. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/NZL/138
30 March 2001
(01-1631)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  NEW ZEALAND
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF)
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable).  Commercial shipments of untanned cattle/sheep/goat/deer hides and skins
Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:
Austria, Finland, France and Germany
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Import health standard for the
importation of commercial shipments of untanned cattle/sheep/goat/deer hides and skins
into New Zealand from specified countries (dated 14 March 2001) (3 pages)
5. Description of content: This import health standard permits the importation of commercial
shipments of untanned cattle/sheep/goat/deer hides and skins from specified countries
recognised as free from foot and mouth dis ease.  The standard includes the following
safeguards:
(a) Foot and mouth disease, lumpy skin disease, rinderpest and sheep & goat pox have
not occurred in the country of origin during the previous twelve months.
(b) the hides/skins originate from animals that have been subjected to ante-mortem and
post-mortem inspection under veterinary supervision, and no signs of anthrax were
detected.
6. Objective and rationale:  [     ] food safety,  [  X ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           
7. Nature of the urgent problem(s):  This import health standard has been amended to remove
Austria, Finland, France and Germany from the c ountry of origin clause following
information received by MAF Biosecurity regard ing the outbreak of f oot and mouth disease
on the European continent linked to the mo vement of animals from the United Kingdom.
New Zealand is temporarily suspending the im port of live animals and animal products from
the European Union.  The suspension will be continually reviewed as the foot and mouthstatus of EC member States is clarified.G/SPS/N/NZL/138
Page 2
8. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [     ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give its appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:  Higher level of sanitary protection than would
be achieved by measures based on the OIE International Animal Health Code: Mammals,
Birds and Bees.
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  None
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  14 March 2001
11. Texts available from/and agency or authority designated to handle comments:
[ X ] National notification authority, [     ] National enquiry point or address, fax
number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Mr Keawe Woodmore, Coordinator, New Zeal and SPS Notification Authority, 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
Comments: Barbara Christensen, National Ad viser, International Trade, Biosecurity
Authority, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, PO Box 2526, Wellington, New Zealand.
Tel:  +64 4 498 9807; Fax:  +64 4 474 4227;  E-mail: christensenb@maf.govt.nz