. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/AUS/168 
4 August 2004 
 (04-3331) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   AUSTRALIA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved: 
2. Agency responsible:   Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Foods in general. 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  All 
Countries.  Imported (as well as domestica lly produced) foods sold in Australia . 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   Assessment Reports for 
Maximum Residue Limits Applica tion A538 (26 pages in English). 
6. Description of content:  This Application seeks to amend the Australia New Zealand Food 
Standards Code  (the Code) to align maximum residue limits (MRLs) for benzocaine in 
abalone and finfish and  so that they are consis tent with other national  regulations relating to 
the safe and effective use of agricultural and veterinary chemicals.  In administrative terms 
and consistent with internati onal practice, MRLs assist in regulating the use of agricultural 
and veterinary chemical products.  MRLs i ndicate whether agricultural and veterinary 
chemical products have been used in accordan ce with the registered conditions of use.  
MRLs in the Code also act to protect public  health and public safety by ensuring that 
chemical residues are no higher than necessary, and act 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 products 
with a residue that exceeds the relevant MRL set out in the Code ca nnot legally be supplied 
or sold in Australia. 
This Application contains variations to MRLs, which are not addressed in the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission standard.  These MRLs may also relate to chemicals used in the 
production of heavily traded agricultural commod ities, which may indirectly affect trade of 
derivative food products between WTO Members. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection, 
[  ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,  [   ]  protect territory from other 
damage from pests 
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:  G/SPS/N/AUS/168 
Page 2  
 
 9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Australia New 
Zealand Food Standards Code  (Available in English). 
10. Proposed date of adoption:   Notification to Governme nt anticipated late 2004  with 
adoption (gazettal) to follow, pending Government consideration. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   Date of Gazettal pending Government consideration 
(see 10. above). 
12. Final date for comments:  1 October 2004 
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:    
Food Standards Aust ralia New Zealand 
PO Box 7186 Canberra BC  ACT  2610 Australia 
Fax:  + 61 2 6271 2278 
E-mail:   info@foodstandards.gov.au
 
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notification authority, [   ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail addr ess (if available) of other body:  Documents are 
available from the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website: 
www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment . 
Copies are also available from: 
The Australian SPS Notification Point GPO Box 858 
CANBERRA  ACT  2601 
AUSTRALIA 
Fax:  +61 2 6272 3678 Email:  sps.contact@affa.gov.au