G/SPS/N/NZL/510
1 December 2014 
(14-6957)  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 national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Honey 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries: Australia  
5. Title of the notified document: Importation into New Zealand of Specified Bee 
Products from Australia  Language(s): English  Number of pages: 9 
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/ihs/search  
6. Description of content: The 2006 Import Health Standard for the Importation into 
New Zealand of Specified Bee Products from Australia (IHS) came into force in late 2008. However, following legal challenge from the New Zealand beekeeping industry it 
was suspended in early 2009.  
The IHS was based on a risk analysis from 2004. Significant advances in scientific 
knowledge related to several important honeybee diseases such have been made over 
the past decade, particularly in regard to American Foulbrood and viral diseases such as 
Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) have been made since that time, necessitating a new import risk analysis. As a result, MPI considers that revision of the import risk analysis is 
warranted. 
MPI no longer issues IHSs based on individual countries. On 15 October 2014, the 
Director General of MPI made the decision to  revoke the Import Health Standard for the 
Importation into New Zealand of Specified Bee Products from Australia (2006), and 
directed MPI to undertake a further risk analysis to assess the measures required to 
effectively manage risks relating to importation of honey from Australia and all other countries. 
Current research on the thermal destruction of IAPV is taking place with results expected 
in late 2015. The IHS for bee products from all countries is expected to include honey when this work is concluded and scientific justification for the management of 
biosecurity risks associated with honey imports can be made. 
7. Objective and rationale: [ ] food safety, [X] animal health, [ ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   G/SPS/N/NZL/510 
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) CODEX STAN 12-1981, Rev.1 [1987], Rev.2 [2001] 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] 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:   
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available: Not 
applicable.   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 21 November 2014 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 21 November 2014 
[ ] 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 hand le comments: [X] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, 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 
13. Text(s) available from: [X] National Notifi cation Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, 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