G/SPS/N/AUS/523  
 
25 May 2021  
(21-4325) 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, Water and the Environment  
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):  Plants for planting (Nursery stock - excluding tissue culture)  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Argentina, Japan  
5. Title of the notified document:  List of host countries of Phytopthora ramorum  
expanded to include Argentina and Japan . Language(s):  English . Number of pages:   
6. Description of content:  EPPO Reporting Service No.  3 2021 
(https://gd.eppo.int/reporting/article -6988) cited recent research indicating an expanded 
distribution of Phytophthor a ramorum . In response, after subsequent investigation of the 
cited research, Japan is now recognised as a high -risk country where Phytophthora 
ramorum  is present. The cited research is Jung, T., et al. (2021) The destructive tree 
pathogen Phytophthora ram orum  originates from the laurosilva forests of East Asia. 
Journal of Fungi 7, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7030226 . 
Australia now also recognises Argentina as a high -risk country where Phytophthora 
ramorum  is present, as a result of research conducted by Vélez, M. V., et al. (2020) 
Phytophthora austrocedri  in Argentina and co -inhabiting phytophthoras: roles of 
anthropog enic and abiotic factors in species distribution and diversity. Forests 11, DOI: 
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f11111223 . 
Plants for planting (nursery stock) from Argentina and Japan must comply with specific  
conditions for import into Australia, which includes mandatory post -entry quarantine 
growth and testing for Phytophthora ramorum  at the Department of Agriculture, Water 
and the Environment post -entry quarantine facility.  
Import conditions are available on  Australia's Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) 
system: https://bicon.agriculture.gov.au/BiconWeb4.0/ . 
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/AU S/523  
 
- 2 - 
 
  8. 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. 6, 8 and 11  
[ ] 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:    
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 19 May 2021  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 19 May 2021  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : Immediately.  
[ ] Trade facilitating  measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  
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:   
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, [X]  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