WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/NZL/77
12 January 2001
(01-0160)
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 Health
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).
Beef and beef products:
Meat and edible offal – bovine meat, fresh or chilled (2.01)
Meat and edible offal – bovine meat, frozen (2.02)
Meat and edible offal – edible offal of bovine animals, fresh or chilled (0206.10.00)
Meat and edible offal – tongues (0206.21.00)
Meat and edible offal – livers (0206.22.00)Meat and edible offal – other (0206.29.00)
Meat and edible offal – salted, dr ied, ect. meat of bovine animals (0210.20.00)
Other, including edible flours and meals of meat or meat offal (210.9)
Guts, bladders, ect. – bovine – sausage casings (0504.00.00.11A)
Guts, bladders, ect. – trip e, beef and veal (0504.00.00.51L)
Guts, bladders, ect. – other (0504.00.00.89H)
Bones and horn-cores, ect. – bone meal or powder (0506.90.00.01C)
Sausages and similar products, ect. (16.01)
Other prepared meat, ect. – homogenised preparations – in airtight cans or jars – in
combination with vegetables or other food substances – meat pastes (1602.10.01.00A)
Other prepared meat, ect. – homogenised prepar ations – corned beef – in airtight cans
or jars (1602.10.09.01L)
Other prepared meat, ect. – homogenised pr eparations – tongues – other kinds – in
airtight cans or jars (1602.10.09.11H)
Other prepared meat, ect. – homogenised prepar ations – other – in airtight cans or jars
(1602.10.09.29L)
Other prepared meat, ect. – homogenised   preparations – otherwise packed
(1602.10.19.00H)
Other prepared meat, ect. – of liver of any animal – Pates de poie gras
(1602.20.01.00E)
Other prepared meat, ect. – of li ver of any animal – other (1602.20.09.00F)
Other prepared meat, ect. – bovine animals – in  airtight cans or jars – in combination
with vegetables, ect., meat pastes (1602.50.01.00F)
Other prepared meat, ect. – of bovine animals – in airtight cans or jars – corned beef
(1602.50.01.00F)
Other prepared meat, ect. – in airt ight cans or jars – other (1602.90.19.19H)
Other prepared meat, ect. – othe rwise packaged – other (1602.90.29.00B)
Extracts and juices of m eat, ect. – extracts (1603.00.01.01D)
Extracts and juices of meat, ect. – other (1603.00.01.09K)G/SPS/N/NZL/77
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Stuffed pasta, whether or  not cooked, ect. (1902.20.00.00H)
Other pasta in combination with other f ood stuffs – dried noodle cake with flavour
sachet (1902.30.01.01F)
Other pasta in combination with other foodstuffs – other (1902.30.01.09A)
Sauces and preparations – other sa uces not elsewhere specified (2103.90.00.01D)
Sauces and preparations – mixed condiments (2103.90.00.11A)
Sauces and preparations – mixed seasonings (2103.90.00.19G)
Sauces and preparations – other (2103.90.00.0029D)
Soups and broths and prep arations – meat (2104.10.09.41K)
Soups and broths and prep arations – other (2104.10.09.49E)
Soups and broths and preparations – homogenised composite food preparations
(2104.20.00.00J)
Food preparations not elsewhere spec ified – textured vegetable protein
(2106.10.01.00H)
Food preparations not elsewh ere specified – other (2106.10.09.00J)
Food preparations not elsewhere specified – mixtures of chemicals and foodstuffs,
ect. (2106.90.90.01H)
Food preparations not elsewh ere specified – other (2106.90.90.79D)
Provitamins and vitamins, ect. (29.36)
Enzymes, ect. (35.07)
Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: Albania,
Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgar ia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia, Finland, former Yugo slav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenste in, Luxembourg, Oman, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerla nd, Slovak Republic, the Netherlands, and the
United Kingdom
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  New Zealand (Emergency) Food
Standard 2001 , issued 5 January 2001 (2 pages)
5. Description of content: New Zealand has introduced an import suspension on beef and
beef products from the European Communities and other non-EC European countries.  Thepurpose of the import suspension of beef and beef products is to minimize the risk of
transmission to humans of BSE or mad cow disease in cattle from humans eating
contaminated beef.  The suspension remains in force for six months from 5 January 2001.
There has been an import ban on beef and beef products from the United Kingdom since
1996 because of an epidemic of BSE and evidence demonstrating a link to vCJD in humans.
New Zealand previously notified its import ban under the SPS agreement – G/SPS/N/NZL/3(2 April 1996), G/SPS/N/NZL/3/Rev.1 (16 April 1996) and G/SPS/N/NZL/4
(12 April 1996).
Australia has introduced a similar import suspension on the import of European beef and
beef products.
A procedure for lifting the suspension for products which have been produced in accordance
with appropriate safety standards is under development by New Zealand’s Ministry of
Health in consultation with the Australian authorities.
6. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           G/SPS/N/NZL/77
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7. Nature of the urgent problem(s):  The import suspension is in response to increasing
evidence of BSE in EC countries and concerns that it may have spread elsewhere in Europe
through trade in live animals and animal feed.  New Zealand is suspending imports pending
the development of a certification scheme that can assure importers that European product
has been produced in accordance with appropriate safety standards.
8. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [  X ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give its appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:           
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  The New Zealand
(Mandatory) Food Standard 1997  and the New Zealand Food Act 1981 s 11M (Available
both in English)
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  The standard comes into
force on the 11 January 2001, except for importers who were notified directly and for whom
the standard came into force upon service of that notification.  The standard expires on
5 July 2001 unless revoked earlier.
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:
Text: Keawe Woodmore, Coordinator, New Z ealand SPS Notification Authority, PO Box
2526, Wellington, New Zealand, Tel: +64 4 474 4226, Fax: +64 4 470 2730, E-mail:
sps@maf.govt.nz
Comments: Jim Wilson, Senior Advisor (Impor ted Foods), Public Health Directorate,
Ministry of Health, PO Box 5013, Wellington, New Zealand, Tel: +64 4 496 2360, Fax: +64 4
496 2340, E-mail: jim_wilson@moh.govt.nz