UPDATES – 22 July 2019
The Import Health Standard for Vehicles, Machinery and Parts (formerly named Vehicles, Machinery and Equipment) has been revised and is now implemented (as of the 22 July 2019).
The finalised standard and guidance document are available to download.
Vehicles, Machinery and Parts - Import Health Standard [PDF, 571 KB]Vehicles, Machinery and Parts - Guidance document [PDF, 2.4 MB]
MPI's response to feedback received on the standard during the consultation
Vehicle Machinery and parts response to submissions [PDF, 909 KB]What has changed?
Major changes to the revised standard include:
- inclusion of 16 additional BMSB-risk countries under Schedule 3 – Actionable countries for the management of BMSB. This takes the total of countries being managed for BMSB risk to 33
- mandatory before-arrival treatment requirements for vehicles, machinery and parts exported in sea containers from all Schedule 3 countries, during the BMSB season. This aligns with MPI’s previous BMSB management requirements for break-bulk exportation of vehicles, machinery and parts.
Other changes include:
- The Standard has undergone a major layout change and is now commodity based.
- The Standard’s name has been changed to include the word ‘parts’ and exclude the word ‘equipment’ to better reflect what risk goods the Standard covers.
- The Standard now defines what types of vehicles, machinery and parts must meet additional requirements under parts 3 and 4 of the Standard.
- Addition of treatment requirements for vehicles, machinery and parts transshipped through New Zealand on the way to other countries.
- Certified cleaning of used outdoor or targeted machinery from Japan is no longer required to be carried out by an MPI-approved cleaning provider in Japan.
- On-arrival treatment of used tyres exported as a break-bulk consignment has been removed as an importing option (must be treated before arrival if exported as break-bulk).
- Clarification to requirements of vehicles, machinery and parts that arrive as airfreight.
Other changes to BMSB management include:
- Part 4 includes all BMSB management requirements for various commodity types. It also includes post treatment and transhipping requirements relevant to BMSB risk in all Schedule 3 countries.
- New and used vehicle and machinery parts exported from Japan are now included under BMSB management measures, like all other Schedule 3 countries.
- Additional BMSB treatment options (fumigation and heat treatment) available for aircraft and watercraft.
- MPI-agreement option available to deviate from post treatment or transshipping requirements for BMSB management.
Who to contact
If you have any questions, email standards@mpi.govt.nz
Find out also about management of sea containers exported from Italy during the BMSB season
Consultation background
MPI has reviewed the Import Health Standard for Vehicles, Machinery and Parts (the IHS) and wanted your feedback on the proposed changes. The IHS was last updated in August 2018.
This consultation ran from 3 April to 3 June 2019.
What was proposed?
MPI is proposing changes aimed at improving management of brown marmorated stink bugs with imports of vehicles, machinery and equipment. The proposals include:
- increasing the list of actionable brown marmorated stink bug countries (Schedule 3 countries)
- mandating before-arrival treatment of vehicles, machinery and equipment that are imported by sea container to align with the current requirements for vehicles and machinery imported as break-bulk
- aligning with the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources in Australia around brown marmorated stink bug management where possible.
- refining current requirements relating to treatment and system management of vehicles, machinery and equipment from countries listed in Schedule 3 of the IHS.
Some requirement changes designed to address other aspects of biosecurity risk associated with the importation of vehicles, machinery and equipment, but not directly related to brown marmorated stink bug management, have also been proposed.
We've also changed the layout of the IHS.
Details of the proposed changes are in the consultation documents.
Consultation documents
The draft IHS [PDF, 874 KB]
Draft Risk management proposal [PDF, 683 KB]
Related documents
Making your submission
Submissions closed at 5pm on 3 June 2019 to standards@mpi.govt.nz
Make sure you include in your submission:
- the title of the consultation document in the subject line of your email
- your name and title, if applicable
- your organisation's name (if you're submitting on behalf of an organisation)
- your contact details (for example, phone number, address and email).
While we prefer email, you can post your submission to:
Facilities and Pathways Group
Plants and Pathways Directorate
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526 Wellington 6140
New Zealand.
All submissions received by the closing date will be considered before the amended IHS is issued. MPI may hold late submissions on file for consideration when the issued IHS is next revised or reviewed.
Steps to finalising the new IHS
After consultation on a draft import health standard, MPI publishes a provisional IHS.
If you made a submission during the consultation, you have 10 working days to notify the Director-General of MPI that you intend to request an independent review. Reviews are limited to whether or not specific scientific evidence was given sufficient consideration.
If no review is requested within 10 working days, then the IHS is confirmed and issued.
More details about reviews are in the Biosecurity Act 1993.
Section 24 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 – NZ Legislation
Submissions are public information
Note that any submission you make becomes public information. People can ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we have to make submissions available unless we have a good reason for withholding it. That is explained in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.
Tell us if you think there are grounds to withhold specific information in your submission. Reasons might include that it's commercially sensitive or it's personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold information can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may tell us to release it.
Legal background
MPI must consult with interested parties in accordance with section 23 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act) and MPI's consultation policy before issuing or amending (other than of minor or urgent nature) import health standards under sections 24A and 24B of the Act.
An IHS specifies import requirements that must be met either in the country of origin or of export, or during transit before biosecurity clearance can be given for the goods to enter New Zealand. MPI must ensure that these requirements are technically justified and provide an appropriate level of biosecurity protection.
