. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/AUS/29 
10 March 2004  
 
(04-1056) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English 
   
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   AUSTRALIA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:    
Food Standards Australia New Zealand 
PO Box 7186 
Canberra BC  ACT  2610 AUSTRALIA Fax:  (+61) 2 62712278    Email :  info@foodstandards.gov.au
 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:         
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:         
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):   Liqueurs and products 
fitting the current definition of liqueur in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code  
(the Code).  
All Countries.  Importe d (as well as domestically produ ced) foods sold in Australia. 
5. Title, number of pages and langu age(s) of the notified document:   Draft Assessment for 
Proposal P271 – Liqueur Definition (32 pages, in English). 
6. Description of content:   Proposal P271 – Liqueur Definition seeks to clarify the original 
intent of the Code’s definition of liqueur.  Sp ecifically, it intends to exclude ready-to-drink 
mixes of spirits and soft drinks (RTDs) from the current definition.  Many RTDs made in 
Australia and New Zealand claim the exemption to nutrition information labelling and percentage labelling that applies to liqueurs. 
The proposed change to the current liqueur definition is to specify a minimum alcohol 
content for liqueurs of 15 per cent alcohol by volume.  The proposed change will not result in any changes to the way "traditional" liqueur s are regulated in Australia but will provide 
clarification to manufacturers and enforcemen t agencies as to which products should be 
categorized as liqueurs.  That is, RTDs may no longer be classified as liqueurs. G/TBT/N/AUS/29 
Page 2  
 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
If the proposed amendment to the liqueur defi nition were to be accepted, then imported 
RTDs, as well as those produced domestically, w ould require ingredient, percentage and 
nutrition information labelling.  These changes w ould come into effect twelve months after 
the date of gazettal. 
All proposals to change the Code must be  assessed in the context of the following 
objectives:  (a) the protection of public health  and safety;  (b) the provision of adequate 
information relating to food to enable consum ers to make informed choices; and (c) the 
prevention of misleading or deceptive conduct. 
8. Relevant documents:   Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code  (English) 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   Notification to Government anticipated September 2004 with 
adoption (gazettal) to follow, pending Government consideration. 
Proposed date of entry into force:  Twelve months after gazettal pending Government 
consideration. 
10. Final date for comments:   9 May 2004 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   
 
Documents are available fro m the Food Standards Austra lia New Zealand website: 
www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment .