G/SPS/N/AUS/490  
10 December 2019  
(19-8496) Page: 1/3 
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):  All foods sold in Australia (both imported and domestically produced)  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practi cable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Proposal M1017 - Maximum Residue Limits (2019) . 
Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  45 (21 Call for Submissions report and 24 
Supporting Document 1)  
6. Description of content:  This Proposal seeks to amend the Australia New Zealand Food 
Standards Code  to align maximum residue limits (MRLs) for various agricultural and 
veterinary (Agvet) chemicals with the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary  Medicines 
Authority MRL Standard, Codex Alimentarius Commission and trading partner standards 
relating to residues of agricultural and veterinary chemicals in food.  
The agvet chemicals where increased or new MRLs are being considered for specified plant 
commodities are:  
Abamectin, acephate, acequinocyl, benzovindiflupyr, boscalid, carbendazim, chlorothalonil, 
clofentezine, clothianidin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, difenoconazole, dithiocarbamates, 
endosulfan, fenazaquin, flazasulfuron, flonicamid, fluazifo p-p-butyl, fluopicolide, 
fluopyram, folpet, halosulfuron -methyl, hexythiazox, iprodione, metalaxyl, oxathiapiprolin, 
pendimethalin, phosmet, phosphorous acid, propiconazole, sethoxydim, tetraconazole, 
triadimenol and trifloxystrobin.  
The agvet chemicals wh ere increased or new MRLs are being considered for specified 
animal commodities are:  
Halosulfuron - methyl.  
The agvet chemicals where deletions or reductions in MRLs are being proposed are:  
Abamectin, boscalid, buprofezin, cypermethrin, cyproconazole, dithi ocarbamates, 
emamectin, etridiazole, fenhexamid, fenoxycarb, fentin, fluazifop -p-butyl, imidacloprid, 
indoxacarb, methoxyfenozide, myclobutanil, phosphorous acid, propiconazole, quinoxyfen, 
tebuconazole and tebuthiuron.  
Note: There were no deletions or red uctions in MRLs for animal food commodities.  G/SPS/N/AUS/490  
 
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  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 serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
- CAC/MRL 1 Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for Pesticides 2009  
- CAC/MRL  2 Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs in Food 2011  
- CAC/MRL 3 Extraneous Maximum Residue Limits (EMRLs) 2001  
- and subsequent variations to relevant standards as adopted or revoked by the 
Commission  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [X] No  
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  Certain proposed MRLs align with established Codex MRLs. 
These are detailed in section 1.3.1 of the assessment summary and in section 6, "Results 
of Assessment " in SD1.  
The scientific methodology used by Australia to establish MRLs is consistent with 
international best practice. Countries set MRLs according to the good agricultural practice 
(GAP) or good veterinary practice (GVP) applicable to their region to ensure the s afety and 
quality of the food. Agricultural and veterinary chemical use patterns differ between 
different production regions and countries as pests, diseases and environmental factors 
vary. This means that Australian MRLs for agricultural and veterinary ch emicals in food 
may differ from Codex standards.  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
Assessment summary available (in English) from FSANZ's  website at M1017 - Maximum 
Residue Limits (2019)   
Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code  (available in English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : June 2020  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : If no review is requested by Ministers, 
public ation is anticipated August 2020 with gazettal and registration as a legislative 
instrument to follow, in early September 2020.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : To be confirmed  - Date of Ga zettal and registration as a legislative 
instrument pending Government consideration (see 10. above).  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   G/SPS/N/AUS/490  
 
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  12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 8 February 2020  
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 Australian SPS Notification Authority  
GPO Box 858  
CANBERRA ACT 2601  
AUSTRALIA  
E-mail: 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:   
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/changes/Pages/Documents -for-public -
comment.aspx   
The Australian SPS Notification Authority  
GPO Box 858  
CANBERRA ACT 2601  
AUSTRALIA  
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au