G/SPS/N/NZL/642  
 
17 December 2020  
(20-9136) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
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):  Seeds - Solanum lycopersicum , Solanum lycopersicum  x Solanum 
habrochaites , Capsicum annuum , Capsicum baccatum , Capsicum cardenasii , Capsi cum 
chinense , Capsicum eximium , Capsicum frutescens , Capsicum microcarpum , Capsicum 
pendulum , Capsicum pubescens seeds for sowing  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Israel  
5. Title of the notified document:  Import Health Standard 155.02.05: Seeds for sowing . 
Language(s): English . Number of pages: 168 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/NZL/20_7766_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Import Health Standard 155.02.05: Seeds for Sowing describes 
the import requirements for seeds for sowing imported into New Zealand. This notificatio n 
concerns the temporary suspension of imports into New Zealand of Solanum lycopersicum  
and Capsicum  seeds for sowing of Israel -origin.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [  ] animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/pl ant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  This is a notification 
of emergency action taken by the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to 
temporarily suspend import pathways for species of Israel -origin, eligible to be imported 
under the specific requirements of Solanum lycopersicum  and Capsicum  in Import Health 
Standard 155.02.05: Seeds for Sowing, due to the detection of Tomato brown rugose 
fruit virus.  
Tomato brown rugose fruit virus is a virus that infects tomato and capsicum species of 
economic significance to New Zealand. Tomat o brown rugose fruit virus is not present in 
New Zealand. If introduced, this pest could have serious consequences to New Zealand's 
tomato and capsicum industries.  
The pathways will remain temporarily suspended pending an investigation into the non -
complia nce. The pathways will be re -instated once actions are undertaken that provide 
MPI with sufficient assurance that tomato and capsicum seeds of Israel -origin that are 
shipped to New Zealand are free from Tomato brown rugose fruit virus. G/SPS/N/NZL/642  
 
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  9. Is there a relev ant 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, c hapter number) :  
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) : ISPM N° 1 
and 13  
[ ] 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:   
10. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  
17 December 2020  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. 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:   
Mrs Sally 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.m pi.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 o ther body:   
Mrs Sally 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/