. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/AUS/288 
2 March 2012  
 (12-1181) 
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, Fisheries and 
Forestry (DAFF) 
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):  Queen honey bees and a small number of associated attendant bees 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Canada, European Union, Japan, New Zealand, 
 United States  
5. Title of the notified document:  Draft review of the importation of queen honey bees 
Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  187 
http://www.daff.gov.au/ba/memos  
6. Description of content:  The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries 
and Forestry (DAFF) has issued a draft policy review for the importation of queen 
European honey bees for a 60-day consultation period. 
The review was initiated in response to the su spension of the previous conditions for the 
importation of honey bees in August 2008 as a result of potential emerging biosecurity risks. The review examines all disease agents , pests and species of biosecurity concern, 
including those that have emerged since th e original policy was developed in the 1990s. 
The review proposes that: - In the first instance, importation of queen  honey bees from Canada, the European Union, 
Japan, New Zealand and the United States is allowed. 
- Upon arrival in Australia all imported hone y bees undergo post-arrival quarantine in a 
government approved quarantine facility where a colony derived from imported honey bees 
will be propagated. The larvae grafted from this  colony will be the only genetic material 
released from quarantine. 
DAFF intends to release a final policy on queen honey bee imports following assessment of 
submissions received in response to release of the draft review. G/SPS/N/AUS/288 
Page 2  
 
  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 stan dard?  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)   
 OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code 2011 Chapter 9 Apidae, and Chapter 4.14 
Hygiene and Disease Security  Procedures in Apiaries.  
[ ] 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:  Several of the agents identified in  the Terrestrial Code Chapter 9 
have a requirement for exporting countries to  be free of the agent for trade in this 
commodity to take place. The review recommends biosecurity measures that may be implemented to allow trade where countries are not free from particular disease agents. 
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:  Nil   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  29 February 2012 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  Approximately 30 May 2012 
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  30 April 2012 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:    
13. Texts available from:  [ ] National Notification  Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
Texts are available at the following web addr ess, or alternatively, from the Australian SPS 
Notification Point:  http://www.daff.gov.au/ba/memos  
The Australian SPS Notification Point 
GPO Box 858 Canberra  ACT  2601 Australia Fax:  +(61 2) 6272 3678