G/SPS/N/USA/2570/Add.3
4 August 2015 
(15-4013)  Page: 1/2
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English
 
  NOTIFICATION 
Addendum 
The following communication, received on 3 August 2015, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the United States of America. 
 
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 Third-Party Auditor/Certification Body Accreditation for Food Safety Audits: Model Accreditation 
Standards; Draft Guidance for Industry and Food  and Drug Administration Staff; Availability 
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a draft guidance for 
industry and FDA staff entitled "Third-Party Auditor/Certification Body Accreditation for Food Safety Audits: Model Accreditation Standards". The draft guidance, when finalized, will contain FDA 
recommendations on third-party auditor/certification body qualifications for accreditation to 
conduct food safety audits and to issue food and/ or facility certifications under an FDA program 
required by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). 
FDA recognizes that there is significant international interest in how it is implementing the Food 
Safety Modernization Act of 2010 and as a result has elected to notify this action even though this 
notification is not an obligation under Article 7/Annex B of the WTO SPS Agreement. 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/SPS/USA/15_3040_00_e.pdf  
This addendum concerns a: 
[ ] Modification of final date for comments 
[ ] Notification of adoption, publication or entry into force of regulation 
[ ] Modification of content and/or scope of  previously notified draft regulation 
[ ] Withdrawal of proposed regulation 
[ ] Change in proposed date of adoption, publication or date of entry into force 
[X] Other: Publication of document relevant to previously notified draft regulation. 
Comment period: (If the addendum extends the scope of the previously notified 
measure in terms of products and/or potent ially affected Members, a new deadline for 
receipt of comments should be provided, norm ally of at least 60 calendar days. Under 
other circumstances, such as extension of or iginally announced final date for comments, 
the comment period provided in the addendum may vary.)  
[ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the addendum to the notification and/or 
(dd/mm/yy) : 7 October 2015. Although you can comment on any guidance at any 
time (see 21 CFR 10.115(g)(5)), to ensure that we consider your comment on this draft guidance before we begin work on the final version of the guidance, submit 
either electronic or written comments by 7 October 2015. G/SPS/N/USA/2570/Add.3 
 
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  Agency or authority designated to handle co mments: [ ] National Notification Authority, 
[ ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax nu mber and e-mail address (if available) of 
other body: 
Submit electronic comments on the draft guidance to http://www.regulations.gov . Submit written 
comments to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 
Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.  
Text(s) available from: [X] National Notificati on Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point. 
Address, fax number and e-mail addre ss (if available) of other body: 
United States SPS National Notification Authority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, International 
Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1014, Washington D.C. 20250; Tel: +(1 202) 720 1301; Fax: +(1 202) 720 0433; E-mail: us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov 
The text is available in the Federal Register Vol. 80 No. 142 at Page 44137 or at: 
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR- 2015-07-24/pdf/ 2015-18142.pdf . 
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