. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/NZL/154
23 August 2001
(01-4096)
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:  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).   Poultry and meat products  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the
extent relevant or practicable:  Australia, Canada, the European Community, United
States of America
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Information Note for WTO
Members – Importation of Poultry Meat Products from Australia, Canada, European
Community and the United States (49 pages, available in English)
5. Description of content: An information note for WTO Members with copies of the affected
import health standards attached.  The note provides more details of New Zealand’s intention
to implement provisional measures on 1 November 2001 suspending the importation ofpoultry meat because of to the risk of introducing infectious bursal disease.
Countries currently exporting poultry meat products to New Zealand (i.e. Australia,
Canada, member States of the European Community and the United States of America)
have more virulent strains of infectious bursal disease than is present in New Zealand.
In accordance with the international (OIE) guidelines for risk analysis
(International Animal Health Code,  Chapter 1.3.2) the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture
and Forestry has completed a risk analysis on chicken meat and chicken meat products.  The
risk analysis concluded that all poultry meat products (cooked and uncooked) should be
sourced from broiler flocks demonstrated to be free from infection with IBD virus and not
vaccinated with live IBD vaccines.
The risk analysis was sent to affected exporting countries in May 1999 for
comment.  Based on submissions received, aspects of the risk analysis were revised. The
revised risk analysis was sent to affected exporting countries in April 2000 for comments.  A
summary of submissions was published in November 2000 and recommendations for the
importation of poultry meat were finalised.
MAF subsequently drafted import health standards in accordance with the
recommendations of the poultry meat risk anal ysis. Before the new import health standards
can be brought into force, competent authorities or individual exporters are required to
provide details of IBD surveillance programmes to confirm that they can meet the new
requirements.G/SPS/N/NZL/154
Page 2
MAF is currently seeking comments from affected exporting countries on the
proposed import requirements.  New Zealand intends to implement provisional measures on
1 November 2001 suspending the importation of poultry meat products from Australia,
Canada, the European Community and the United States of America until the new import
conditions, based on the outcome of the risk analysis, can be finalised.
New Zealand will work with competent authorities and individual poultry producers
to ensure that they can comply with the new requirements before issuing new import
conditions.  Import health standards that facilitate trade and manage the risk to New Zealand
from IBD will be developed as necessary and New Zealand’s provisional measures may
change as a result.
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. 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:   There is no international standard, guideline or
recommendation for IBD in relation to poultry meat
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: “Import Risk
Analysis: Chicken Meat and Chicken Meat Products; Bernard Matthews Foods Ltd. Turkey
Meat Preparations from the United Kingdom” (March 1999);  “Review of Submissions”
(Sept 1999);  “Revised Quantitative Risk Assessments on Chicken Meat from the UnitedStates;  Reassessment of Heat Treatment for Inactivation of Newcastle Disease Virus in
Chicken Meat” (April 2000) and “Review of Submissions” (November 2000);  (all
documents available in English)
9. Proposed date of adoption:  1 November 2001
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  1 November 2001
11. Final date for comments:  23 October 2001
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [     ] National notification
authority, [  X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:  Dr. Barbara Christensen, National Advisor, International Trade,
MAF Biosecurity Authority, PO Box 2526, 101-103 The Terrace, Wellington, New
Zealand.  Tel:  +64 4 498 9807  Fax:  +64 4 474 427  E-mail christensenb@maf.govt.nz
12. Texts available from: [  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 Zealand 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
Website at: http://www.maf.govt.nz/biosecurity/sps /transparency/notifications/index.htm