. /. WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/AUS/163 
15 June 2004 
 (04-2594) 
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:   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):  Seafood at the primary production level. 
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:   Draft Assessment Report 
for Proposal P265 – Primary Production and Pr ocessing Standard for Seafood (Australia 
only) (271 pages, in English). 
6. Description of content:  The Seafood Draft Assessment Re port contains a scientific 
evaluation of the safety of seafood, options fo r the management of seafood safety and a draft 
standard proposed for incorporation into the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.  
It proposes to extend mandatory food safety requirements to the  production and processing 
of seafood, and requires documented food safe ty management systems for the production, 
harvesting and primary processing of bivalve molluscs. 
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 
All proposals to change the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code , must be 
assessed in the context of the following objectives:   (a) the protection of public health and 
safety;  (b) the provision of adequate informa tion relating to food to enable consumers to 
make informed choices;  and (c) the prev ention of misleading or deceptive conduct.  
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[ X ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [   ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:   Recommendations are consistent with Codex. 
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Australia New 
Zealand Food Standards Code  (English) 
10. Proposed date of adoption:   Notification to Government anticipated February 2005, with 
adoption (gazettal) to follow, pending Government consideration. G/SPS/N/AUS/163 
Page 2  
 
 11. Proposed date of entry into force:   Two (2) years after gazettal pending Government 
consideration (see 10. above). 
12. Final date for comments:  9 August  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 ad dress (if available)  of other body:  Documents are 
available from the Food Standards Australia New Ze aland 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