Alerts

Who does this notice affect?

Importers of animal hair and fibre, lanolin and wool grease and wool and woollen articles.

What has changed?

The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources is currently undertaking an Import Conditions Review (ICR) to contribute to the delivery of a key initiative in the Australian Government’s 2015 Agriculture Competitiveness White Paper.

The review of animal hair and fibre, lanolin and wool grease and wool was recently finalised. Key changes are summarised below and the new import conditions will be published in BICON on 25 January 2018.

Several BICON cases have been merged into a single BICON case.

The following BICON cases have been merged:

• Animal hair and fibre (exc. wool)
  

• Lanolin and wool grease
  

• Wool
  

A new BICON case has been created:

Natural fibres (and their derivatives) of animal origin.

The pathways from the original BICON cases have been streamlined into the following 5 pathways:

1. Personal use
   

2. Silk or silkworm cocoons (without pupae)
   

3. Wool grease or derivative (e.g. lanolin)
   

4. Wool/fibre from sheep, goats or camelids
   

5. Animal hair, fibre or bristles (other than from sheep, goats or camelids)
   

Changes to import conditions for Animal hair and fibre:

• The requirement for an import permit for silkworm cocoons (without the silkworm) has been removed.
  

• The requirement for scouring of goods (other than for animal/human grooming) has been removed.
  

Changes to import conditions for Lanolin and wool grease:

• The end use has been changed to exclude ‘Stock feed’.
  

• There are specific alternative conditions for vitamin D3 if derived from wool grease and used in stock feed.
  

Changes to import conditions for Wool

• Wool must be sourced from countries approved as free from Foot and Mouth disease and Capripox disease or be treated to mitigate this risk.
  

• Approved treatment methods to manage biosecurity risks associated with wool have been standardised.
  

• The required import documentation has been clarified: health certificates or government endorsed manufacturer’s declarations must attest to all treatments and the country/ies where the wool was sourced and manufactured.
  

• The term health certificate replaces the terms official government veterinary certificate and government veterinary certificate.
  

• It has been clarified that wool and fibre imported under these conditions must only be sourced from sheep, goats and camelids.
  

Please note there will be a transition period until 4 March 2018. During this period relevant goods arriving into Australia meeting either the new or previous import conditions will be cleared. From 5 March 2018 (inclusive) all imports of wool and woollen products must comply with the new import conditions.

Further information

For additional information please refer to the changes to import conditions for wool and woollen articles industry notice.

Alternatively, please contact ABIABImportConditionsReview@agriculture.gov.au or phone 1800 900 090 (Prompt 1, then Prompt 1, and ask for the Animal Import Conditions Review section).