G/SPS/N/NZL/546  
 
25 October 2016  
(16-5841) 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 nation al 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): All food  
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: Proposals for changes to food safety regulations MPI 
Public Discussion Paper No: 2016/24 . Language(s): English . Number of pages: 39 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2016/SPS/NZL/16_4477_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: The Food Act 2014 and Food Regulations 2015 came into force 
on 1 March 2016. These aligned New Zealands domestic food system with the risk -based 
approach of ot her food statutes, namely the Animal Products Act 1999 and the Wine 
Act 2003.  
While new businesses have to operate under the Food Act straight away, existing 
businesses are transitioning to the new law over a three year introductory perio d (set to 
finish d uring 2019).  
The Food Regulations 2015 focussed on higher -risk businesses that were the first to 
transition to the Food Act, and the detailed requirements needed to get the Food Act 
working on a practical level.  
The proposals for this second set of regulat ions focus on low to medium -risk businesses 
joining later in the introductory peri od. Many of the proposals seek to reduce regulatory 
burden and revoke unnecessary rules. The proposals include:  
 reduced regulatory requirements for low to medium -risk busines ses; 
 greater flexibility surrounding initial verification requirements and a change to 
verification reports;  
 a review of the outdated Food (Safety) Regulations 2002, many of which can be 
revoked;  
 amendment of the Animal Products (Exemptions and Inclusions)  Order 2000 to 
ensure that the Animal Products Act 1999 and the Food Act 2014 are working 
together effectively; and  
 a change to the Food Regulations 2015 relating to maximum residue levels in wine.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [ ]  animal h ealth, [ ]  plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ]  protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   G/SPS/N/NZL/546  
 
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  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) :   
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :   
[X] None  
Does  this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[ ] 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 avai lable:     
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 1 July 2017  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 1 July 2017  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ]  Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 1 July 2017  
[ ] Trade facilitating me asure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 5 December 2016  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [ ]  National Enquiry Point. Add ress, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
Mrs Sally Jennings, 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: http://www.mpi.govt.nz/news -and-resources/consultations/  
13. Text(s)  available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [ ]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) o f other body:   
Mrs Sally Jennings, 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: http://www.mpi.govt.nz/news -and-resources/consultations/