AUS/467
WTO/SPS
AU Australien
  • 67 - Lebensmitteltechnologie
2019-03-17
2019-02-08

All imported foods

Remaking of the Imported Food Control Order; Exposure Draft of the Imported Food Control Order 2019; Exposure Draft of the Imported Food Control Order 2019 Explanatory Notes. Language(s): English. Number of pages: 2, 9, 2

The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (the department) is remaking the Imported Food Control Order (the Order).

Food imported to Australia for commercial purposes is regulated by law. These laws include:

-         Imported Food Control Act 1992

(http://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/goods/food/reform)

-         Imported Food Control Regulations 1993

(http://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/goods/food/imported-food-control-regulations)

-         Imported Food Control Order 2001

(http://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/goods/food/review-imported-food-control-order)

The Imported Food Control Order 2001 will 'sunset' on 1 October 2019. This means it will be automatically repealed and cease to be law. To remain law, the department will now remake the Order.

The department has reviewed the Order and determined it is still required to:

-         support the operation of the Imported Food Inspection Scheme (the Scheme);

-         enable the Scheme to verify risk foods imported into Australia;

-         comply with the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Purpose of the Order

The current Imported Food Order supports the operation of the Scheme. It:

-         enables the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources to identify and classify imported food as risk food or compliance agreement food;

-         enables the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources to identify risk food that must be covered by a recognised foreign government certificate;

-         supports our obligations under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (TTMRA).

Identify and classify foods

Classification of foods as risk foods or compliance agreement food:

-         allows us to set arrangements for the inspection or inspection and analysis of imported foods subject to the Scheme;

-         supports importers who enter into a voluntary Food Import Compliance Agreement (FICA) (http://agriculture.gov.au/import/goods/food/inspection-compliance/food-import-compliance-agreements-fica). Foods subject to a FICA are exempt from inspection and analysis.

Mandatory foreign government certification

The Order identifies risk foods products that must be covered by a recognised foreign government certificate. This is a government-to-government certification arrangement with the national competent authority of the country exporting food to Australia providing assurance that the food has been produced safely.

Obligations under the TTMRA

Under the Order, we can identify New Zealand products that require or do not require inspection or inspection and analysis under the Scheme.

-         Schedule 1: Most risk foods identified are exempt from the Scheme when imported from New Zealand. Schedule 2: Identifies foods from New Zealand that require inspection or inspection and analysis.