Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries
Have your say
From 10 September to 10 November 2025, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) invites comment on proposed changes to the Vehicles, Machinery and Parts Import Health Standard.
Summary of proposed changes
Proposed changes to the requirements in the standard include:
- adding Uzbekistan to the list of countries that are required to treat goods for brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB)
- aligning the requirements for used parts with those for used machinery
- requiring a treatment for used boats with water ballast systems
- adding new, non-fully enclosed trailers to the commodities that can use a manufacturer’s declaration to be excluded from BMSB requirements
- adding post-treatment requirements for used wires, cables, and ropes
- updating definitions
- changing the format and structure of the standard.
Full details are in the consultation document. Submissions close at 5pm on 10 November 2025.
Consultation document
Draft Import Health Standard: Vehicles, Machinery and Parts [PDF, 599 KB]
Related documents
WTO notification [PDF, 299 KB]
Risk Management Proposal: Review of the Vehicles, Machinery and Parts Import Health Standard [PDF, 497 KB]
Extra questions for you
As well as getting your submissions on the proposed requirement changes in the standard, we would welcome your feedback on 3 related topics.
- We would like your thoughts on the way we have reformatted and rewritten the requirements in the standard. Do these changes make the requirements easier to understand? Do you have any other suggestions?
- We are not currently proposing year-round treatment for Japanese used vehicles. However, we are interested to know how requiring treatment year-round would positively or negatively impact you and your business.
- Do you have any suggestions on how we could support higher compliance on used vehicles not imported through a system? Or are there any challenges in this area that you would like to tell us about?
Making your submission
Email your feedback on the draft standard (and the optional extra questions) before 5pm on 10 November 2025 to vmp.consultation@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 send your submission by post to:
Terrestrial and Aquatic Environment Team
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140
New Zealand.
All submissions received by the closing date will be considered before the amended import health standard (IHS) is issued. MPI may hold late submissions on file for consideration when the issued IHS is next revised or reviewed.
Any subsequent changes to the IHS will be noted in a second review of submissions before the IHS is finalised.
Submissions are public information
Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.
People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.
If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.
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 specific scientific evidence was given sufficient consideration.
If no review is requested within 10 working days, then the provisional IHS is confirmed and the final IHS is issued. A 6-month transition period will be implemented during which time either the old or new import requirements can be used. After this period, the new import requirements in the IHS must be followed.
For more information about reviews refer to Section 24 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 – NZ Legislation
