WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/NZL/325 
9 May 2005 
 (05-1883) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   NEW ZEALAND
 
If applicable, name of local government involved: 
2. Agency responsible:   New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) 
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):   
NZFSA proposes to amend the New Zealand (Maximum Residue Limits of Agricultural 
Compounds) Food Standards 2005 in the following four ways:  
1. to change the format of the Food Standard s tables to contain new information (the 
residue definition and Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) number for each compound); 
2. to reflect a reassessment of 40 compounds currently at the Maximum Residue Limit 
(MRL) default  of 0.1 mg/kg, to set more applicable MRLs for each compound;  
3. to remove three compounds that have not b een registered for use in New Zealand for 
five years; and  
4. to set three new MRLs and one new MRL exemption. 
 
• The 40 compounds for reassessment are as follows: 
1. 1,3-
Dichloropropene 11. Fipronil 21.  Mecoprop 31.  Pendimethalin 
2. Abamectin 12. Glufosinate-
ammonium 22. Metalaxyl 32.  Propachlor 
3. Amitrole 13.  Glyphosate 23.  Methamidophos 33.  Propazine 
4. Benalaxyl 14.  Haloxyfop 24.  Methiocarb 34.  Prothiofos 
5. Bromoxynil 15.  Imidacloprid 25.  Metolachlor 35.  Pymetrozine 
6. Cymoxanil 16. Kresoxim-
methyl 26. N6-
Benzyladenine 36. Quinzalofop-P-
ethyl 
7. Deltamethrin 17. Lambda-
cyhalothrin 27.
 Nicosulfuron 37.  Streptomycin 
8. Diquat 18.  Lufenuron 28.  Novaluron 38.  Terbufos 
9.  Epoxiconazole 19.  MCPA 29.  Oxadiazon 39.  Trifloxystrobin 
10. Fenamidone 20.  MCPB 30.  Paraquat 40.  Trinexpac-ethyl 
 
• The three compounds for deletion are as follows: 
o demeton-S-methyl; 
o isazophos; and 
o vinclozolin. 
 
• The three proposed new MRLs are as follows: 
o 0.5 mg/kg for indoxacarb when u sed as an insecticide on grapes;  
o mg/kg for bromadiolone, when used as a rodenticide near food; and 
o mg/kg for flocoumafen, when used as a rodenticide near food. G/SPS/N/NZL/325 
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• The proposed exemption is as follows: 
o exempt ketamine for use as a sedative a nd an anaesthetic, in all species, other 
than in deer when u sed for develvetting. 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  Any 
countries using the agricultural compounds that are proposed for reassessment or removal, 
using any of the compounds for which new MRLs are proposed, or using the compound proposed for exemption, in relation to produ ce intended for export to New Zealand (refer 
also to section 8).  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   New Zealand Food 
Safety Authority:  New Zealand (Maximum Residue Limits of Agricultural Compounds) 
Food Standards 2005:  WTO Consultation: Am endment Two:  May/June 2005, (available 
in English, 30 pages). 
6. Description of content:  The discussion paper proposes amendments to the New Zealand 
(Maximum Residue Limits of Agricultural Compounds) Food Standards 2005, as set out in 
section 3. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [ X ] animal health, [   ] plant protection, 
[   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,  [   ]  protect territory from other 
damage from pests 
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[ X ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [   ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:    
Clause 8 of the New Zealand (Maximum Resi due Limits of Agricultural Compounds) Food 
Standards 2005 (the domestic MRL st andards) states, inter alia, that: 
• domestically produced food containing residues of agricultural compounds up to but 
not exceeding the domestic MRL standards may be sold in New Zealand;  and 
• domestically produced food containing residues of agricultural compounds not 
exceeding 0.1mg/kg, where that agricultural compound is not listed in the domestic 
MRL standard, or that compoun d is not listed in the domestic  MRL standard in relation 
to that food (type, kind or class), may be sold in New Zealand. 
Imported food may be sold in New Zealand provided that it complies with either the 
conditions above, or may contain residues of an agricultural compound no greater than the 
maximum residue limits specified for that com pound and that food in the current editions 
or supplements of the FAO/WHO Codex A limentarius Commission publications titled 
Pesticide Residues in Food  or Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods . 
9. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:  New Zealand 
(Maximum Residue Limits of Agricultural Compounds) Food Standards 2005 (available in English). 
10. Proposed date of adoption:   29 July 2005 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   2 September 2005  G/SPS/N/NZL/325 
 Page 3 
 
 
 12. Final date for comments:  28 June 2005 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [   ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:    
NZ (MRL) Food Standards  
Policy Group  
New Zealand Food Safety Authority  PO Box 2835 WELLINGTON NEW ZEALAND 
Tel:  +64 4 463 3416 
Fax:  +64 4 463 2583 Email:  policy@nzfsa.govt.nz
 
Website:  http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/policy-law/consultation/index.htm  
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notification authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: 
Coordinator, SPS New Zealand  
PO Box 2526  
101-103 The Terrace 
Wellington New Zealand Tel:  +64 4 474 4140 Fax:  +64 4 474 4257 
E-mail:  sps@maf.govt.nz
  
Website: http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/sps/tr ansparency/notifications/index.htm