WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/AUS/256 
17 November 2010  
 (10-6137) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd 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 numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Foods in general 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners Imported (as well as domestically produced) foods sold in 
Australia.  
[ ] Specific regions or countries:    
5. Title of the notified document:  Assessment Report for Proposal M1006 - Maximum 
Residue Limits (October 2009-March 2010)   Language:  English  Number of pages:  50   
6. Description of content:  This Proposal seeks to amend the Australia New Zealand Food 
Standards Code  to align certain maximum residue lim its (MRLs) for various agricultural 
and veterinary chemicals so that they are cons istent with other national regulations relating 
to the safe and effective use of agricultural a nd veterinary chemicals; and to align certain 
limits with international standards relating to residues of agricultural and veterinary 
chemicals in food.  The consultation document s include 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 stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)  
 CAC/MRL 1 Maximum Residue Limits(MRLs) for Pesticides 2001 
 CAC/MRL 2 Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs in Food 2008 
 CAC/MRL 3 Extraneous Maximu m Residue Limits (EMRLs) 2001 
 and subsequent variations to releva nt standards as adopted or revoked by the 
Commission 
 G/SPS/N/AUS/256 
Page 2  
 
  [ ] 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?   
 [ ] Yes   [X] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  Certain proposed limits conform to Codex limits. These are 
detailed in section 9.2 of the Report. 
Internationally, countries set MRLs according to good agricultural practices (GAP) or good 
veterinary practices (GVP).  Agricultural and veterinary chemicals are used differently in 
different production regions as pests, diseases and environmental factors differ and because 
product use patterns may differ.  This means that Australian lim its for residues of 
agricultural and veterinary chemicals in f ood may differ from Codex standards.  Proposed 
limits may reflect Australian GAP or harmonize with limits set by other Members relating 
to residues that may occur in food imported from other countries.  Also, there may be no 
corresponding Codex limits for certain proposed limits. 
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) :  Notification to Government anticipated 
February 2011 with adoption (gazettal) to fo llow, pending Government consideration. 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  Date of Gazettal pending Government 
consideration. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  Date of Gazettal pending Government  consideration (see 10. above). 
[X] Trade facilitating measure    
The Proposal includes measures to a ddress certain anomalies between the Australia New 
Zealand Food Standards Code  and international standards.   This should assist in the 
facilitation of trade for certain food prod ucts.  Refer section 9.2 of the Report.  
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  17 January 2011 
Agency or authority designated to handle 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 
Fax: + (61 2) 6271 2278 
E-mail:  standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au  G/SPS/N/AUS/256 
 Page 3 
 
 
  13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
Documents are available from the Food St andards Australia New Zealand website:  
"http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/foodstandards/ changingthecode/documentsforpublicco8
68.cfm " 
Copies are also available from : 
The Australian SPS Notification Point GPO Box 858 Canberra  ACT  2601 Australia 
Fax: +(61 2) 6272 3678 
E-mail:  sps.contact@daff.gov.au