APVMA strengthens ties with China

Last week, APVMA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Eva Bennet-Jenkins and compliance representatives met with China’s pesticide regulator, ICAMA and Chinese agrochemical industry to strengthen international regulatory cooperation between the two countries.

The APVMA visit to China followed an invitation from ICAMA to visit China to exchange information on registration and compliance requirements, to visit Chinese pesticide manufacturers and to discuss a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), recognising the importance of cooperation on pesticide management between Australia and China.

"The APVMA and ICAMA have always had a close regulatory relationship,” said Dr Eva Bennet-Jenkins. “But this visit provided an important opportunity for us to interact with Chinese Government and industry officials and gain detailed insight into the manufacture, quality control and distribution of Chinese agrochemicals.”

Workshops were held on pesticide registration and compliance systems in Australia and China with ICAMA staff and representatives from Chinese manufacturing industry. The APVMA and ICAMA representatives also visited several Chinese pesticide manufacturing companies. The knowledge gained will facilitate improved alignment of compliance activities, particularly Australian imports of pesticides manufactured in China.

The MOU between ICAMA and the APVMA is expected to be finalised in the near future.