bicon.agriculture.gov.au/BiconWeb4.0 ; 
 To simplify the accessibility  of this information in BICON, the existing pathways have 
been streamlined into the following three pathways:  
o Bovine casings;  
o Ovine/caprine casings; and  
o Porcine casings from approved countries;  
 Removal of the departments approved countries for bovine and o vine/caprine 
casings. Disease freedom recognised by the OIE and FSANZ has been retained for 
diseases of biosecurity concern;  
 The requirement for packing containers to contain casings from a single species of 
animals has been removed; and  
 Scrapie requiremen ts have been removed for natural ovine and caprine casings.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [X]  animal health, [ ]  plant protection, 
[X] 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) :   G/SPS/N/AUS/415  
 
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  [ ] 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 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) : To be advised.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be advised.  
11. Propose d date of entry into force: [ ]  Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : It is expected these changes will take effect later this year.  
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulatio n of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 20 May 2017  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [ ]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
The Australian SP S Notification Authority  
GPO Box 858  
Canberra  ACT  2601  
Australia  
Fax: +(61 2) 6272 3678  
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au  
13. Text(s)  available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [ ]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail ad dress (if available) of other body:   
The Australian SPS Notification Authority  
GPO Box 858  
Canberra  ACT  2601  
Australia  
Fax: +(61 2) 6272 3678  
E-mail: sps.contact@ agriculture .gov.au