MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

between the
REGULATORY AUTHORITY
and the
DEPARTMENT OF CUSTOMS
1. Rationale
Several incidents have taken place around the world that highlight the potential for
significant health and security concerns should high activity radioactive materials be
improperly transported, stored, handled or used. A number of radiation workers and the
public have suffered severe radiation injuries as a result of some of these incidents.
Deaths have also been reported. Persons who received a radiation dose but who have
survived the more serious short term effects of radiation exposure, also have a
significantly increased risk of developing cancer in later life.
o minimi!e the risk of such incidents it is essential to have rigorous import controls in
place to ensure that radiation sources entering the country are released only to
authori!ed persons and only for authori!ed purposes. Portal radiation detectors may
also be desirable to detect attempts by persons to smuggle radioactive substances into
the country and to detect contaminated foodstuffs and other materials before their
release to the public.
2. Puro!e
he purpose of this "emorandum of #nderstanding $"%#& is to state the roles and
responsibilities of the 'egulatory Authority and the Department of (ustoms in relation
to the import and export of radiation sources and to establish clear working guidelines
on the actions to be taken by the respective parties.
". S#oe
)or the purpose of this "%#, *radiation sources+ means ,
all radioactive substances- and
all devices that are capable of producing ioni!ing radiation when electrically
energi!ed
.
-
other than those exempted
/
by the 'egulatory Authority under the 'adiation (ontrol
0egislation.
Note: Some products, such as consumer devices, individually may contain exempt
quantities of a radioactive substance. However, importation in bulk (eg by a
wholesaler may nevertheless require authori!ation from the "egulatory
#uthority. $he #uthority undertakes to inform %ustoms of any such restrictions.

A list of the international identification codes for radiation sources is given in
Atta#$%ent I.
.
)or example, x1ray e2uipment, linear and particle accelerators, etc
/
he regulations to the 'adiation (ontrol 0egislation state the exempt activity of specific radioactive
substances, whether as discrete sources or in bulk, and identify exempt electrical devices.
he 'egulatory Authority administers the 'adiation (ontrol 0egislation $insert proper
title and date& and the related regulations which, in brief, create an offence for a person
to possess, use, manufacture, store, transport, dispose of, or otherwise deal with
non1exempt radiation sources unless they do so under an authori!ation issued by the
Authority.
he Department of (ustoms administers the (ustoms 0egislation $insert proper title
and date& and related regulations and is responsible for controlling the country3s
imports and exports in accordance with the legislation.
&. Go'ern%ent A(en#ie! not E)e%t *ro% Co%lian#e
4t is noted that all government agencies are bound
5
by the 'adiation (ontrol 0egislation
and subject to the prescribed penalties for non1compliance.

+. General A(ree%ent
6.. (ustoms agrees that it shall not permit the importation of any radiation source
unless the person to whom the source is consigned can produce an #uthority to
&mport
&
certificate issued by the 'egulatory Authority.
4n the event that the authori!ation cannot be produced, (ustoms agrees that it
will hold the shipment in an area approved by the 'egulatory Authority and
immediately notify the Authority of the details of the shipment.
6./ (ustoms agrees that it shall not permit the export of any radioactive substance
unless the consignor can produce an #uthority to 'xport
+
certificate issued by
the 'egulatory Authority.
4t is further agreed that where a situation arises that is not dealt with by this Agreement,
no precipitate action will be taken by either party without first consulting with the other.
,. In*or%in( t$e Re(ulator- Aut$orit-
7otwithstanding paragraph 6, (ustoms agrees to promptly notify the 'egulatory
Authority of the details of all imported radiation sources, including the name and
contact details of the importer, and the date of importation. he agreed form for this
purpose is given in Atta#$%ent II.
.. In*or%in( Cu!to%!
he 'egulatory Authority agrees to promptly notify the (ustoms Department of any
5
8owever, the (hief of the Defence )orces, after consulting with the "inister responsible for the
'adiation Safety 0egislation, may give written notification to the "inister that specified provisions of
the legislation or the regulations do not apply to defence forces personnel or to their activities in respect
of the defence of the country.
9
he purpose of this certificate is to signify the 'egulatory Authority3s approval that importation may
proceed, subject to any other re2uirements that may be imposed by the Department of (ustoms.
6
he purpose of this certificate is to signify the 'egulatory Authority3s approval that a radioactive
substance may be exported, subject to any other re2uirements that may be imposed by the Department
of (ustoms. 4t does not signify that the substance has been packaged in accordance with the ransport
'egulations. hat is the responsibility of the (onsignor.
changes to the legislation or the regulations, or of any other decision taken by the
Authority, that has a bearing on the importation, storage or transport of radiation
sources.
he Authority will also provide on at least a 2uarterly basis a list of those licensees with
routine authority to import radiation sources.
/. Trainin( o* Cu!to%! Per!onnel
he 'egulatory Authority agrees that it will provide radiation safety training to all
(ustoms officers designated by the (ustoms Department and will provide additional
support as may be re2uired from time to time. 8owever, (ustoms may obtain the
services of an approved
:
2ualified expert for these purposes if it so wishes.
0. Oenin( Pa#1a(e! or Container!
o ensure the health and safety of its workers, (ustoms agrees that its officers will not
open any package or container bearing the internationally recogni!ed radiation warning
symbol, or any package or container that its officers have reason to believe may contain
a radioactive source, unless an officer of the 'egulatory Authority $or an
approved;rror< 'eference source not found 2ualified expert& is present to direct and
supervise radiation safety procedures.
12. Conta%inate3 Material! an3 Foo3!tu**!4 S%u((lin(
he 'egulatory Authority and the Department of (ustoms agree that they will discuss
with their respective "inisters the need for the installation and operation of portal
radiation detection e2uipment at designated
=
points of entry into the country whereby
unusual levels of radiation from ostensibly non1radioactive imports
>
might be detected
and appropriate action taken to avoid a possible radiation incident.
11. Conta#t Per!on!
#ntil otherwise notified in writing, the contact person for the 'egulatory Authority is
?insert name and title, position held, contact telephone number@ and for the (ustoms
Department ?insert name and title, position held, contact telephone number@
his "emorandum of #nderstanding takes effect from the date it is signed by both parties.
DIRECTOR CHIEF CUSTOMS OFFICER
REGULATORY AUTHORITY DEPARTMENT OF CUSTOMS
Date 555555555555555555 Date 55555555555555555555
:
approved by the 'egulatory Authority
=
designated by Aovernment
>
such as contaminated foodstuffs, unlabelled radioactive consumer products, contaminated steel,
smuggled radioactive sources etc.
Atta#$%ent I
REFERENCE NUM6ER GOODS
RADIOACTI7E CHEMICAL ELEMENTS AND RADIOACTI7E ISOTOPES
/>99..B.BB 7atural uranium and its compounds- alloys, dispersions $including
cermets&, ceramic products and mixtures containing natural
uranium or natural uranium compounds
/>99./B.BB #ranium enriched in
/56
# and its compounds- plutonium and its
compounds- alloys, dispersions $including cermets&, ceramic
products and mixtures containing uranium enriched in
/56
#,
plutonium or compounds of these products
/>99.5B.BB #ranium depleted in
/56
# and its compounds- thorium and its
compounds- alloys, dispersions $including cermets&, ceramic
products and mixtures containing uranium depleted in
/56
#,
thorium or compounds of these products
/>99.9B.BB 'adioactive elements and isotopes and compounds other than
those of />99..B.BB, />99./B.BB or />99.5B.BB- alloys, dispersions
$including cermets&, ceramic products and mixtures containing
these elements, isotopes or compounds- radioactive residues
/>99.6B.BB Spent $irradiated& fuel elements $cartridges& of nuclear reactors
/>96 4sotopes other than those of />99- compounds, inorganic or
organic, of such isotopes, whether or not chemically defined
APPARATUS 6ASED ON THE USE OF 89RAYS OR OF ALPHA4 6ETA OR GAMMA
RADIATIONS
CB//.. #pparatus based on the use of x(rays, whether or not for medical,
surgical, dental or veterinary uses, including radiography or
radiotherapy apparatus
CB//../.BB (omputed tomography apparatus
CB//..5.BB %ther, for dental uses
CB//..9.BB %ther, for medical, surgical or veterinary uses
CB//..C.BB )or other uses
CB//./ #pparatus based on the use of alpha, beta or gamma radiations,
whether or not for medical, surgical, dental or veterinary uses,
including radiography or radiotherapy apparatus
CB//./..BB )or medical, surgical, dental or veterinary uses
CB//./C.BB )or other uses
)$he codes and goods descriptions shown above are for the purpose of illustration only
and should not be used without prior confirmation from your country*s %ustoms
+epartment or #gency,
Atta#$%ent II
IMPORTATION OF NON9E8EMPT RADIATION SOURCES
NOTIFICATION TO THE REGULATORY AUTHORITY
To :e #o%lete3 :- t$e Con!i(nee or t$eir aut$ori;e3 a(ent.
%riginal to be retained by (ustoms. (opy to the (onsignee
PORT OF ENTRY
DATE OF ENTRY
INDENT NUM6ER $(ustoms identification&
IMPORT AUTHORITY CERTIFICATE NUM6ER issued
by the 'egulatory Authority
IMPORTING AGENT
ADD';SS
;0;P8%7; 7#"D;'
CONSIGNEE<S NAME
ADD';SS
;0;P8%7; 7#"D;'
)AE 7#"D;'
RADIATION SOURCE TYPE
Ra3ioa#ti'e Ot$er
RADIOACTI7E SU6STANCES
7#(04D;$s& eg
:B
(o,
.C/
4r,
/56
#, etc
A(4F4G $usually Dec2uerels eg "D2, AD2, D2, etc&
P8GS4(A0 )%'"
47;7D;D #S;
OTHER RADIATION SOURCES
"A7#)A(#';'
"%D;0
S;'4A0 7#"D;'
47;7D;D #S;
CONSIGNEE<S SIGNATURE
or that of authori!ed agent
PRINT NAME
DATE
)or additional information, contact the 'egulatory Authority on $>>B& /// 5555.
CUSTOMS 1 4mmediately fax a copy of this form to the 'egulatory Authority on $>>B& /// 5