G/SPS/N/AUS/445  
 
27 February 2018  
(18-1249) 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 item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable): Brassicaceous crop seeds for sowing  
4. Regions or countries likely to b e affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners  
[ ] Specific regions or countries:  
5. Title of the notified document: Draft review of import conditions for brassicaceous crop 
seeds for sowing into Australia . Language(s): English.  Number of pages: 145 
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/biosecurity/risk -analysis/plant -
reviews/draft -brassicaceae -report.pdf  
6. Description of content: Acknowledging the change in risk profile, the department is 
undertaking an extensive review of the existing import conditions for vegetable seeds, 
including those for brassicaceo us crops. The review identified two fungal pests, associated 
with the seeds of several brassicaceous crops, as meeting the International Plant 
Protection Convention (IPPC) criteria for a quarantine pest. The identified quarantine pests 
are Colletotrichum higginsianum and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. raphani . The unrestricted 
risks of these quarantine pests do not achieve the appropriate level of protection (ALOP) 
for Australia.  
This review evaluated the effectiveness of existing risk management measures for t he 
identified quarantine pests, and proposes additional mandatory phytosanitary measures to 
reduce the risk of their introduction into Australia. Standard requirements for the 
importation of seeds for sowing apply to all brassicaceous seeds. The department  proposes 
additional phytosanitary measures for seeds of Brassica oleracea, Brassica rapa, Eruca 
vesicaria and Raphanus sativus. The proposed additional phytosanitary measures require:  
 Mandatory fungicidal treatment (off -shore or on -shore) for seeds of Brassica oleracea, 
Brassica rapa, Eruca vesicaria and Raphanus sativus  as specified in this review;  
 Seed lots treated off -shore to be accompanied by an official government Phytosanitary 
Certificate endorsed with the additional declaration that the consignment  has 
undergone mandatory treatment in accordance with Australian import conditions.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [  ] animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.  G/SPS/N/AUS/445  
 
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  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 A nimal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) : ISPM No. 2 
and 11  
[ ] 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 av ailable:   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 14 February 2018  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 19 April 2018  
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:  
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:   
The Australian SPS Notification Authority  
GPO Box 858  
Canberra ACT 2601  
Australia  
Fax: +(61 2) 6272 3678  
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au  
 
Texts are available at the following links:  
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/biosecurity/risk -analysis/plant -
reviews/draft -brassicaceae -report.pdf  
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity/risk -analysis/plant/brassicaceous -crop-seeds