G/SPS/N/AUS/546  
 
5 October 2022  
(22-7516) 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:  Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry  
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):  Meat and meat products (bovine, bubaline, camelidae, caprine, 
cervidae, ovine, porcine and soliped) (ICS code: 67.120; HS code: 02 - Chapter 2 - Meat 
and edible meat offal)  
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:  Draft updates to Australian Standard 4696:2022, 
Hygienic production and transportation of meat and meat products for human 
consumption . Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  86 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/SPS/AUS/22_6762_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Australia is updating its mandatory standard for the hygienic 
production and transportation of meat and meat products for human consumption. It 
applies to meat produced in Australia and derived from animals of the bovine, bubaline, 
camelidae, caprine, cervidae, ovine, porcine and soliped species slaughtered other than in 
a wild state. Updates have been made to the requirements under Schedule 2 - Procedures 
for post -mortem inspection and Schedule 3 - Ante-mortem and post -mortem dispositions.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or seri al number of Codex 
standard or related text) : The Codex Code of Hygienic Practice for Meat 
(CRC-RCP 58 -2005)  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protectio n Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] 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/AUS/546  
 
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  9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 15 February 2023  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 1 February 2023  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : 15 February 2023  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 4 December 2022  
Agency or authority designated to handle comme nts: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry  
GPO Box 858  
Tel: +(61 2) 6272 3933  
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au  
Website: http://www.agriculture.gov.au  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  Nation al Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry  
GPO Box 858  
Tel: +(61 2) 6272 3933  
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au  
Website: http://www.agriculture.gov.au