. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/AUS/239 
26 October 2009 
 (09-5286) 
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 Zeal and / Department of Agriculture 
Fisheries & Forestry 
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):  Beef and beef products for human consumption 
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:  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE):  
Requirements for the Importation of Beef a nd Beef Products for Human Consumption – 
Effective 1 March 2010  Language:     Number of pages:      
6. Description of content:  Australia proposes to refine its food safety rules for imported beef 
and beef products by adjusting its BSE and imported food safety policy, which was last 
amended in 2001, to facilitate the importation of beef and beef products from trading 
partners who can obtain a favourable BSE risk assessment from Food Standards Australia New Zealand. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [X] food safety , [X] animal health, [ ] plant protection, 
[X] 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)  Terrestrial Animal Health Code 2009 
Chapter 11.6  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
 [ ] Yes   [X] No G/SPS/N/AUS/239 
Page 2  
 
   If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  While the new policy references the OIE guidelines, Australia 
has a right to undertake its own risk assessment in relation to BSE risk status of trading 
partners wishing to export beef and beef products to Australia.  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Not 
applicable   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  1 March 2010 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  20 October 2009 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  1 March 2010 
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [X] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  25 December 2009 
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:  [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
The Australian SPS Contact Point  
GPO Box 858 
Canberra  ACT  2601 Australia Fax: +(61 2) 6272 3678 E-mail:  sps.contact@daff.gov.au