. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/AUS/138
8 April 2002
(02-1808)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  AUSTRALIA
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 may be provided in addition, where
applicable).  Processed foods in general  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the
extent relevant or practicable:  Imported (as well as domestically produced) foods sold in
Australia
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Assessment Reports for Maximum
Residue Limit Application Nos:  A445 (72 pages), A455 (30 pages), A460 (18 pages) and
Proposal P261 (32 pages)
5. Description of content:  These applications seek to amend the Australia New Zealand
Food Standards  Code (the Code ) to align residues of agricultural and veterinary chemicals
in food products so that they are consistent with other national regulations relating to their
safe and effective use.  In administrative terms and consistent with international practice,MRLs assist in regulating the use of agricultural and veterinary chemical products.  MRLs
indicate whether agricultural and veterinary chemical products have been used in
accordance with the registered conditions of use.  MRLs in the Code  also act both to protect
public health and public safety by ensuring that chemical residues are no higher than
necessary, and as international trading standards.
The MRLs prescribed in the Code  constitute a mandatory requirement applying to all food
products of a particular class whether produced domestically or imported.  Food productsexceeding their relevant MRL set out in the Code  cannot legally be supplied in Australia.
These applications or proposals may contain variations to MRLs, which are not addressed in
the international Codex standard.  These MRLs may also relate to chemicals used in the
production of heavily traded agricultural commodities, which may indirectly affect trade of
derivative food products between WTO Members.
6. Objective and rationale: [  X ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  X ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [  X ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:           G/SPS/N/AUS/138
Page 2
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Australia Food
Standards Code ;  New Zealand Food Regulations 1984, Australia New Zealand Food
Standards Code  (all in English)
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Recommendation to Government anticipated late 2002 with
adoption (pending Government approval) to follow
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  Not known, date of entry after Government approval
(see 9 above)
11. Final date for comments:  24 May 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:
12. Texts available from: [     ] National notification authority, [     ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Documents are readily available on the Australia New Zealand Food Authority website
(www.anzfa.gov.au).  Copies are also available from:
Australia New Zealand Food Authority
PO Box 7186
Canberra BC ACT 2610Australia
Fax:  (+61) 2 62712278
E-mail:  infor@anzfa.gov.au
NOTE :  If requesting documents, please quote the Application Number(s) quoted in point
4 above.