G/SPS/N/NZL/588  
 
15 February 2019  
(19-0912) 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; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable): Equine semen and equine embryos  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the  extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: Australia, Canada, European Union, Norway, 
Switzerland, United States of America  
5. Title of the notified document: Import Health Standard for Semen and Embryos from 
Equids . Language(s): English.  Number of pages: 15 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/SPS/NZL/19_0905_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: Disease -specific requirements and general requirements for the 
collection, processing, storage, and transport of equine semen and embryos for export to 
New Zealand from Australia, Canada, the European Union, Norway, Switzerland, and the 
United States of Am erica.  
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.  
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) :  
[X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) : Terrestrial Animal Health Code, 
chapters 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 12.2, 12.3, 12.9   
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [X] No  
If no, de scribe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard: The proposed regulation conforms to the chapters listed above, 
but also contains additional requirements based on chapters 12.5 and 12.8 which are not 
specific for equine g ermplasm, but have been modified.  G/SPS/N/NZL/588  
 
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  9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
 Guidance document  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/SPS/NZL/19_0905_02_e.pdf  
 Risk management proposal  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/SPS/NZL/19_0905_01_e. pdf 
(available in English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 15 July 2019  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 15 July 2019  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 1 March 2020  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 15 April 2019  
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:  
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:  https://www.mpi.govt.nz/importing/overview/access -and-trade -into-new-
zealand/world -trade -organization -notificatio ns/ 
13. Text(s) available from: [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  
 
Website:  https://www.mpi.govt.nz/importing /overview/access -and-trade -into-new-
zealand/world -trade -organization -notifications/