G/SPS/N/NZL/721  
18 April 2023  
(23-2769) 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):  Seeds of Actinidia , Fragaria , Malus , Prunus , Pyrus , Ribes , Rubus , 
Vaccinium , Vitis 
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:  Amended Import Health Standard for Seeds for Sowing . 
Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  177 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/SPS/NZL/23_9093_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/SPS/NZL/23_9093_01_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Ministry for Primary Industries proposes removing 
biological  indexing as a diagnostic tool from all our plant germplasm import health 
standards.  
Biological indexing will be:  
a. removed as a complimentary test to ELISA or PCR for 78 pests (where existing 
standards require biological indexing to be done with ELISA or PC R testing),  
b. replaced by testing using only ELISA or PCR for 44 pests (where existing standards 
require biological indexing as the only test method),  
c. removed as a test from one Fragaria disease of unknown aetiology (and instead this 
pest will be managed by inspecting plants for symptoms).  
The Ministry for Primary Industries will also remove all guidance and sections about 
biological indexing requirements from our plant germplasm import health standards.  
For Fragaria , Olea, Prunus , Rubus , Solanum tuberosum , and Vitis plants for planting, we 
are removing 25 pests from our plant germplasm import health standards. We no longer 
consider these pests biosecurity risks on this pathway, and we will no longer require plants 
to be tested for these pests.  
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/721  
 
- 2 - 
 
  8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify th e 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 Protec tion Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
 ISPM 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:   
Risk Management Proposal  (available in English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 29 May 2023  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 29 May 2023  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 29 May 2023  
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 10 May 2023  
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:   
Sally Griffin, 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 -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:   
Sally Griffin, 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/