G/SPS/N/AUS/508  
 
2 November 2020  
(20-7718) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  AUSTRALIA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)  
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):  Fresh fruit and vegetables for sale in Australia/ New Zealand where 
irradiation has been used as a phytosanitary measure (both imported and domestical ly 
produced).  
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:  Call for Submissions for Application A1193 - Irradiation 
as a phytosanitary measure for all fresh fruit and vegetables.  Language(s):  English . 
Number of pages:  26 
6. Description of content:  FSANZ has received an application seeking a variation to 
Standard 1.5.3 Irradiation of Food of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code 
(the Code), to permit the irradiation of all fresh fruit and vegetables as a phytosanitary 
measure to ensure freed om from regulated pests. Currently, the Code permits the 
irradiation of 26 fruits and vegetables for this purpose.  
If approved, the permission will replace these existing permissions with a generic 
permission for all fresh fruits and vegetables. The minim um and maximum absorbed 
doses of 150 Gy and 1 kGy will remain the same as the existing permission. If permitted, 
this form of treatment can be used as a phytosanitary measure for fresh produce exported 
to another Australian state, territory or region, or t o New Zealand.  
It can also be used for  imports into both countries requiring a phytosanitary treatment 
and thus help provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests, with proven 
effectiveness against fruit flies and most insects.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [  ] animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [X]  protect territory from 
other damage from pests.  All applications to change the Australia New Zealand Food 
Standards  Code, must be assessed in the context of the following objectives: (a) the 
protection of public health and safety; (b) the provision of adequate information relating 
to food to enable consumers to make informed choices; and (c) the prevention of 
misleadin g or deceptive conduct. For foods treated with ionising radiation, a pre -market 
safety assessment ensures that they are as safe as their conventional counterparts.  G/SPS/N/AUS/508  
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alim entarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : General standard for irradiated foods Codex Stan 
106-1983, Rev 1 -2003.  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) : 
− ISPM 18 - Guidelines for use of irradiation as a phytosanitary measure  
− ISPM 28 - Phytosanitary treatments for regulated pests  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation c onform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes  [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Australia 
New Zealand Food Standards Code (English)  
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/F2015L00468  (available in English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 1 June 2021  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 1 June 2021  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 1 June 2021  
[X] Trade facilitating measure  Standard 1.5.3 also specifies the labelling 
requirements that exist for food that has been irradiated, and for food that has as 
an ingredient or component a food that has been irradiated. These labelling 
requirements will remain unchanged. Note that the u se of irradiation as a 
phytosanitary measure is voluntary and only one of several such measures, and 
producers/suppliers will only use irradiation where they believe a net benefit exists.  
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circu lation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 10 January 2021  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [  ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
The Aust ralian SPS Notification Authority  
GPO Box 858  
CANBERRA  ACT 2601 
Email: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au   
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [  ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
The Australian SPS Notification Authority  
GPO Box 858  
CANBERRA  ACT 2601 
Email: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au