Ministry for Primary Industries 
Standards 
Animal & Animal Products 
Animal Imports Team 
PO Box 2526, Wellington 6140 
animalimports@mpi.govt.nz  
 
Import Health Standard  
 
COMEGIC.GEN Commercial Poultry Hatching Eggs & 
Specific-Pathogen-Free Chicken Eggs  
 
      
11 June 2012 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
Ministry for Primary Industries 
Standards 
Animal & Animal Products 
Animal Imports Team 
PO Box 2526, Wellington 6140 
animalimports@mpi.govt.nz  
 
 
 
Issuing Authority 
 
This standard is issued under section 22 of the Biosecurity Act 1993.  
  
 
Dated at Wellington this               day of                                           2012    
 
 Manager Import and Export Standards  
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)  
 
 
For Director General  
Ministry for Primary Industries  (Pursuant to delegated authority) 
  
Import Health Standard for Commercial Poultry Hatching Eggs & Specific-Pathogen-Free Eggs from Chickens 11 June 2012 
COMEGIC.GEN Contents Page 
 
 
Import Health Standard for Commercia l Poultry Hatching Eggs & Specific-
Pathogen-Free Eggs from Chickens 1  
Part A: Introduction 1 
Part B: General Requirements 5 
Part C: Specified Requirements for Identified Risk Organisms 9  
Part D: Equivalence 12 
Part E: Appendices 13 
  
Import Health Standard for Comm ercial Poultry Hatching Eggs & 
Specific-Pathogen-Free Eggs from Chickens 
 
 
Part A: Introduction 
Background 
1. Under section 22 of the Biosecurity Act, this document is the import health standard for 
commercial poultry hatching eggs and specific-pathogen-free (SPF) eggs from chickens.  
 
2. A Guidance Document will be issued by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to 
accompany this import health standard. This document will provide guidance information relevant to how requirements may be met. 
 
Scope  
3. This standard specifies the requirements that must be met to import into New Zealand 
commercial poultry hatching eggs and specific-pathogen-free (SPF) eggs from chickens.  
4. Eligibility is limited to: 
i) hatching eggs of chickens (Gallus gallus ), turkeys ( Meleagris gallopavo ) and ducks 
(Anas platyrhynchos domesticus  and Cairina moshata ), sourced from poultry 
breeding flocks compliant with the standards described in the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code (the Code ), Chapter on 
biosecurity procedures in poultry production.  
AND 
ii) eggs, (fertile or non-fertile) from chickens in a SPF flock. A SPF flock is one which 
meets the minimum requirements of Section 5.2.2 "Chicken flocks free from specified pathogens for the production and quality control of vaccines" of the European Pharmacopoeia. 
 
Outcome 
5. All imports of commercial hatching and SPF eggs must be subjected to risk management 
measures for specified risk organisms appropriate to the status of the risk organism, their likelihood of entry and/or establishment in New Zealand and consequent impacts. 
 6. The risk organisms associated with hatching eggs and SPF eggs that are subject to 
specific risk management requirements are; 
 for chickens hatching eggs: 
 
 Highly pathogenic notifiable avian influenza (HPNAI) viruses  
 Type 1 avian paramyxoviruses (Newcastle disease virus) 
 Salmonella Gallinarum-Pullorum 
 Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale 
for turkey hatching eggs: 
Import Health Standard for Commercial Poultry Hatching Eggs & Specific-Pathogen-Free Eggs from Chickens 11 June 2012 
COMMEGIC.GEN  
 
 Avian influenza viruses 
 Type 1 avian paramyxoviruses (Newcastle disease virus) 
 Salmonella Gallinarum-Pullorum 
 Salmonella arizonae 
 Mycoplasma Iowae 
 Mycoplasma meleagridis 
 Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale 
 Turkey rhinotrachieitis virus (TRTV) 
 
for duck hatching eggs:  
 
Avian influenza viruses 
 Type 1 avian paramyxoviruses (Newcastle disease virus) 
 Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale 
 Salmonella Gallinarum-Pullorum 
 Duck virus enteritis (DVE) virus  
 Goose and Muscovy duck parvorviruses (Muscovy ducks and their hybrid breeds 
only) 
 Muscovy duck reovirus (Muscovy ducks and their hybrid breeds only) 
 Chlamydia psittaci 
 
7. 
For each risk organism, risk management requirements are specified in Part C using the 
general format: a) Country, zone or compartment freedom; Or b) Specified measures to verify individual flock/batch freedom. 
8. The model Veterinary Certificate template is located in the guidance document. 
Definitions 
Approved Countries  
Countries from which New Zealand enables imports of a particular commodity, must be specifically approved by MPI 
 
Biosecurity Authority 
Written authority from an inspector, given under section 25 of the Biosecurity Act 
1993, to move uncleared goods from a transitional facility, containment facility or biosecurity control area to another transitional facility, containment facility or biosecurity control area, or to export those goods from New Zealand 
 
Biosecurity Clearance 
A clearance under section 26 of the Biosecurity Act (1993) for the entry of goods into 
New Zealand. (Explanatory Note: Goods given a Biosecurity Clearance by an Inspector are released to the importer without restriction) 
Biosecurity Manual 
A plan that identifies potential pathways for the introduction and spread of disease in 
a zone or compartment , and describes the measures which are being or will be 
applied to mitigate the disease risks, if applicable, in accordance with the recommendations in the Code. A Biosecurity  Manual must comply with the Code 
Chapters on zoning and compartmentalisation, and application of 
compartmentalisation. 
 
 
 2 
Code 
The World Organisation for Animal Health Terrestrial Animal Health Code. Any 
reference in this standard to the OIE Code is to the most current as found on the OIE 
website 
Commercial Poultry Hatching Eggs 
Hatching eggs of chickens ( Gallus gallus ), turkeys ( Meleagris gallopavo ) or ducks 
(Anas platyrhynchos domesticus  and Cairina moshata ), sourced from poultry 
breeding flocks compliant with the standards described in the Code  chapter on 
biosecurity procedures in poultry production.  
Compartment 
An animal subpopulatio
n contained in one or more establishment s under a common 
biosecurity management system with a distinct health status with respect to a specific 
disease or specific diseases for which required surveillance, control and biosecurity 
measures have been applied for the purpose of international trade. 
 
Competent Authority 
The Veterinary or other  Governmental Authority of an OIE Member, that has the  
responsibility and competence for ensuring or supervising the implementation of 
animal health and welfare measures, international veterinary certification and other 
standards and recommendations in the Terrestrial Code in the whole territory  
Inspector 
A person who is appoint
ed an inspector under section 103 of the Biosecurity Act 
(1993). (Explanatory Note: An Inspector is appointed to undertake administering and enforcing the provisions of the Biosecurity Act and controls imposed under the 
Hazardous Substances and New Organism Act 1996, and the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species  
Zone 
A clearly defined part of a territory containing an animal subpopulation with a distinct 
health status with respect to a specific disease for which required surveillance, control and biosecurity measures have been applied for the purpose of international trade.  
Manual  
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals 
 
Official Veterinarian 
A veterinarian authorised by the Competent Authority of the country to perform certain 
designated official tasks associated with animal health and/or public health and 
inspections of commodities and, when appropriate, to certify in conformity with the 
provisions of the Section 5.2 of the Terrestrial Code pertaining to principles of certification 
 
OIE 
The World Organisation for Animal Health  
Permit to import  
A permit issued by the Director General of MPI pursuant to section 22 of the 
Biosecurity Act 1993  Prescribed diagnostic test 
The diagnostic test(s) which can be used for international trade when the OIE Code 
recommends a testing procedure for international trade in a commodity 
 
Import Health Standard for Commercial Poultry Hatching Eggs & Specific-Pathogen-Free Eggs from Chickens 11 June 2012 
COMMEGIC.GEN  
Production Cycle 
The production cycle refers to all operations between and including the hatching, 
breeder farms and the egg handling facilities associated with a consignment for 
export to New Zealand.  
 
Specific-pathogen-free (SPF) eggs 
Eggs from chickens in a specific-pathogen-free (SPF) flock. A SPF flock is one which 
meets the minimum requirements of Section 5.2.2 "Chicken flocks free from specified pathogens for the production and quality control of vaccines" of the European 
Pharmacopoeia 
 
Transitional Facility 
(a) 
any place approved as a transitional facility in accordance with section 39 [of 
the Biosecurity Act 1993] for the purpose of inspection, testing, storage, 
treatment, holding or destruction of uncleared goods; or  
(b) a part of a port declared to be a transitional facility in accordance with section 
39 [of the Biosecurity Act 1993] 
 
Veterinary Certificate 
A certificate, issued in conformity with the provisions of Chapter 5.2 of the OIE Code , 
describing the animal health and/or public health requirements which are fulfilled by 
the exported commodities 
 4 
 
Part B: General Requirements 
Approved Countries 
9. Countries must be approved by MPI to export commercial poultry hatching eggs or SPF 
eggs to New Zealand. A list of approved countries is included in the guidance document 
for this standard.    
10. MPI reserves the right to audit facilities from countries approved to export product to New 
Zealand. 
 
Documentation 
11. The eggs must be accompanied by the following documentation and the conditions of 
that documentation must be met:  
a) Copy of permit to import issued by MP I (see general information for importing live 
animals); and  
b) Veterinary/ Zoosanitary certificate / Negotiated export certificate;  c) Either 
i) 
A tabulated summary of laboratory tests conducted on parent flocks in 
accordance with the specific requirements in the Veterinary Certificate (indicating the relevant disease, the date/s sampled/ sample size/ test undertaken, and the 
reported result); 
Or 
ii) Copies of laboratory reports for all tests  
d) Details of any vaccination used on the parent flock, including date of administration, 
name and nature of vaccine is attached to the veterinary certificate. 
 
12. The documentation specified must :  
a) Be original; and 
b) Accompany the consignment ; and c) Be in English or have an English translation that is clear and legible;  
d) Be endorsed by the Official Veterinarian with their original stamp, signature and date 
on every page (except permit to import) or MPI approved alternative security features 
available for paper certificates.  
 
Approval of Specific Disease Free Compartments 
13. Specific disease free compartments must be approved by the exporting country’s 
Competent Authority and a biosecurity plan for the compartment submitted to MPI. (See Appendix E)  
14. MPI approval of the compartment is requir ed prior to an importer/exporter submitting an 
application for a permit to import a consignment.  
Laboratory 
15. Where diagnostic testing is required it must be conducted at a laboratory approved by the 
Competent Authority of the exporting country to conduct the required pre-export testing for poultry to supply commercial poultry hatching eggs or SPF eggs to New Zealand.  
16. Where flock testing options are used to satisfy specified requirements for identified risk 
organisms (Part C), sampling of birds for diagnostic testing must be randomised, and 
Import Health Standard for Commercial Poultry Hatching Eggs & Specific-Pathogen-Free Eggs from Chickens 11 June 2012 
COMMEGIC.GEN  
representative of the flock from which the product is derived and samples must be 
collected under the supervision of the Official Veterinarian.  
17. Laboratory samples from birds must be collected, processed, and stored in accordance 
with the recommendations in the Code  and/or Manual , and/or specified by MPI.  
18. OIE prescribed diagnostic test(s) for international trade must be used unless otherwise 
stated in the standard.  
 
Inspection 
19. The pre-export inspection requirements for commercial poultry hatching eggs are: 
a) 
The parent flock must be inspected by an Official Veterinarian within 21 days of 
collection of eggs for export. 
b) An officer approved by the Competent Authority must inspect the consignment within 
48 hours pre-shipment and verify that the consignment and accompanying documentation meets all the requirements of the import health standard. 
 
20. 
Post-arrival inspection of packaging and document verification is required by an Inspector 
at the port of arrival. An Official Veterinarian must complete a full inspection of consignments of commercial poultry hatching eggs and accompanying documentation once it is in the transitional facility. 
 
21. The inspection requirements for SPF eggs are the flock of origin must have been held, 
under supervision of an Official Veterinarian, for at least 30 days immediately prior to the scheduled date of export in isolation fac ilities approved by the exporting country’s 
Competent Authority. Any deaths or illnesses must have been investigated by an Official Veterinarian or by a registered veterinarian under the supervision of the Official 
Veterinarian. 
 
Labelling and Packaging 
22. Commercial poultry hatching eggs must be placed in a spill proof container and sealed 
into clean and disinfected crates, using an official seal, attached by an Official Veterinarian of the country of origin before departure. 
OR 
In the case of SPF eggs, the Official Veterinarian must confirm after due enquiry that the 
eggs were placed into clean spill proof containers and sealed into clean and disinfected crates inside the facilities before dispatch. 
23. The consignment must be clearly identified and identifiable to the Veterinary Certificate. 
 
Pre-export Isolation 
24. The parent birds must be kept in a count ry/zone/compartment free of the risk organisms, 
as described in Part C of this IHS, for at least 21 days prior to collection of eggs for export. As described in the Code Chapter on biosecurity procedures for poultry, parent 
birds must be kept isolated from all other birds.  
Treatment Requirements 
25. The eggs must be clean when collected, unwashed and have intact (uncracked) shells. 
They must be collected separately from dirty and broken or cracked eggs. Hatching eggs 
must be cleaned and sanitised as soon as possible after collection using an approved 
 6 
sanitising agent, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, or equivalent. Details 
of the treatment must be attached to the Veterinary Certificate. 
Transport 
26. Details of transport and arrival times of must be supplied to an Inspector and/or Official 
Veterinarian at the port of entry not less than 7 days in advance of importation.  
27. Transport containers must meet the design and species specification published in the 
International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animals Regulations (LAR), unless 
otherwise agreed by MPI. 
 
28. 
Containers made of timber must be inspected by an authorised Inspector at the arrival 
port and must comply with the IHS for Importing Wood Packaging Material from All 
Countries.  
29. The vehicle the eggs are transported to the port of departure in must be cleaned and 
disinfected. The date of treatment, the chemical(s) used, and the active ingredients must be appended to the Veterinary Certificate. 
 
30. 
During transport to the port of departure, and during transit or stopovers on route to New 
Zealand, hatching eggs must only be transported or stored with animals of equivalent health status. They must not pass through any notifiable avian disease areas during transportation.  
31. Eggs transiting a third country en route to New Zealand must receive MPI approval prior 
to export. MPI approval and any special conditions must be noted on the permit to import. 
 
 
Biosecurity Direction 
32. Upon arrival in New Zealand, an Inspector must inspect the consignment to ensure the 
packaging is intact and the accompanying doc umentation is as described in part 11 and 
12. An Official Veterinarian will complete a full inspection of commercial poultry hatching 
egg consignments and accompanying documentation once they are in the transitional 
facility.  
33. The consignment must be compliant to MPI standard for General Transitional Facilities 
for Uncleared Goods Annex O (BNZ-STD-TFGEN). An authorised MPI inspector at the arrival port must confirm all aspects of BNZ-STD-TFGEN are met. 
 34. Providing the documentation meets all requirements listed in part 10 and 11, an Inspector 
under section 25 of the Biosecurity Act 1993, may give a biosecurity direction authorising the consignment to be moved to the approved avian or biological transitional facility named in the Import Permit. 
 
Post Arrival Quarantine 
35. Commercial poultry hatching eggs must be incubated, hatched and hatchlings raised in a 
transitional facility approved and supervised by the Authorised Supervisor to MPI Standard 154.02.05 Standard for Avian Transitional Facilities. Commercial hatching egg consignments must comply with post-arrival quarantine (PAQ) requirements as described 
in Part E, Appendix 2. 
 
36. SPF eggs may be used within a transitional facility approved to MPI Standard 154.02.17 
Transitional Facilities for Biological Products; and operate at a minimum physical containment level 2 (PC2). The eggs and any resultant chickens shall remain in the 
Import Health Standard for Commercial Poultry Hatching Eggs & Specific-Pathogen-Free Eggs from Chickens 11 June 2012 
COMMEGIC.GEN  
transitional facility and be destroyed at the conclusion of the work, triple bagged and 
incinerated. Alternatively SPF eggs may be hatched in an avian transitional facility (154.02.05) and released as per the requirements for commercial poultry hatching eggs 
in 38 above.
 
 
Biosecurity Clearance 
37. A person authorised under the Biosecurit y Act 1993 may issue biosecurity clearance 
once the consignment has met all of the conditions for import and post arrival testing 
prescribed in appendix 2 with negative results. 
 
38. 
No clearance shall be issued for SPF eggs, products derived from those eggs or any 
resultant chickens held in a transitional facility for biological products (154.02.17).  
 
 8 
 
Part C: Specified Requirements for Identified Risk Organisms 
 
See guidance document for Model Veterinary Certification for specific requirements 
for country of export.  
The Competent Authority of the exporting country is required to issue a signed, stamped and 
dated Veterinary Certificate declaring: 
 
For commercial poultry hatching eggs and SPF eggs from chickens: 
Clinical inspection (all poultry) 
39. For commercial poultry hatching eggs, 21 days prior to collection of the eggs, the birds in 
the parent flock of origin must have been inspected and found to be free of clinical evidence of infectious disease. The parent flock must be compliant with the standards described in the OIE Code  Chapter on biosecurity procedures in poultry production.  
 
40. 
For SPF eggs, the flock of origin must have been held, under supervision of an Official 
Veterinarian, for at least 30 days immediately prior to the scheduled date of export in isolation facilities approved by the exporting countries Competent Authority. Any deaths or illnesses must have been investigated by an Official Veterinarian.  
 
Highly pathogenic notifiable avian infl uenza viruses (HPNAI) (all poultry) 
41. The eggs must be derived from parent birds that have been resident for at least the 21 
days before, and during, egg collection in a country/zone/compartment that was free from HPNAI, with current Code  surveillance requirements being met for avian influenza.  
 
AND  
42. The eggs for export must be derived from parent birds with a vaccination status of: 
 
a) Not vaccinated for avian influenza;  
Or 
 b) Vaccinated for avian influenza in accordanc e with the provisions of the Manual and 
the nature of the vaccine used and the date of vaccination have been attached to the 
certificate.  
 
Avian paramyxoviruses type 1 (APMV- 1), Newcastle disease (ND)(all poultry) 
43. The eggs must be derived from parent birds that have been resident for at least the 21 
days before, and during, egg collection in a country/zone/compartment that was free from 
APMV-1, with current Code  surveillance requirements being met for APMV-1.  
 
AND 
 
44. The eggs for export must be derived from parent birds with a vaccination status of; 
 
a) Not vaccinated for APMV-1;  
 
Import Health Standard for Commercial Poultry Hatching Eggs & Specific-Pathogen-Free Eggs from Chickens 11 June 2012 
COMMEGIC.GEN  
 
  
OR 
 
b) Vaccinated with a live, lentogenic, APMV-1 vaccine strain, where sequence analysis 
of the F0 gene has demonstrated no more than two basic amino acids between 
residues 113 and 116 and no phenylalanine at residue 117, in accordance with the 
provisions of the Manual, and the nature of the vaccine used and the date of 
vaccination have been attached to the veterinary certificate. 
 
Salmonella Gallinarum-Pullorum (all poultry) 
45. The eggs for export must be derived from poultry in a country/zone/compartment free 
from S. Gallinarum-Pullorum  as demonstrated by surveillance, conducted in accordance 
with the Code requirements for monitoring poultry breeding flocks for Salmonella, and 
approved by MPI: 
 
OR 
 
46. 
The eggs for export must be derived from a parent flock certified as free from S. 
Gallinarum-Pullorum . Flock monitoring must have been carried out in accordance with 
the Code  requirements for monitoring poultry breeding flocks for Salmonella.  
 
Salmonella arizonae (turkeys only) 
 47. The turkey hatching eggs must be,  
a) 
 derived from poultry in a country/zone/compartment free from S. arizonae as 
demonstrated by surveillance, conducted in accordance with the Code requirements for 
monitoring poultry breeding flocks for Salmonella, and approved by MPI;  OR  
b) derived from a parent flock certified fr ee from S. arizonae. Flock monitoring must 
have been carried out in accordance with the Code requirements for monitoring poultry 
breeding flocks for Salmonella.  
 
OR 
 
c) derived from flocks demonstrated to be free of S. arizonae by testing at least 60 birds 
within the 7 day period before collection of the hatching eggs commenced with either: 
i)  Salmonella culture on samples of pooled faeces or intestinal content; or ii) A MPI approved diagnostic test. 
 
Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (all poultry) 
48. The eggs must be derived from parent flocks in a country where Ornithobacterium 
rhinotracheale is not recognised;  
 
OR 
 49. The eggs must be derived from parent flocks shown to be free of Ornithobacterium 
rhinotracheale by a serological test, pre-approved by MPI. A sufficient sample size was 
 10 
tested to give 99% confidence of detecting prevalence in the flock of 25% (sample size of 
16 required) within 21 days of commencement of collection of eggs for export. 
 
Mycoplasma (turkeys only) 
50.  100% of the parent flock must be tested with negative results for Mycoplasma 
meleagridis  with a slide agglutination test or haemaglutination test.  
 
51. 10% of the birds in the parent flock must be subjected with negative results in each case 
to cloacal swab culture for Mycoplasma iowae .  
 
In the case 
of positive or inconclusive results, a further sample must be taken and 
retested by ELISA at a Competent Authority approved laboratory. Any bird positive to this test must be subject to post mortem and bacteriological examination and show no evidence of Mycoplasma infection. 
 
Duck virus enteritis (DVE)  (ducks only) 
52. The eggs for export must be derived from a parent flock not vaccinated for DVE. 
 
AND EITHER 
 
53. 
The duck hatching eggs must be derived from a parent flock in a country where DVE is 
not recognised. 
 
OR 
 54. The eggs must be derived from parent flocks tested by PCR, virus isolation or a MPI-
approved test to demonstrate flock freedom from DVE.   
 
OR 
 55. If the parent flock cannot be deemed free of DVE post-arrival quarantine testing is 
required (as described in Part E, appendix 2). 
 
Goose parvovirus and Muscovy duck Parvovirus (ducks only) 
56. The duck hatching eggs must be from breeds other than Muscovy duck (Cairina 
moshata ) and their hybrids.  
 
OR 
 
57. The Muscovy duck hatching eggs (or hybrid Muscovy duck hatching eggs) must be 
derived from a parent flock in a country where Muscovy duck parvovirus and goose parvovirus is not recognised. 
 
OR 
 
58. If the country of origin of the Muscovy duck hatching eggs (or hybrid Muscovy duck 
hatching eggs) cannot be deemed as free of Muscovy duck parvovirus or goose 
parvovirus post arrival quarantine is required as described in Part E, appendix 2.   
Import Health Standard for Commercial Poultry Hatching Eggs & Specific-Pathogen-Free Eggs from Chickens 11 June 2012 
COMMEGIC.GEN  
Reovirus of Muscovy ducks  (ducks only) 
59. The duck hatching eggs must be from breeds other than Muscovy duck (Cairina 
moshata ) and their hybrids, 
 
OR 
 
60. In the case of Muscovy duck hatching eggs (or hybrid Muscovy duck hatching eggs) they 
must be derived from a parent flock in a country where DRV is not been recognised. 
 
OR 
 
61. 
If the country of origin of the Muscovy duck hatching eggs (or hybrid Muscovy duck 
hatching eggs) cannot be deemed free of DRV post-arrival quarantine is required as described in Part E, appendix 2. 
 
Avian chlamydiosis  (ducks only) 
62. The duck hatching eggs must be derived from parent flocks in a country where 
Chlamydia psittaci (serovar C and E)  in ducks is not recognised. 
 
OR 
 
63. 
The duck hatching eggs must be derived from parent flocks where ongoing surveillance 
has demonstrated flock freedom from C. psittaci (Serovar C and E). 
 
OR 
 64. If the parent flock cannot be deemed free of C. psittaci (Serovar C and E) post-arrival 
quarantine testing is required (as described in Part E, appendix 2). 
 
Part D: Equivalence 
 
The requirements for commercial poultry hatching eggs are met if, in the opinion of the 
Director-General, the measures taken for managing the risks associated with the importation 
of those goods, are equally effective at managi ng those risks as the requirements specified 
in (1) to (64) above.  If an equivalence measure (s) is approved MPI will issue an Import Permit (under Section 22 of the Biosecurity Act). 
 
 
  
 12 
 
Part E: Appendices  
Appendix 1 
Compartment Requirements 
 
If the option of importing from a specified disease free compartment is selected for 
an
y of the identified risk organisms the following steps must be addressed prior to an 
application for a permit to import: 
 
1. A biosecurity plan, according to the Code , and endorsed by the exporting country’s 
Competent Authority is submitted to MPI. 
2. The biosecurity plan is approved by MPI as meeting requirements of a specific disease 
free compartment (this work will be prioritised by MPI and the timeline for completion will be subject to resource availability). 
3. Records of procedures and systems (including test results) of all establishments forming 
the compartment, for at least the 12 months preceding the application for an import permit, must be available on request. 
4. 
Approval of the biosecurity plan by MPI may include an audit, at the importer/exporter’s 
expense. 
The following documents must be submitted to MPI with an application for a permit to import: 
1. Original letter dated, officially stamped and signed by the Competent Authority of the 
exporting country: 
 Stating that the compartment’s Biosecurity plan under which trade is eligible to occur 
has been officially endorsed; 
 Stating that the surveillance and monitoring programme in place has been audited 
against the biosecurity plan and that the Competent Authority is satisfied that it can 
verify that the compartment is free of the disease for which the compartment is formed. 
2. Original letter dated, officially stamped and signed by the Competent Authority of the 
exporting country: 
 Certifying that the compartment has been maintained free of the disease for which 
the compartment is formed for at least the 12 months preceding the application for an 
import permit; 
 Stating that records of procedures and systems (including test results) of the 
establishment(s) forming the compartment, for at least the 12 months preceding the application for an import permit, are available to MPI upon request; 
 Stating that all procedures, systems and characteristics of the establishment(s) 
forming the compartment have been maintained and are identical to those described in the approved biosecurity plan. 
3. A permit to import from MPI serves as ev idence of approval of the compartment. Once 
provided to the prospective importer/exporter the permit to import shall be valid for 12 
months, after which there will be an annual reassessment of the compartment by the Competent Authority of the exporting country and MPI.  
4. The exporting company must receive either a faxed copy, or a scanned and emailed 
copy, of the permit to import, at least 21 days prior to commencing collection of eggs for export to New Zealand.  
5. MPI reserves the right to audit facilities from countries approved to export hatching eggs 
to New Zealand. 
Import Health Standard for Commercial Poultry Hatching Eggs & Specific-Pathogen-Free Eggs from Chickens 11 June 2012 
COMMEGIC.GEN  
 14Appendix 2 
Post Arrival Quarantine Requirement s for Commercial poultry hatching eggs 
1. The post arrival quarantine (PAQ) facility must be approved by MPI as a transitional 
facility approved to MPI Standard 154.02.05 Standard for Avian Transitional Facilities and 
be under the supervision of an Authorised Supervisor. 
2. Written approval/advice from the Authorised Supervisor must be provided with the 
application for permit to import. 
3. PAQ stay, testing, treatments and procedures must be undertaken under supervision of 
the Authorised Supervisor. 
4. Regular inspections will be made by the Authorised Supervisor. 
5. Any unusual deaths, increase in mortality rate or illness must be immediately reported to 
the authorised supervisor or the MPI hotline 0800 80 99 66 and carcasses retained for possible post-mortem examination. 
6. A representative sample of birds must be tested at or after 21 days of hatching for avian 
influenza and Newcastle disease (APMV-1) with negative results. Where serology is to 
be used, testing should be conducted at least 4 weeks after hatching to prevent 
interference of maternal antibodies. The sample size must be sufficient to confirm that the flock is free of infection with at least 99% confidence of detecting 5% prevalence.  
7. For avian influenza virus and Newcastle disease, testing can be serology, RT-PCR or 
viral isolation from cloacal or choanal swabs (or other prescribed test in the Terrestrial 
Manual, or approved by MPI). 
8. A representative sample of dead chicks, embryos and dead-in-shell chicks must be 
tested for avian influenza and APMV.  
9. Any positive results for AI or ND must be reported to MPI IDC. Any APMV isolate must be 
identified to serotype level, particularly for APMV-1, otherwise any APMV isolated will be 
assumed to be one of 9 APMV types (APMV1- APMV 9) including NDV. Any AI isolate 
must be identified to HA subtype, particularly for H5 or H7, otherwise any AI isolated will be assumed to be one of 16 subtypes including HPNAI. 
10. Where duck hatching eggs are not from a country or flock free of DVE, a representative 
sample of dead chicks, embryos, dead in-shell chicks and a representative sample of hatchlings must be tested for DVE virus by PCR or virus isolation with negative results.  
11. Where duck hatching eggs are not from a country or flock free from Chlamydia psittaci 
(serovar C and E), a representative sample of hatchlings must be tested serologically with negative results.  Any dead hatchlings or dead-in-shell chicks must be examined to detect the presence of C. psittaci  using histochemical staining of liver and spleen 
impression smears. 
12. Muscovy duck hatchlings (and their hybrids) must be tested, with negative results, by 
serology or a MPI approved test (such as PCR), at least three weeks after hatching, for Goose parvovirus and Muscovy duck parvovirus and DRV, unless from a country deemed free of these organisms. 
13. Turkey hatchlings must be tested negative for TRTV if any respiratory signs are evident 
during post-arrival quarantine. 
14. Testing must be conducted by laboratories approved by MPI, to conduct the specific tests 
required. 
15. No compensation will be paid for any birds slaughtered as a result of test for disease or 
for diagnosis.  
16. MPI reserves the right to remove birds and or specimens for any tests that may be 
desired at any time. 
17. A person authorised under the Biosecurity Act 1993 shall issue biosecurity clearance 
once the consignment has met all of the conditions for import