Guidance Document for the Import Health Standard                            29 March 2011                                1 of 9  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Guidance Document 
For  
Hides and Skins 
 
Hidcomic.all 
 
 
 
 
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand 
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 
P.O Box 2526 
Wellington 6011 
New Zealand 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hides and Skins   
Guidance Document for the Import Health Standard                            29 March 2011                                2 of 9 
Hides and Skins   
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
PART A. INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................3  
Foreword ..............................................................................................................................................3  
Review and amendment ........................................................................................................................3  
Contact details ......................................................................................................................................3  
PART B. GENERAL GUIDANCE ..................................................................................................................4  
Permit to Import ....................................................................................................................................4  
Costs ....................................................................................................................................................4  
Countries free from Foot and Mouth Disease .........................................................................4  
Tanning process ...................................................................................................................................5  
Anthrax regulations ..............................................................................................................................5  
Samples of hides and skins ..................................................................................................................5  
PART C. MODEL VETERINARY CERTIFICATE ............................................................................................6  
PART D. COUNTRY SPECIFIC AGREED VETERINARY CERTIFICATES .......................................................7  
European Union ....................................................................................................................................7  
PART E. GLOSSARY ..................................................................................................................................8  
PART F. PREVIOUS IMPORT HEALTH STANDARDS ..................................................................................9  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Guidance Document for the Import Health Standard                            29 March 2011                                3 of 9 
Hides and Skins  PART A. INTRODUCTION 
 
Foreword 
 
This guidance document has been issued to accompany the MAF Standard, Import 
Health Standard for Hides and Skins- HIDCOMIC.ALL (the “standard”). It is not a 
legally binding document  and, although it can be read independently of the standard, 
it should be read in conjunction with it to ensure that all matters relating to meeting 
the requirements of the standard are fully understood. 
 
 
 
 
 
Review and amendment  
 
This Guidance Document is subject to review and amendment at any time to ensure that it continues to meet its purpose. All stakeholders are responsible for ensuring 
that the most recent version of the Guidance Document, as available on the MAF 
website, is used.  
 
 
 
 
 
Contact details 
 
For all matters relating to the standard and this Guidance Document, please contact:  
Animal Imports Team, 
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand,  
PO Box 2526,  
WELLINGTON 6011  
Fax: +64 4 894 0733 
Email : animalimports@maf.govt.nz   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Guidance Document for the Import Health Standard                            29 March 2011                                4 of 9 
Hides and Skins  PART B. GENERAL GUIDANCE  
Permit to Import 
Where required under the standard a Permit to Import must accompany the hides 
and skins. Application forms can be accessed at 
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/regs/imports/animals/forms   
 
The application must specify the transitional facility where the hides and skins will be further processed. Transitional facilities must first be approved by MAF, information about transitional facilities can be found online at 
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/regs/trans/stds . 
 
Please allow a minimum of 10 working days for permit processing and once processed the permit will be sent out electronically.   
 
Costs 
The costs to MAF in performing functions relating to the importation of hides and skins must be recovered under the Biosecurity Act and associated regulations. All costs involved with documentation, transport, storage, and obtaining clearance must be covered by the importer/agent.  
 
Countries free from Foot  and Mouth Disease 
New Zealand, as a member of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), recognises countries or zones as free from Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in accordance with chapter 8.5 of the 
Terrestrial Animal Health Code .  
 
Zone freedom recognition is the same as that published on the OIE website . Users 
are advised to check the suspension/reinstatement of status  webpage in addition to 
that given above for the most current status.  
 
Should users wish to clarify zones or current status reports contact MAF using the contact details above. 
 
List of FMD free countries  
 
Albania Germany New Caledonia 
Australia Greece New Zealand 
Austria Guatemala Nicaragua 
Belarus Guyana Norway 
Belgium Haiti Panama 
Belize Honduras Poland 
Bosnia and Herzegovina Hungary Portugal 
Brunei Iceland Romania 
Canada Indonesia San Marino 
Chile Ireland Serbia (1)  
Costa Rica Italy Singapore  
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Hides and Skins  Croatia Japan Slovakia 
Cuba Latvia Slovenia 
Cyprus Lesotho Spain 
Czech Rep. Lithuania Swaziland 
Denmark Luxembourg Sweden 
Dominican Republic Madagascar Switzerland 
El Salvador Malta Ukraine 
Estonia Mauritius United Kingdom 
Finland Mexico United States of America 
Former Yug. Rep. of 
Macedonia Montenegro Uruguay 
France Netherlands Vanuatu 
(1) Excluding Kosovo administered by the United Nations  
 
Tanning process 
The many processes involved in tanning are explained in MAF’s risk analysis 
document for hides and skins. http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/regs/imports/ihs/risk   
 
Anthrax regulations  
Consignments of hair or bristle, and articles made from hair or bristle imported into 
New Zealand must comply with the Anthrax Regulations 1987. These requirements 
are independent of the Import Health Standard requirements and are managed by 
New Zealand Ministry of Health. Importers that intend to import such products into New Zealand are advised to contact the Ministry of Health for further information. 
 
Samples of hides and skins 
It is recognised that there is a need for samples of hides and skins to be imported from time to time. As such, trade samples of hides and skins for research or evaluation can be imported under permit into a biological transitional facility under a separate Standard (see- 
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/ihs/search ).  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Guidance Document for the Import Health Standard                            29 March 2011                                6 of 9 PART C. MODEL VETERINARY CERTIFICATE 
Veterinary certificates should be produc ed in accordance with the guidelines and 
overarching principles of the OIE Code (Chapter 5). This model certificate is intended 
as a guide only.  
 
2.  Certificate reference number: 
 1.Exporter: 
      Name: 
      Address: 3.  Veterinary Authority: 
 
4.Importer: 
     Name: 
 
     Address: 
 
5. Country of origin: 
  6.   Zone or compartment of origin: 
 
7. Country of destination:                                      
8.  Port of departure: 9.  Date of departure: 
11.  Species derived from: 10.  Means of transport: 
 
      Aeroplane            Ship             12. Hides and skins derived from animals born 
and reared in:   
14. Net weight (kg):  13. Description of commodity: 
 
15. Total quantity: 
16.  Temperature of product: 
 Ambient                Chilled                 Frozen 17.  Total number of packages: 
18.  Identification of container/serial number: 19.  Type of packaging: 
20.  Processing establishment 
name, address, and ID number: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hides and Skins   
Guidance Document for the Import Health Standard                            29 March 2011                                7 of 9 Zoo-sanitary Attestations  Certificate reference number: 
 
21. I the undersigned Official Veterinarian after due examination certify that: * 
 
* All attestations must be written out in full as per the import health standard. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This certificate is valid for 4 months from the date of issue (unless revoked) 
 
Official Veterinarian: 
 
Name and address (in capital letters):                                Official  Position: 
 
Date:                                                                                    Signature: 
 
Hides and Skins   
 
 
 
 
     Official stamp/seal 
 
 
 
PART D. COUNTRY SPECIFIC AG REED VETERINARY CERTIFICATES  
 
Agreed veterinary certificates are negotiated with prospective countries where 
alternative attestations are recognised as providing an equivalent level of protection for hides and skins exported to New Zealand. Where these have negotiated the specific veterinary certificate attestations can be found below. 
 
 European Union 
The animal products herein described, comply with the relevant European Union 
animal health/public health standards and requirements which have been recognised 
as equivalent to New Zealand standards and requirements as prescribed in Council 
Decision 97/132/EC, as last amended, specifically, in accordance with: Council 
Directive 64/433/EEC, Council Directive 72/461/EEC, Council Directive 91/495/EEC 
and Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002. 
AND  
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Hides and Skins  The animal product is eligible for intra-community trade without restriction. 
For hides and skins which have been exported into the European Union from a 
third country  and are subsequently eligible for export to New Zealand, the following 
additional declarations on the veterinary certificate must be attested to: 
 
The product described herein was derived/partly derived from product which: 
 
1. Was imported into the European Union from…………(insert country of origin) 
2. Was further stored, handled, processed, wrapped, and/or packaged in an 
establishment which is eligible to process product for the intra-community trade, 
3. Originated in a third country/countries and establishment(s) listed by the 
European Community and is eligible for export to the European Union  
 
A copy of the original import certificate is to be attached to the signed member state 
veterinary certificate. This copy is to be endorsed ‘certified copy of original’ by the 
official veterinarian. 
 
 
PART E. GLOSSARY 
 
 
Commercial consignment means  a consignment imported for resale and not as 
personal property. 
 
Competent Authority means the Veterinary Authority or other Governmental 
Authority of an OIE Member having 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. 
 
Official veterinarian means a veterinarian authorised by the Veterinary 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 Code means the World Organisation for Animal Health Terrestrial Animal Health 
Code. Any reference in the standard to the OIE Code is to the most current as found on the OIE website: 
http://www.oie.int/eng/normes/en_mcode.htm
 
Pickling means the process of soaking a hide or skin in an acid based solution in 
preparation for tanning.    
 
Veterinary Authority means the Governmental Authority of an OIE Member, 
comprising veterinarians, and other professionals, having 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.  
 
Veterinary certificate means 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.  
  
Guidance Document for the Import Health Standard                            29 March 2011                                9 of 9 
Hides and Skins   
PART F. PREVIOUS IMPORT HEALTH STANDARDS 
 
This standard revokes and replaces the following MAF standards: 
 
o MAF Biosecurity Standard HIDCOMIC.AUS – Cattle/sheep/goat/deer/horse 
hides and skins untanned from Australia 06-May-2000 
o MAF Biosecurity Standard HIDCOMIC.EEC – Cattle, goat, sheep, pig or deer 
hides and skins from the European Union 11-10-2004 
o MAF Biosecurity Standard HIDCOMIC.NCA – Cattle hides and skins 
untanned from New Caledonia 25-08-1998 
o MAF Biosecurity Standard HIDCOMIC.SPE – Cattle/sheep/goat/deer hides 
and skins untanned from specified countries 29-06-2004 
o MAF Biosecurity Standard HIDCOMIC.VAN – Cattle hides and skins 
untanned from Vanuatu  05-05-1997 
o MAF Biosecurity Standard HIDCUTIC.ALL – Hide Cuttings and Splits Dry 
Limed from all counties 15-01-1998 
o MAF Biosecurity Standard HIDRECIC.ALL – Cattle/sheep/goat hides and 
skins samples untanned of New Zealand origin from all countries 02-11-1998 
o MAF Biosecurity Standard HIDRESIC.ALL – Cattle/sheep/goat hides and 
skins samples untanned of New Zealand origin from all countries 15-01-1998 
o MAF Biosecurity Standard HIDSAMIC.SPE – Cattle/sheep/goat/deer samples 
hides and skins untanned from specified countries 28-06-2004 
o MAF Biosecurity Standard HIDSCAIC.WSA – Cattle hides salted from 
Western Samoa 15-01-1998 15-01-1998 
o MAF Biosecurity Standard HIDSHGIC.ICE – Sheep and goat skins, 
pickled/salted, wool-on from Iceland 
o MAF Biosecurity Standard HIDSLIIC.AUS – Calf/lamb slink skins untanned 
from Australia 09-05-2000