G/SPS/N/AUS/450  
 
18 May 2018  
(18-2958) 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: Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water 
Resources  
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): Live pigeon i mport consignments ( Columba livia)  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, 
New Zealand, United Kingdo m 
5. Title of the notified document: "Amended Health Certificates for Live Pigeon 
Consignments" . Language(s): English.  Number of pages: 10 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/AUS/18_2469_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: The attached pdf identifies a number of changes the Australian 
Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources intends to make to the 
existing live pigeon import conditions outlined in the four health certificates. These 
changes are:  
 clarifications to the existin g live pigeon import conditions;  
 mandatory microchipping of all pigeons as a form of identification, in addition to the 
existing leg band ide ntification;  
 mandatory West Nile Virus (WNV) testing ; and 
 amending the title of each certifica te from "veterinary certificate" to " health 
certificate".  
The department seeks the co -operation of competent authorities to amend their health 
certificates accordingly.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[X] 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:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
 Chapter 2.1. 24 of the OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for 
Terrestrial Animals 2017 – West Nile Fever  
 Chapter 8.19 of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code – West Nile Fever  G/SPS/N/AUS/450  
 
- 2 - 
 
  [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does t his 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) : 16 July 2018  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 16 July 2018  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : 16 July 2018  
The department intends to implement and enforce these updated pigeon import conditions 
as soon as they are published on the department's Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) 
external website.  
[ ] 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, [  ] National  Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [  ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
The Au stralian SPS Notification Authority  
GPO Box 858  
Canberra ACT 2601  
Australia  
Fax: +(61 2) 6272 3678  
Email: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au