G/SPS/N/NZL/655  
 
23 August 2021  
(21-6353) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  NEW ZEALAND  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry for Primary Industries  
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):  Grain and seeds  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Import health standard: Grain and Seeds for 
Consumption, Feed or Processing . Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  75 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/SPS/NZL/21_5336_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Standard applies to grains and seeds for consumption, feed, 
or processing that is imported into New Zealand from foreign countries and territories, and 
sets out risk mitigations measures for the importation of 'Basic' seeds (as specified in the 
Plants  Biosecurity Index) and other seeds with specific schedules, for the purposes of 
consumption, feed, and processing.  
This notification relates to the proposal to amend the import health standard to remove 
the requirement for importers to have a permit for t he import of specified grain/seeds for 
processing in New Zealand.  
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 pest s.  
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquati c 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) : ISPM N° 5, 
12, 24  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   G/SPS/N/NZL/655  
 
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  9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
Risk Management Proposal  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/SPS/NZL/21_5336_01_e.pdf  (available in 
English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : To be notified at the end of the consultation process, approximately late 
October.  
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of c irculation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 1 October 2021  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
Sally Griffin (Jennings), Coordinator, SPS New Zealand, PO Box 2526, Wellington, 
New Zealand. Tel: +(64 4) 894 0431; Fax: +(64 4) 894 0733; E -mail: sps@mpi.govt.nz  
Website:  https://www.mpi.govt.nz/importing/overview/access -and-trade -into-new-
zealand/world -trade -organization -notifications/  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
Sally Griffin (Jennings), Coordinator, SPS New Zealand, PO Box 2526, Wellington, 
New Zealand. Tel: +(64 4) 894 0431; Fax: +(64 4) 894 0733; E -mail: sps@mpi.govt.nz  
Website:  https://www.mpi.govt.nz/importing/overview/access -and-trade -into-new-
zealand/world -trade -organization -notificatio ns/