Requirements for Biosecurity Clearance of International Mail

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Table of Contents

1 Scope
2 References
3 Definitions
4 Service Requirements
5 Technical Requirements

1 Scope

1.1 The following are the minimum requirements for biosecurity clearance of international mail delivered to New Zealand. The activities covered are:

  1. inspection of mail documentation;
  2. inspection of suspicious item of mail;
  3. seizure of goods that cannot be given biosecurity clearance;
  4. direction to reship, decontamination, destruction;
  5. supervision of transport to approved transitional facilities;
  6. supervision of reshipment, decontamination or destruction; and
  7. biosecurity clearance.

1.2 The service consists of processing international mail delivered to New Zealand and taking the required steps to ensure that unauthorised goods included in the mail are not imported or introduced into New Zealand unless they are not subject to any import health standard or they comply with the relevant import health standard.

2 References

2.1 The following Acts and Regulations are applicable to the implementation of these requirements:

  1. Biosecurity Act 1993;
  2. Biosecurity (Costs) Regulations 1993.

2.2 The following standards and requirement are referred to in the delivery of this service:

  1. SECTION 1: Requirements for Border Inspection Quality Management and Administration; and
  2. Import health standards issued by the Director-General of MAF.

3 Definitions

In the context of this part of Section III:

International Mail
Any items entering New Zealand via the postal system and under the charge of New Zealand Post.

International Mail Centre
An approved transitional facility for the purpose of processing international mail.

4 Service Requirements

4.1 The supplier of inspection services at the border is required to undertake biosecurity clearance of imported goods in accordance with these requirements, import health standards issued by the Director-General of MAF, and the MoF/MAF memoranda of understanding.

4.2 Where a situation arises during clearance of any relevant goods which is not covered by these requirements and which can be assumed to have implications for the plant or animal health status of New Zealand then the supplier of services shall immediately report the situation to the NA (BI). In cases in which the possible change in status is of significance to forestry, the NA(BI) will contact the GMO's designate in accordance with the MAF RA/MoF memorandum of understanding.

4.3 Should it arise that a requirement is not legally sustainable or enforceable then the MR shall advise the NA (BI).

5 Technical Requirements

5.1 Processing

5.1.1 No international mail may be opened for inspection by an inspector except at a transitional facility (international mail centre) approved by the MR for that purpose.

5.1.2 The supplier is to maintain a parcel profile that reflects the general trends as to the liklihood of a parcel containing risk goods. Those meeting the profile are to be screened out.

5.1.3 Mail is to be screened for risk goods as early as the postal system used by the postal operator allows.

5.1.4 Only mail that is to be opened for inspection or requires a detailed assessment or is subject to radiographic examination is to be screened out. Mail may not be detained on the premise that it can be screened out at a later date.

5.1.5 Mail which has been selected for inspection shall be inspected within five working days and released back into the postal system unless it is to be detained because the contents contain risk goods. The supplier will take into account priorities given by the postal operator for the inspection of mail (eg air mail).

5.1.6 Due care is to be taken with mail and any damage found to the mail or the contents is to be reported to the postal operator.

5.1.7 After inspection of the parcel the parcel shall be rewrapped to provide the same degree of protection to the contents as existed prior to the parcel being opened.

5.1.8 Every parcel that has been opened for inspection shall be identifiable as having been inspected by an inspector and shall be traceable (by the supplier) to that inspector.

5.2 Retention of Risk Goods

5.2.1 Any risk goods found in the mail that do not comply with an existing import health standard are to be retained. Goods may only be retained by an inspector.

5.2.2 Prohibited goods are to be destroyed by an approved method. Where items could be reshipped or treated and are considered to be of a significant material value the owner of the goods is to be advised that the goods cannot be given biosecurity clearance.

The owner is to be asked if they wish to have the goods:

  1. re-shipped (at their own expense);
  2. treated (at their own expense) as directed by the inspector; or
  3. destroyed under the direction of the inspector.

There shall be no compensation for goods that must be destroyed.

5.2.3 All seized goods are to be held in a secure area until the direction of the inspector can be carried out or directed into an approved transitional facility. Risk goods shall be processed in the manner described in the appropriate import health standard.

5.3 Liaison with Other Agencies

Any contentious issues between New Zealand Customs, the postal operator and the supplier that cannot be resolved by parties working at the mail centre are to be reported to the NA(BI).

5.4 Records and Reporting

5.4.1 The supplier shall report the seizure detection rate quarterly together with the method used to calculate it. The seizure detection rate is the amount of seizures detected as a proportion of the total seizures present expressed as a percentage.

5.4.2 Records shall be kept as required in section I of this manual.

5.5 Cost Recovery

5.5.1 Clearance of mail is carried out using money appropriated by Parliament for that purpose.

The supplier shall not take any action to recover the costs associated with the clearance of mail.

5.5.2 The supplier may charge for treatments applied to risk goods not complying with an import health standard.

Page last updated: 30 April 2008