G/SPS/N/NZL/624  
 
24 April 2020  
(20-3237) 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):  Apiaceae  seeds for sowing  
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 155.02.05: Seeds for Sowing . 
Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  12 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/NZL/20_2912_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/NZL/20_2912_01_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  MPI is proposing to remove the Apiaceae  schedule from the 
Import Health Standard (IHS) 155.02.05: Seeds for Sowing; this is a trade -enabling 
measure.  
The current Apiaceae schedule requires that all imported seed lots must be accompanied 
by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration for Lso haplotypes C, D and  E. 
The additional declaration must state that:  
− the seeds have been sourced from a c ountry free from Lso haplotypes C, D and E; 
or a representative sample of 10,000 seeds has been sampled and tested for this 
bacteria (onshore or offshore) and found free; or the seed lot has been treated with 
hot water at 50°C for at least 30 continuous mi nutes. The above measures were 
introduced as provisional measures subject to review and full technical assessment 
within a reasonable period, as per Article 5.7 of the WTO -SPS agreement.  
MPI has now completed its full technical assessment and found that new scientific 
evidence does not support the previous finding that Lso is seed transmitted on the 
Apiaceae family. As a result, MPI no longer considers Apiaceae seed to be a risk pathway 
for introduction of Lso.  
Please email sps@mpi.govt.nz  to request a copy of the targeted consultation document, 
should you wish to review the consultation document.  
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.   G/SPS/N/NZL/624  
 
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  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 Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) : 
ISPM No. 1  
[ ] 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:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
Letter: Consultation on the proposed changes to remove the Apiaceae  schedule from 
Import Health Standard (IHS) 155.02.05: Seeds for Sowing  (available in English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 11 June 2020  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy ): 11 June 2020  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 11 June 2020  
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 28 May 2020  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if availa ble) of other body:   
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:   
Mrs Sally Jennings, Coordinator, SPS  New Zealand  
PO Box 2526, Wellington, New Zealand  
Tel: +(644) 894 0431  
Fax: +(644) 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/