G/SPS/N/AUS/391/Add.1  
 
3 January 2018  
(18-0007) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
Addendum  
The following communication, received on 3 January 2018, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of Australia . 
 
_______________  
 
 
Amended import requirements for retorted goods for human consumption  
Australia has, in line with notification on 10 August 2016, changed the import requirements for 
retorted goods for human consumption. From 19 January 2018 consignments of retorted goods for 
human consu mption will be required to be accompanied by government certification. Previously a 
combination of government endorsed manufacturers' declarations and government certificates was 
required. The move to a single set of conditions will ensure a consistent app roach to imports of 
retorted products and reduce delays at the border.  
Import permits with the new conditions have been being issue d for some time. However, by 
19 January 2018 all remaining permits with the previous conditions will be changed to the new 
conditions. This means all imported retorted products must be accompanied by a government 
certificate after this date. During the period leading up to 19 January 2018 product arriving under 
the new standard conditions but accompanied by documents meeting p revious conditions will be 
cleared. Retorted products arriving in Australia after 19 January 2018 that do not comply with the 
new conditions may be subje ct to re -export or destruction.  
The new import conditions for retorted goods for human consumption are available through the 
Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Biosecurity Import 
Conditions system (BICON) at: http://www.bicon.agriculture.gov.au/biconweb4.0 . 
This addendum concerns a:  
[ ] Modification of final date for comme nts 
[ ] Notification of adoption, publication or entry into force of regulation  
[ ] Modification of content and/or scope of previously notified draft regulation  
[ ] Withdrawal of proposed regulation  
[ ] Change in proposed date of adoption, publication or date of entry into force  
[X] Other: Finalisation of the date the measure comes into force.  
Comment period: (If the addendum extends the scope of the previously notified 
measure in terms of products and/or potentially affected Members, a new deadline for 
receipt of comments should be provided, normally of at least 60 calendar days. Under 
other circumstances, such as extension of originally announced final date for comments, 
the comment period provided in the addendum may vary.)  
[ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the addendum to the notification and/or 
(dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  G/SPS/N/AUS/391/Add.1  
 
- 2 - 
 
  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  
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   
__________