G/SPS/N/AUS/347
23 October 2014 
(14-6115)  Page: 1/3
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English
 
  NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
1. Notifying Member:  AUSTRALIA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Australian Government Department of Agriculture 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Benincasa hispida (wax gourd), Citrullus lanatus 
(watermelon), Cucumis anguria (west Indian burr gherkin), Cucumis sativus (cucumber), Cucumis melo (melon), Cucurb ita moschata (pumpkin), Cucurbita pepo 
(pumpkin, squash, zucchini), Lagenaria siceraria (bottle gourd), Luffa acutangula, Luffa 
cylindrica (loofah gourd), Momordica charantia (bitter gourd) and Trichosanthes cucumerina (serpent gourd) seeds, tissue cultures and/or nursery stock imports. 
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: Emergency measures for cucurbit seeds, nursery 
stock and tissue culture against Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus  Language(s): 
English  Number of pages: 2  
6. Description of content: Emergency phytosanitary measures for imports of cucurbit 
seeds, nursery stock and tissue culture into Australia are being introduced due to the 
quarantine risk presented by Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV). 
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.   
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s)  and reason for urgent action: Nature of the 
urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action: 
Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus is an economically important virus of cucurbit crops 
and was recently detected for the first time in Australia in watermelon crops in the 
Northern Territory. The virus is currently under eradication and strict movement restrictions are in place. CGMMV has been reported in all plant tissues of infected plants; 
therefore, propagative material (seeds, tissue cultures and nursery stock) provide a 
pathway for this virus. Consequently, Australia is introducing emergency measures to prevent the further introduction of CGMMV through these pathways.  
Prior to these emergency measures seeds, tissue cultures and nursery stock of these 
hosts were permitted entry into Australia from any country without any risk mitigation 
measures. 
Heat treatment is not considered an option as recent research suggests that it is not 
efficient in eliminating the virus. Australia will review the emergency measures in the G/SPS/N/AUS/347 
 
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  near future. All emergency conditions will be published on the departments Import 
Conditions (ICON) database. 
Tissue cultures and nursery stock: 
The emergency measures require that imports of tissue cultures and nursery stock of 
Benincasa hispida, Citrullus lanatus, Cucumi s anguria, Cucumis sativus, Cucumis melo, 
Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita pepo, Lagenaria siceraria, Luffa acutangula, Luffa 
cylindrica, Momordica charantia and Trichosanthes cucumerina are suspended until 
further notice. 
Seeds for sowing: 
The emergency measures for Citrullus lanatus, Cucumis sativus, Cucumis melo, 
Cucurbita pepo, Lagenaria siceraria and Trichosanthes cucumerina seeds will be implemented in three phases to minimise trade disruption: 
- Phase 1: Consignments currently in transit (exported prior to 22 October 2014) will be 
allowed entry into Australia if the consignment is accompanied by a phytosanitary 
certificate or equivalent supporting documentation that the seed has been tested off-shore using the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) 7-026 Detection of 
squash mosaic virus, Cucumber green mottl e mosaic virus and Melon necrotic spot 
virus in cucurbits with a minimum sample size of 2,000 seeds and found free of CGMMV. Consignments in transit that do not meet these requirements will be subject 
to Phase 2 conditions. Phase 1 conditions expire on 4 November 2014 and will be 
replaced by Phase 2 conditions. 
- Phase 2: Consignments must be ELISA tested with a sample size of 9,400 seeds using 
the protocol of the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) 7-026 Detection of 
squash mosaic virus, Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus and Melon necrotic spot 
virus in cucurbits. The testing of the seeds may be conducted offshore or onshore.  
- Phase 3: Australia is currently developing a PCR testing protocol that will replace 
ELISA testing within three months (by 22 January 2015). The PCR testing protocol 
will be available on request. 
Phytosanitary certification requirements for seeds for sowing: 
Each consignment of Citrullus lanatus, Cucumis sativus, Cucumis melo, Cucurbita pepo, 
Lagenaria siceraria and Trichosanthes cucumerina must be accompanied by an official government Phytosanitary Certificate endorsed with one of the following additional declarations:  
The consignment of [botanical name (Genus species)] was tested by the ISTA 7-026 
method of ELISA on a sample of 9,400 seeds and found free from Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus. 
OR 
The consignment of  [botanical name (Genus species)] was tested by the approved 
method of PCR on a sample of 9,400 seeds and found free from Cucumber green mottle 
mosaic virus. G/SPS/N/AUS/347 
 
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  9. Is there a relevant international stan dard? 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) IPPC 
Article 7 and IPSM 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:   
10. Other relevant documents and langua ge(s) in which these are available:      
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable): 
22 October 2014       
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [X] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
The Australian SPS Contact Point  
GPO Box 858  Canberra ACT 2601 Australia 
Fax: +(61 2) 6272 3678 
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au 
13. Text(s) available from: [X] National Noti fication Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail a ddress (if available)  of other body:  
The Australian SPS Contact Point 
GPO Box 858  
Canberra ACT 2601 Australia Fax: +(61 2) 6272 3678 
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au