G/SPS/N/AUS/373  
 
3 November 2015  
(15-5815)  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: Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) 
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): Processed foods in general 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document: M1011 Maximum Residue Limits (2015)  
Language(s): English  Number of pages: 20  
6. Description of content: This Proposal seeks to amend the Australia New Zealand Food 
Standards Code (Schedule 20 of the revised Code which commences on 1 March 2016) to align maximum residue limits (MRLs) for various agricultural and veterinary chemicals so that they are consistent with other national regulations relating to the safe and 
effective use of agricultural and veterinary chemicals; and to align certain limits with 
Codex or trading partner standards relating to  residues of agricultural and veterinary 
chemicals in food. The document includes a summary of the scientific risk assessment 
and risk assessment methodology. 
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 st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial  n u m b e r  o f  C o d e x  
standard or related text)  
CAC/MRL 1 Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for Pesticides 2009, 
CAC/MRL 2 Maximum Residue Limits fo r Veterinary Drugs in Food 2011, 
CAC/MRL 3 Extraneous Maximum Residue Limits (EMRLs) 2001, and subsequent variations to relevant standards as adopted or revoked by the 
Commission.  
[ ] 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?   G/SPS/N/AUS/373 
 
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  [ ] Yes   [X] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  
Certain proposed limits conform to Codex limits.  
The scientific methodology used by Australia to establish MRLs is consistent with international best practice. Countries set MRLs according to the good agricultural 
practice (GAP) or good veterinary practice (GVP) applicable to their region. Agricultural 
and veterinary chemical use patterns differ between different production regions and 
countries as pests, diseases and environmental factors vary. This means that Australian 
MRLs for agricultural and veterinary chemical s in food may differ from Codex standards. 
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available: 
Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (available in English) 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : FSANZ Board approval anticipated 
March 2016 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : Notification to Government anticipated 
March 2016 with gazettal and registration as a legislative instrument to follow in late May 2016, pending Government consideration. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : Date of Gazettal and registration as a legislative instrument 
pending Government consideration (see 10. above). 
[X] Trade facilitating measure    
The Proposal includes measures to address certain anomalies between the 
Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and Codex or trading partner 
standards. This should assist in the facilitation of trade for certain food products.  
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 13 January 2016 
Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [X] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
Food Standards Australia New Zealand 
PO Box 7186 Canberra BC ACT 2610 
Australia 
E-mail: standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au 
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:   
Documents are available from the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website:  
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/propos als/Pages/M1010maximumresiduelimits.a
spx 
Copies are also available from: 
The Australian SPS Notification Point 
GPO Box 858 
CANBERRA ACT 2601 AUSTRALIA 
E-mail: sps.contact@agriculture.gov.au