. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/NZL/173
22 May 2002
(02-2816)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   NEW ZEALAND
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:   Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA)
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where
applicable):   Foods derived from cotton lines containing event 15985.
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:   All
countries
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Draft Assessment
Report for Application A436 – Insect-Pro tected Cotton Line 15985 (78 pages).
6. Description of content:   ANZFA has received an application to amend the Australia
New Zealand Food Standards Code to approve the use of food products derived from Insect-
Protected Cotton Line 15985.  The applicati on seeks approval under Standard A18/ 1.5.2 –
Food Produced Using Gene Technology, for foods derived from cotton lines containing
event 15985.  The presence of this event in cotton confers protection against insect attack
and such lines are known commercially as Bollgard II® cotton.  The report describes the
scientific assessment of this application.
Foods produced using gene technology are required to undergo a pre-market assessment of
their safety, to ensure that they are as safe as their conventional counterparts.
All applications to change the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code , must be
assessed in the context of the following objectives:  (a) the protection of public health andsafety;  (b) the provision of adequate information relating to food to enable consumers to
make informed choices;  and (c) the prevention of misleading or deceptive conduct.
If application A388 is approved the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code will be
amended to permit foods derived from Insect-Protected Cotton Line 15985 , known
commercially as Bollgard II
® cotton.
7. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection,
[  ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or di sease,  [   ]  protect territory from other
damage from pests
8. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [ X ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:G/SPS/N/NZL/173
Page 2
9. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:   New Zealand Food
Regulations 1984, Australian Food Standards Code  (both in English), Standard 1.5.2.
10. Proposed date of adoption:   Recommendation to Government anticipated to be made late
2002, adoption to follow  pending Government approval.
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   Date of entry after Government approval.
12. Final date for comments:   20 July 2002
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification
authority, [   ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:   Australia New Zealand Food Authority, PO Box 7186, Canberra
Mail Centre ACT 2610, Australia;  Fax: +61 2 6271 2278;  E-mail: info@anzfa.gov.au
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority,  [   ]  National enquiry point,
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  Mr. Keawe
Woodmore, Coordinator, SPS New Z ealand, PO Box 2526, 101-103 The Terrace,
Wellington, New Zealand.  Tel:  + 64 4 474 4226;  Fax:  +64 4 470 2730;
E-mail:  sps@maf.govt.nz
Website: www.maf.govt.nz/biosecurity/sps/transparency/notifications/index.htm
This document has also been notified by Australia.