Trans-Tasman Pilot For Manufacturers Of Agric. Chemicals & Veterinary Medicines To Register Products In Both Countries

Manufacturers of agricultural chemicals and veterinary medicines looking to enter or expand into the trans-Tasman market can now take part in an improved registration pathway pilot to get their products into the hands of customers in both countries.

New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) and the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) are inviting expressions of interest (EOIs) from industry for joint Australia–New Zealand product registrations.

“By streamlining the registration process for agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines across our two countries, we are working to remove obstacles for the primary sectors and the communities that depend on them,” says NZFS deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle.

“We have similar regulatory approaches, so it makes sense for us to increase the scope of our teamwork to position Australia and New Zealand as an attractive region for new product launches and innovation.”

We are seeking EOIs from companies with:

• new products intended for registration in both Australia and New Zealand, or
• products already registered in one country that could be advanced more quickly in the other market.

The groundwork for this landmark collaboration was laid on 24 November 2025, when APVMA and NZFS signed an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) strengthening the longstanding trusted regulator relationship between the two agencies.

The updated MoU is designed to streamline regulatory pathways for crop-protection products and veterinary medicines by increasing acceptance and reliance on scientific assessments undertaken by either regulator.

Since signing the updated MoU, both agencies have been working closely to align processes in preparation for shared assessments.

From the EOIs received, applications will be selected for joint assessment. This pilot will allow both regulators to test and refine shared-assessment processes, while offering participating companies the opportunity to benefit from accelerated regulatory pathways.

For further information or to submit expressions of interest email approvals@mpi.govt.nz (New Zealand) or enquiries@apvma.gov.au(Australia).

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