. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/TBT/N/AUS/70 
23 August 2011  
 (11-4179) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member:  AUSTRALIA  
If applicable, name of local governme nt involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:  Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above :    
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Imported and domestically 
produced beef, veal, lamb, hogget, mutton, and chic ken, when sold unpackaged in Australia.  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Proposal P1011 – 
Country of Origin Labelling - Unpackaged Meat Products: Assessmen t Report (41 pages, 
in English)  
6. Description of content:  Since December 2005, there has been  a requirement in Australia for 
mandatory country of origin labelling for pa ckaged foods, including packaged meats, and 
unpackaged pork, fish, fruit and vegetables  under Standard 1.2.11 Country of Origin 
Requirements, of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code .  Countries of origin 
labelling requirements apply to foods whether produced or manufa ctured locally or imported.  
The purpose of this Proposal is to consider varying Standard 1.2.11 to extend mandatory 
country of origin labelling for unpackaged be ef, veal, lamb, hogget, mutton, and chicken. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Currently, the countries of origin labelling requirements in Standard 1.2.11 do not apply to 
some unpackaged meats commonly consumed by Aust ralians.  Specifically , country of origin 
labelling is required for unpackaged pork produc ts but is not require d for unpackaged beef, 
sheep and chicken meat products.  Proposal P1011 seeks to address this situation by 
extending mandatory country of origin labe lling to unpackaged beef, veal, lamb, hogget, 
mutton, and chicken.  
This Proposal has been prepared  to respond to community concern regarding the inability to 
readily identify the origin of some unpackag ed meat products.  The community concern has 
highlighted the issue of inconsistency in the Standard. 
All proposals to change the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code  must be assessed in 
the context of the following objectives:  G/TBT/N/AUS/70 
Page 2  
 
  (a) the protection of publ ic health and safety;  
(b) the provision of adequate information rela ting to food to enable consumers to make 
 informed choices; and  (c) the prevention of misleading or deceptive conduct 
8. Relevant documents:   Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code  (English)   
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
 
 
Proposed date of entry into force:    Notification to Governme nt anticipated October 
2011 with adoption (gazettal) to follow, pending Government consideration. 
Six months after gazettal pending Government 
consideration. 
10. Final date for comments:  18 October 2011  
11. Text available from:  National enquiry point [X], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addres ses, if available of the other body:    
Documents are available fro m the Food Standards Austra lia New Zealand website: 
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/foodsta ndards/proposals/proposalp1011country4791.cfm   
Food Standards Aust ralia New Zealand 
P.O. Box:  7186 Canberra BC ACT  2610 AUSTRALIA 
Fax:  (+61) 2 62712278 
E-mail:  standards.management @foodstandards.gov.au