G/SPS/N/AUS/375  
 
5 November 2015  
(15-5859)  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: Department of Agriculture and Water Resources 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): All imports into Australia 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document: Replacement of the Import Conditions (ICON) system 
with the new Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) system  Language(s): English   
Number of pages:   
6. Description of content: The new Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) system 
replaces and improves upon the Import Conditions (ICON) system that has provided Australia's biosecurity import conditions and the ability to apply for import permits for a 
number of years. 
BICON will make the biosecurity import conditions clearer, provide better guidance on 
the documentation requirements, and improve the ability to search for import conditions 
and to find the information that is relevant to an importation scenario. 
Australia's biosecurity requirements are not changing as a result of BICON's 
implementation. 
BICON replaces ICON as the source of Australia's import conditions on 9 November 
2015. The full transition to BICON for import permit applications is expected to be completed by December 2015. 
Further details and access to the system can be obtained at 
http://www.agriculture. gov.au/import/bicon . 
7. Objective and rationale: [X] food safety, [X] animal health, [X] plant 
protection, [X] protect humans from animal /plant pest or disease, [ ] protect 
territory from other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial  n u m b e r  o f  C o d e x  
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)    G/SPS/N/AUS/375 
 
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  [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: 
BICON is only available in the English language. 
Further details and access to the system can be obtained at 
http://www.agriculture. gov.au/import/bicon . 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 9 November 2015 for import conditions; 
23 November 2015 for all import permit applications 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : BICON was made publicly available for 
use on 19 October 2015. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 9 November 2015 for import conditions; 23 November 2015 for 
all import permit applications 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable 
Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
The Australian SPS Notification Point 
GPO Box 858 Canberra  Act  2601 
Australia 
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au 
13. Text(s) available from: [ ] National Notifi cation Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Not applicable