. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/NZL/304 
18 August 2004 
 (04-3448) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
   
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
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 numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):   Cycas nursery stock  (plants, cuttings and tissue culture) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:   All 
trading partners  
5. Title, language  and number of pages of the notified document:  Import Requirements 
for Cycas, see Cycas schedule at 
http://www.maf.govt.nz/bi osecurity/imports/plants/standards/155-02-06.pdf  (Available in 
English, 1 page).  
6. Description of content:  The import requirements for Cycas stipulate the requirements for 
the importation of Cycas nursery stock into New Zealand. 
This includes the pre-import requirements, documentation, phytosanitary certification 
requirements, additional declarations to the ph ytosanitary certificate, inspection, testing and 
post-entry quarantine requirements. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [    ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [ X ] plant protection, 
[   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [   ]  protect territory from other 
damage from pests  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:   The Ministry of 
Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) has recently detected the scale Aulacaspis  yasumatsui  
(cycad scale, cycad aulacaspis scale)  in New Zealand.  Initial investigations suggest that 
the scale may have been introduced in association with importations of Cycas revoluta 
plants into New Zealand.  MAF is undertaki ng an investigation into the incursion of 
Aulacaspis  yasumatsui  in New Zealand. 
 Cycads are imported in large numbers into New Zealand as offsets and distributed through 
the retail trade.  This particular scale is a very serious pest of cycads causing significant 
damage and mortality where natural enemies are not present.  Control using chemicals is very difficult as this scale species also occurs on the roots of host plants.  
MAF has suspended the importation of Cycas  because, depending on the findings, the 
current import health standard may require urgent amendment.  Plants currently in 
quarantine will be held until further notice.   No import permits will be issued for 
importation of Cycas  until the situation is clarified. G/SPS/N/NZL/304 
Page 2  
 
9. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [ X ] International Plant Protection Convention, [   ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:  
10. Relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:   None 
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):   From 5 August 2004 until 
further notice. 
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or addr ess, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notification authority, [   ] National enquiry 
point,  or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: For 
further information contact Ms Sally Griffi n, Coordinator, SPS New Zealand, PO Box 
2526, Wellington, New Zealand.  Tel:  +64 4 474 4140;  Fax:  +64 4 498 9888;  E-mail:  
sps@maf.govt.nz .