G/SPS/N/NZL/622  
 
1 April 2020  
(20-2606) 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 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: 163 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/NZL/20_2305_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  This is an urgent amendment to include the species Solanum 
melongena  to effectively manage the risk of PSTVd on this import pathway. The import 
health standard describes import specifications and entry conditions for seeds for sowing 
imported into New Zea land. 
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.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgen t action:  Emergency 
measures are being adopted to prevent the introduction into New Zealand of the regulated 
pest Potato spindle tuber viroid  (PSTVd) which may be associated with imported Solanum 
melongena seeds for sowing. This decision is based on recent  interceptions of PSTVd on 
S. melongena seeds for sowing imported into New Zealand from two different countries 
of origin.  
MPI's measures to manage PSTVd on this pathway are a change to the import specification 
for Solanum melongena  seeds for sowing. The Solanum  schedule in Import Health 
Standard 155.02.05: Seeds for sowing which has measures in place for PSTVd has been 
urgently amended to include the species Solanum melongena  to effectively manage the 
risk of PSTVd on this import pathway. The measures requ ire a phytosanitary certificate 
with additional declarations for either a Pest Free Area, or Pest Free Place of Production 
or that the seeds have been officially tested and found free from PSTVd. Testing of seed 
for PSTVd may be conducted prior to export o r on arrival in New Zealand.  G/SPS/N/NZL/622  
 
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  9. 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. 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):  
31 March 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 Sa lly 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 -notificatio ns/ 
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 -notificatio ns/