. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/SGP/40 
19 August 2011 
 (11-4131) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  SINGAPORE 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) 
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):  Live puffer fish (HS Code 03019939), ch illed puffer fish fillet/cut (HS code 
03041900) and frozen puffer fish fillet/cut (HS code 03042900) 
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:  Requirement for Import of Puffer Fish into Singapore 
Language(s):  English  Number of pages:    
6. Description of content:  Import of live and whole, unprocessed puffer fish is prohibited.  
Import of cleaned and processed puffer fish  accompanied by health certificate from a 
relevant government authority certifying that  the puffer fish has been cleaned, processed 
and has had its toxic organs removed by  a qualified person and is fit for human 
consumption is authorized. 
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.  To mitigate the risk of tetrodotoxin poisoning due to consumption of 
improperly processed puffer fish. 
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)   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[X] None Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
 [ ] Yes   [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:    G/SPS/N/SGP/40 
Page 2  
 
  9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:    Available in 
English 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  8 October 2011 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :    
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  8 October 2011 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [X] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  18 October 2011 
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:   
Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore 
(Attn: Dr Lim Shu Ning) 5 Maxwell Road, #18-00 Tower Block,  MND Complex Singapore 069110 
Republic of Singapore 
E-mail:  lim_shu_ning@ava.gov.sg  
13. Texts available from:  [ ] National Notification  Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore  
(Attn: Dr Lim Shu Ning) 5 Maxwell Road, #18-00 
Tower Block,  MND Complex 
Singapore 069110 Republic of Singapore E-mail:  lim_shu_ning@ava.gov.sg