G/SPS/N/AUS/402  
 
14 October 2016  
(16-5563) 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 ite m number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Uncooked ready -to-eat meat products, including 
uncooked ready -to-eat dried meat (for example, jerky), uncooked ready -to-eat sausages 
(for example, salami), uncooked ready -to-eat spreadable sausages (for example, 
mettwurst)  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners (except New Zealand)  
[ ] Specific regions o r countries:   
5. Title of the notified document: Proposed changes to the inspection and analysis of 
uncooked ready -to-eat meat - request for comment . Language(s): English . Number of 
pages: 3 
6. Description of content: Australia is preparing science -based risk statements on the 
risks associated with certain imported foods. As each risk statement is prepared, they 
are published on the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website 
(http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/importedfoods/Pages/FSANZ -advice -on-
imported -food.aspx ). 
In response to the risk statement on uncooked ready -to-eat meat, Australia is proposing 
changes to the inspection and analys is of uncooked ready -to-eat meat.  
Australia proposes these changes to protect public health and safety and ensure that 
these ready -to-eat meat products are produced with hygienic controls equivalent to 
those in Standard 4.2.3 - Production and Processing St andard for Meat of the Australia 
New Zealand Food Standards Code.  
Under the proposed changes a recognised government certificate would be required for 
uncooked ready -to-eat meat and these foods could not be imported into Australia 
without this certificate.  The form and content of the certificate would be agreed between 
Australia and the exporting country following an assessment of whether the uncooked 
ready -to-eat meat products in the exporting country are produced with hygienic controls 
equivalent to those  in Standard 4.2.3 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards 
Code.  
Specific detail on the proposed changes is available at  
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/goods/food/n otices/ifn -18-16. 
It is expected that the changes would take effect in December 2016.  G/SPS/N/AUS/402  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [ ]  animal health, [ ]  plant protection, 
[ ] 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:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : Code of Hygi enic Practice for Meat 
(CAC/RCP  58-2005)  
[ ] 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 internatio nal standard?   
[ ] Yes   [X] No  
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard: In Australia, the applicable standard for uncooked ready -to-
eat meat products specifies that these foods must comply with Standard  4.2.3 of the 
Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:     
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : December 2016  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 13 October 2016  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ]  Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : December 2016  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 13 December 2016  (9 a.m. Australia Eastern 
Daylight Time)  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  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  
Fax: +(61 2) 6272 3678  
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au  
13. Text(s)  available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail addre ss (if available) of other body:   
The Australian SPS Notification Point  
GPO Box 858  
Canberra ACT 2601  
Australia  
Fax: +(61 2) 6272 3678  
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au  
Specific detail on the proposed changes is available at  
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/goods/food/notices/ifn -18-16.