. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/NZL/184
18 September 2002
(02-4965)
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:  Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF)
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where
applicable):  Table grapes ( Vitis vinifera )
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:   United
States of America (State of California)
5.Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   Information note for
WTO Members – imported table grapes from the United States of America (State ofCalifornia) (available in English) (44 pages).
6. Description of content: Following the discovery post border of live exotic spiders,
including black widow spiders, on shipments, New Zealand temporarily suspended imports
of Californian table grapes in November 2001 as the risks to human health and the
environment were no longer considered acceptable.  This suspension was notified to
Members in G/SPS/N/NZL/160 (13 November 2001).
Health impact and pest risk assessments have been completed along with recommended
mitigation measures for the trade in table grapes from the United States of America (State of
California), Australia, Mexico and Chile.  These documents were notified to Members in
G/SPS/N/NZL/174 (26 June 2002).
On the basis of these documents and comments received an Import Health standard for
fresh table grapes from California and the associated procedures for the management of
regulated spiders associated with this pathway have been issued.  The new measurescontained within the documents are made on human health grounds.  The measures in
summary include:
(a) visual inspection of the grapes and packaging for spider life stages at harvest (currently
done but not specifically targeting spiders);
(b) tightening of specifications for the type of packaging to be used, tightening of
procedures for fumigation of grapes and packaging with SO
2/CO 2 gas;
(c) all grape boxes be identifiable back to a treatment facility;
(d) NZ MAF inspectors will audit these facilities prior to exports beginning and at various
times during the export season;
(e) the product will be subject to post treatment security measures to prevent re-infestation
with exotic spiders and there will be an official inspection of a sample of 920 grapebunches (and their packaging) with a zero acceptance level for exotic spiders per
consignment;  andG/SPS/N/NZL/184
Page 2
The level of spider interceptions and post-border detections will be reviewed at the end of
the season and any possible changes to the programme initiated at that time.
A third document (Agreed Phytosanitary Procedures for the Effective Management of
Homalodicsa coagulata  and Xylella faxtidiosa  Associated with the Importation of Fresh
Table Grapes ( Vitis vinifera ) from California to New Zealand) associated with this import
health standard has been amended to bring the text in line with the other two documents.No changes have been made to the measures specified within this document.
As these are trade-facilitating measures resu lting from previously notified risk assessment
documents and negotiated and agreed with th e USA, the import health standard has been
issued and trade has been allowed to commence from 6 September 2002.  However,
New Zealand will still take any comments into account and amend the import health standard
if necessary.
7. Objective and rationale:  [    ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection,
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease,  [   ]  protect territory from
other damage from pests
8. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [ X ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  None
10. Proposed date of adoption:  6 September 2002
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  6 September 2002
12. Final date for comments:  6 November 2002
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:  Ms. Christine Reed, Indigenous Flora and Fauna team, MAF
Biosecurity Authority, PO Box 2526, 101-103 The Terrace, Wellington, NEW ZEALAND.
Tel:  +64 4 470 2756; Fax:  +64 4 470 2741; E-mail:  reedc@maf.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:
Mr. Keawe Woodmore, Coordinator - SPS New Zealand, PO Box 2526, 101-103 The
Terrace, Wellington, NEW ZEALAND. Tel:  +64 4 474 4226; Fax:  +64 4 470 2730;
Email: sps@maf.govt.nz
Website: www.maf.govt.nz/biosecurity/sps/transparency/notifications/index.htm