Increasing high risk foods imported under foreign government certification arrangements Under the existing IFC Act 1992, food can be imported under a foreign government certification arrangement. The Act enables the department to enter into a government-to-government certification arrangement with the national competent authority of a country exporting food to Australia, providing confidence that the food has been produced safely. Consignments of imported food accompanied by a recognised foreign government certificate may be inspected and tested at a reduced rate (five per cent). Foreign government certification arrangements are currently in place for certain risk classified seafood from Thailand (fish, crustaceans and bivalve molluscs) and Canada (fish and crustaceans) and Roquefort cheese from France. Use of a foreign government certificate in the clearance of food imported to Australia is normally voluntary but under an order may be mandated. Recognised government certification is currently mandatory for raw milk cheese and beef and beef products for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) food safety requirements. Foreign government certification arrangements benefit the exporting country, the importer and also potentially the consumers of these foods. The exporting country benefits as it is exposed to less trade and reputational risk from non-compliant food being exported. The importer of risk foods benefits as consignments of these foods are inspected and tested at a reduced rate (five per cent) representing financial savings to the importer. The consumer benefits from potentially safer food, as the exporting country’s competent authority has provided assurance that the food complies with Australia’s food safety standards. In comparison, no such government assurance is provided for other risk foods imported into Australia. However, importers may request assurances from suppliers under commercial arrangements. To increase the amount of risk food that is imported under a foreign government certification arrangement and therefore certified as being compliant with Australia’s food safety standards, the department could actively seek to increase the number of arrangements in place. This could be achieved by promoting the advantages of these arrangements to countries exporting a high volume of a risk food to Australia. Importers choosing to source foods from suppliers with this certification will benefit from reduced border intervention. Table 1 summarises the countries that had the most ‘risk food’ lines referred to the department for inspection and analysis under IFIS from 2013-2015 by commodity type (excluding New Zealand).
Increasing high risk foods imported under foreign government certification arrangements Under the existing IFC Act 1992, food can be imported under a foreign government certification arrangement. The Act enables the department to enter into a government-to-government certification arrangement with the national competent authority of a country exporting food to Australia, providing confidence that the food has been produced safely. Consignments of imported food accompanied by a recognised foreign government certificate may be inspected and tested at a reduced rate (five per cent). Foreign government certification arrangements are currently in place for certain risk classified seafood from Thailand (fish, crustaceans and bivalve molluscs) and Canada (fish and crustaceans) and Roquefort cheese from France. Use of a foreign government certificate in the clearance of food imported to Australia is normally voluntary but under an order may be mandated. Recognised government certification is currently mandatory for raw milk cheese and beef and beef products for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) food safety requirements. Foreign government certification arrangements benefit the exporting country, the importer and also potentially the consumers of these foods. The exporting country benefits as it is exposed to less trade and reputational risk from non-compliant food being exported. The importer of risk foods benefits as consignments of these foods are inspected and tested at a reduced rate (five per cent) representing financial savings to the importer. The consumer benefits from potentially safer food, as the exporting country’s competent authority has provided assurance that the food complies with Australia’s food safety standards. In comparison, no such government assurance is provided for other risk foods imported into Australia. However, importers may request assurances from suppliers under commercial arrangements. To increase the amount of risk food that is imported under a foreign government certification arrangement and therefore certified as being compliant with Australia’s food safety standards, the department could actively seek to increase the number of arrangements in place. This could be achieved by promoting the advantages of these arrangements to countries exporting a high volume of a risk food to Australia. Importers choosing to source foods from suppliers with this certification will benefit from reduced border intervention. Table 1 summarises the countries that had the most ‘risk food’ lines referred to the department for inspection and analysis under IFIS from 2013-2015 by commodity type (excluding New Zealand).
Proposed-imported-food-reforms-RIS-for-consultation.docx