. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/AUS/203/Add.2 
3 July 2009  
 (09-3262) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
Addendum
 
  
The following communication, received on 30 June 2009, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of Australia
. 
 
_______________  
  
Update to the Import Risk Analysis Handbook 2007
 
 
Reforms to Australia's Import Risk Analysis  (IRA) process were notified on 27 October 2006 
(G/SPS/N/AUS/203), and on 17 September 2007 (G/SPS/N/AUS/203/Add.1) on commencement of the Quarantine Amendment Regulation 2007 (No.1) .  The commencement of these regulations was 
accompanied by the release of the Import Risk Analysis Handbook 2007 . 
 
In 2008, the Australian Government commissi oned an independent review of Australia's 
quarantine and biosecurity arrangements.  The review panel's report — One Biosecurity:  a working 
partnership — and the government's preliminary response we re released on 18 December 2008.  In its 
preliminary response, the government agreed in-pri nciple to the review panel's 84 recommendations.  
Further information on the review is available at: http://www.daff.gov.au/about/publications/quarantin e-biosecurity-report-and-preliminary-response
. 
 
Changes proposed by the panel are extens ive and wide-ranging, and the government's 
response will take some time and will be subject  to normal budget process.  A number of interim 
institutional arrangements have b een implemented in anticipation of longer term changes to 
Australia's biosecurity system.  As of 1 July 2 009, those interim institutional arrangements include 
consolidation of biosecurity functions within the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, 
Fisheries and Forestry;  expanding the Eminent Sc ientists Group to include an eminent economist; 
and from mid-July 2009 the appointment of a Biosecurity Advisory Council to replace the Quarantine 
and Exports Advisory Council. 
 
As part of the consolidation of the biosecurity functions w ithin the Australian Government 
Department of Agriculture, Fisher ies and Forestry, from 1 July 2009, Biosecurity Australia will no 
longer be listed as a prescribed agency under the Financial Management and Accountability 
Regulations 1997 .  A minor consequential amendment has been made to the Quarantine Regulations 
2000  to omit the definition of Biosecurity Australia;  however Biosecurity Australia will continue to 
exist as an administrative unit for the conduct of import risk analyses (IRAs ) according Australia's 
regulated IRA process, as notified in G/SPS/N/AUS/203/Add.1.   
Australia's regulated process for conducting IR As will continue to operate unchanged by 
these interim institutional arrangements.  These interi m arrangements are not expected to impact on 
international trade, rather they are a step towa rds enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of G/SPS/N/AUS/203/Add.2 
Page 2  
 
  Australia's quarantine and biosecurity system.  The Import Risk Analysis Handbook 2007  has been 
updated to reflect these interim institutional arrangements.  
This addendum concerns a: 
  [   ] Modification of final date for comments 
 [   ] Notification of adoption, publication or entry into force of regulation  [ X ] Modification of content and/or scope of previously notified draft regulation 
 [   ] Withdrawal of proposed regulation  [   ] Change in proposed date of adoptio n, publication or date of entry into force 
 [   ] Other:    
 
Comment period: (If the addendum extends the scope of th e 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, th e 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) :   
 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National Notification Authority, [   ] 
National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body
: 
 
Text available from:  [   ] National  Notification Authority, [   ] Na tional Enquiry Point.  Address, 
fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body : 
 
The updated Import Risk Analysis Handbook 2007  is available on the Australian Government 
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website at http://www.daff.gov.au/irahandbook . 
 The Quarantine Regulations 2000  is available on Commonwealth of Australia Law website, 
ComLaw, at: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/legislation/legisl ativeinstrumentcompila tion1.nsf/current/bytitle/
DA413F48F8983E81CA25 7472007FAF66?OpenDocument&mostrecent=1 . 
 The full text of the update can also be obtained from:  Australian SPS Contact Point 
GPO Box 858 
Canberra ACT 2601 Australia Fax:  +(61 2) 6272 5446  E-mail:  sps.contact@daff.gov.au   
 
__________