. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/NZL/139
4 April 2001
(01-1692)
Committee on Sanitary and 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 number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable).  Frozen inedible deer by-products for further processing   Regions or countries
likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  Canada
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Revocation of import health
standard (1 page)
5. Description of content:  The legal instrument used to revoke the Import health standard for
the importation into New Zealand of frozen inedible deer by-products for further processing
from Canada  (dated 28 January 2000) (3 pages)
6. Objective and rationale:  [     ] food safety,  [  X ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           
7. Nature of the urgent problem(s):  Deer by-product imports from Canada have been
suspended by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry after new surveillance showed that
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) may be more widespread in Canada's farmed elk industry
than previously thought.  CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy.  It is relatedto, but distinct from BSE and the sheep disease scrapie. It affects wild and farmed deer and
elk in Canada and the United States.  It has never been detected outside of North America.
Canadian authorities embarked on a disease surveillance programme last year after CWD
was discovered there, and detected CWD in 17 herds, with a total of 35 infected animals.
Following the initial information received from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
(CFIA) regarding the increased prevalence of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in the
Canadian farmed elk industry, New Zealand began the process of reviewing and identifying
import health standards for products that may pose a risk.  This review has identified the
import health standard for deer by-products from Canada as posing a risk to New Zealand's
biosecurity.  As such MAF have suspended deer by-product imports from Canada untilissues such as distribution of infectivity a nd risk to humans can be adequately clarified.
8. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [     ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give its appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations: Higher level of sanitary protection than would be
achieved by measures based on the OIE International Animal Health Code: Mammals, Birds
and Bees.G/SPS/N/NZL/139
Page 2
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  None
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  22 March 2001
11. Texts available from/and 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:
Mr Keawe Woodmore, Coordinator, New Zeal and SPS Notification Authority, PO Box 2526,
101-103 The Terrace, Wellington, New Zealand.  Tel:  +64 4 474 4226;  Fax:  +64 4 470
2730;  E-mail:  sps@maf.govt.nz
Comments: Barbara Christensen, National Ad viser, International Trade, Biosecurity
Authority, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, PO Box 2526, Wellington, New Zealand.
Tel:  +64 4 498 9807;  Fax:  +64 4 474 4227;  E-mail:  christensenb@maf.govt.nz