G/SPS/N/AUS/442  
 
15 December 2017  
(17-6979) 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 Health  
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): Organisms that have been modified through the use of certain new 
technologies (genetic ally modified organisms (GMO))  
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: Updating Gene Technology Regulation in Australia - 
Regulation Impact Statement for consultation . Language(s): English.  Number of 
pages:  52 
6. Description of content: The document outlines proposed changes to the Gene 
Technology Regulations 2001 which will clarify the classification of organism s that have 
been modified through the use of certain new technologies (two site directed nuclease 
techniques, oligo -directed mutagenesis and some RNA interference techniques). These 
changes will clarify which organisms will be required to be regulated as g enetically 
modified organisms (GMOs) in Australia. They will also identify some organisms which will 
not require regulation as GMOs in Australia.  
The document also contains information on other proposed changes to the Regulations 
which are not relevant to the international community.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[X] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [X]  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) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapte r 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:  G/SPS/N/AUS/442  
 
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  9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
 Consultation Quick Guide  
 Gene Technology Amendment (2017 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2017 
 Gene Technology Regulations 2001 (Future Law Compilation)  
(available in English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : To be decided.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be decided.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : To be decided.  
[X] Trade facilitating measure The proposed reforms will allow for the authority to 
recognise foreign country equivalence, exempting all imports from border 
intervention except where there is evid ence of non -compliance or a food safety risk.  
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 21 February 2018  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:  
The Australian SPS Notification Point  
GPO Box 858  
Canberra ACT 2601  
Australia  
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au  
13. Text(s) available from: [ ] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
http://www.og tr.gov.au/internet/ogtr/publishing.nsf/Content/reviewregulations -1