Recently, New Zealand's Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) announced that it is accelerating decisions on hazardous substances — particularly crop protection products such as agricultural chemicals — through a combination of improved assessment models, streamlined processes and legislative amendments. Of greatest relevance to affected enterprises, the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Amendment Bill has now entered the Parliamentary process. The Bill aims to make the approval process clearer and more predictable, proposing an upfront completeness check (so applicants know early whether their application has what it needs), allowing applicants to request the most appropriate pathway, and setting clearer timeframes. Enterprises intending to apply for or export agricultural chemicals to New Zealand should closely follow this legislative development to stay abreast of forthcoming changes to approval timelines and application requirements.
