WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/AUS/249 
12 May 2010  
 (10-2685) 
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 M1005 – Maximum 
Residue Limits (April-September 2009)  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 and 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 fo r Veterinary Drugs in Food 2008; 
 CAC/MRL 3 Extraneous Maximum Re sidue Limits (EMRLs) 2001;  and 
 and subsequent variations to releva nt standards as adopted or revoked by the 
Commission. 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    G/SPS/N/AUS/249 
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  [ ] 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 practice (GAP) or good 
veterinary practice (GVP).  Agricultural and ve terinary 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 harmonise with limits set by other member nations relating to residues that may occur in food impor ted from other nations.  Also, there may be 
no corresponding Codex limit 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 
August 2010 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 address certain 
anomalies between the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code  and international 
standards.  This should assist in the facilitati on of trade for certain food products.  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) :  2 July 2010 
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/249 
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  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.  
Copies are also available from: http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/foodstandards/ changingthecode/documentsforpublicco86
8.cfm  
 The Australian SPS Notification Point GPO Box 858 Canberra Act 2601 
Australia 
Fax:  +(61 2) 6272 3678    E-mail:  sps.contact@daff.gov.au