. /. WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/NZL/294 
25 May 2004 
 (04-2237) 
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:   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):  Processed foods. 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  All 
countries supplying food to Aust ralia, as well as  domestically produced foods sold in 
Australia. 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   Draft Assessment for 
Application A518  – F ood derived from Insect-protected Glufosinate Ammonium-tolerant 
Cotton Line MXB-13 (available in English, 56 pages). 
6. Description of content:  FSANZ has received an Application to amend Standard 1.5.2 – 
Food Produced using Gene Technology in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code 
to approve the use of food products derived from genetically modified insect-protected 
glufosinate ammonium-tolerant cotton line MX B-13.  Insect protection is conferred by 
expression in the plant of a bacterially derived protein that is selectively toxic to certain 
insect pests of cotton. Herbicide tolerance is conferred by the pat gene.  
Cotton line MXB-13 has been developed for cultiv ation in North America and in Australia, 
therefore, if approved, food derived from this  cotton could enter the market in Australia 
and New Zealand via impor ted and domestic products. 
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  
Foods produced using gene technology are re quired to undergo a pre-market assessment of 
their safety, to ensure that they are as safe as their conventional counterparts. 
All applications 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:  
[   ] 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/NZL/294 
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 Government anticipated October 2004  with 
adoption (gazettal) to follow, pending Government consideration. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   Date of Gazettal pending Government consideration. 
12. Final date for comments:  19 July 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 10559 
Wellington 6036 New Zealand Fax:  + 64 4 473 9855 E-mail:  info@foodstandards.govt.nz  
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notification authority, [   ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (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 NZ SPS Notification Point PO Box 2526 Wellington 
New Zealand  
Fax:  +64 4 4744219 
Email:  sps@maf.govt.nz