. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/NZL/52
26 November 1999
(99-5120)
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:  Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA)
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, whereapplicable).  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  Food produced using gene technology
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Information paper – Proposed
Labelling Provisions for GMF under Food Standard A18 – October 1999 (6 pages)
5. Description of content:  This draft amended standard regulates the sale of foods and food
ingredients, other than additives and processing aids, which are produced using gene
technology.
New Zealand previously made a notification under the SPS Agreement on 19 February 1997
(G/SPS/N/NZL/9), informing other Members of a proposal to establish a standard requiringa pre-market safety assessment of foods derived from gene technology on a case-by-case
basis.  The current notification is to further inform Members that a draft amendment to that
standard is now available for public comment.
Standard A18 of the Australian Food Standards Code is recognized in New Zealand as a
mandatory standard.
6. 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   In addition, the draft amended standard has an additional
objective of providing consumer information.  The draft amended standard has, therefore,also been notified to Members separately under the TBT Agreement.
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:           
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Information Paper as
detailed at 4 above;  and ANZFA GM FOOD UPDATE Document #8 (November 1999)
which provides background information in addi tion to the current Standard A18 (both in
English).
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Recommendation to Government anticipated early 2000.G/SPS/N/NZL/52
Page 2
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  If recommendation to Government approved, full
implementation required by 12 months after gazettal.
11. Final date for comments:  Domestic comments close 15 December 1999.  Comments from
WTO Members accepted until 21 January 2000.  However, advice of submission of
comments would be appreciated prior to the domestic closing date.
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [     ] National notification
authority, [     ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:  Australia New Zealand Food Authority, quoting Proposed new
GMF Standard .
Australia New Zealand Food Authority, PO Box 7186, Canberra Mail Centre ACT 2610,
Australia;  Fax:  +61 2 627 12278;  E-mail:  slo@anzfa.gov.au
12. Texts available from: [     ] National notification authority, [    ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  Australia New
Zealand Food Authority, quoting Proposed new GMF Standard.
Australia New Zealand Food Authority
PO Box 7186
Canberra Mail Centre ACT 2610
Australia
Fax:  +61 2 62712278
E-mail:  slo@anzfa.gov.au
This draft amended standard is identical to that notified by New Zealand.  It has also been
notified under the TBT Agreement.