G/TBT/N/NZL/104  
26 March 2021  
(21-2508) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  NEW ZEALAND   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Ministry for Primary Industries  
Charles Fergusson Building  
34 – 38 Bowen Street  
PO Box 2526  
Wellington 6140  
New Zealand  
Tel: +64 4 830 1574  
Website: www.mpi.govt.nz  
Name and address (including telephone and fax num bers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Standards New Zealand  
Ph +64 4 498 5990  
wto@standards.co.nz   
www.standards.govt.nz  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Food, 
beverages, and plant and animal products.  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Discussion 
document: Seeking your views on proposals for regulating or ganic businesses in the 
primary sector: Approving businesses and checking compliance with organic standards  
(49 page(s), in English)  
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/44392 -Proposals -for-regulating -organic -
businesses -in-the-primary -sector -Discussion -document   
6. Description of content:  As per notification G/TBT/N/NZL/81, the New Zealand 
Government is proposing ne w legislation: the Organic Products Bill for the development 
of requirements for organic products. The Government is now consulting on regulatory 
proposals for organic food, beverages, and plant and animal products.   
The proposals include:  
1. Requiring an organic management plan that demonstrates how the business will 
meet the organic standard;  
2. Having that plan evaluated and the business' operation verified;  G/TBT/N/NZL/104  
 
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  3. Applying for approval;   
4. Having business  operations undergo verification on an ongoing b asis to ensure 
they remain compliant;  
5. Including requirements for importers and exporters;  
6. Competency, accreditation and skills requirements that third -party verifiers 
must have in order to apply for these roles; and  
7. Developing a national organic mark for a pproved businesses to use.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Consumer information, labelling; Prevention of deceptive practices and 
consumer protection  
8. Relevant documents:   
• Organic Products Bill (74 pages, in English) 
https://legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2020/0221/latest/whole.html#LMS3
12667  
• Discussion document: Seeki ng your views on proposals for regulating organic 
businesses in the primary sector: Approving businesses and checking 
compliance with organic standards. (49 pages, in English) 
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/44392 -Proposals -for-regulating -
organic -businesses -in-the-primary -sector -Discussion -document  
• G/TBT/N/NZL/81  -  Notification – New Zealand – Organic product (1 page, in 
English).   
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  No less than 6 months following adoption  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
Ministry for Primary Industries  
Charles Fergusson Building  
34 – 38 Bowen Street  
PO Box 2526  
Wellington 6140  
New Zealand  
Tel: +64 4 830 1574  
Email: info@mpi.govt.nz  
Website: https://www.mp i.govt.nz/consultations/proposals -for-regulating -organic -
businesses -in-the-primary -sector