The confirmation of an African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in Belgium — and its potential threat to the European market — caused Australian authorities to make changes on import regulations for pig meat and commodities such as laboratory goods containing or potentially contaminated with pig material (porcine). These items, when sourced from Belgium, will no longer meet current import requirements and are considered to pose a high biosecurity risk.
The Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has now established that shippers must clarify if their material contains porcine biological products. There are no changes for pharmaceutical products declared as 100% synthetic entering Australia.
We recommend:
- If the consignment does not contain porcine material originating (manufactured) in Belgium, please make sure the Shipper’s Manufacture Statement is attached to every consignment
- If the material contains porcine gelatin from Belgium, please hold export and notify Quick, and a request for clarification will be filled and submitted
Affected goods with a documented final/Master Bill of Lading date at the port of origin of 24 July, 2018 or later are not permitted to be imported into Australia. Importers who have affected goods with a Bill of Lading date on or after 24 July, 2018 that have cleared biosecurity control, will be contacted by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. Import permit holders affected by the outbreak will also be contacted by the Australian department.
Besides Australia, 12 other countries have suspended their pork imports from Belgium: South Korea, China, Taiwan, Belarus, Mexico, The Philippines, Japan, South Africa, Serbia, Singapore, Uruguay, and Malaysia.