Vietnam Sanitary and Phytosanitary Notification Authority and Enquiry Point

In June 2023, we published the final report: Review of the biosecurity risks of prawns imported from all countries for human consumption (prawn review).

These are the standard import conditions for uncooked prawns:

• Processed, with head and shell removed. Prawns may retain the last segment and tail fan.

• Frozen and deveined.

• Each batch is subject to testing for white spot syndrome virus and yellow head virus genotype 1. Testing occurs pre-export and on-arrival.

  Australia has obligations under Article 4 of the World Trade Organization Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) to recognize the existence of equivalent biosecurity measures.

  We have developed guidelines to provide our trading partners with the principles and criteria that Australia will use to evaluate a pre-export testing equivalence program for prawns.

  To recognize a pre-export testing equivalence program following consideration of a request from a trading partner, the department will undertake an evaluation of the exporting country's competent authority.

  How to obtain a copy of the guideline document

  For any questions, or to obtain a copy of the pre-export testing guidelines please email aquaticbiosecurity@aff.gov.au.

• To receive information and updates on biosecurity risk analyses, subscribe to Biosecurity Risk Analysis Animal at subscribe.agriculture.gov.au/subscribe. Subscribers will receive biosecurity advice notices and other notifications about animal biosecurity policy.