. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/AUS/226 
25 July 2008 
 (08-3597) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  AUSTRALIA
  
If applicable, name of local government involved:     
2. Agency responsible:  The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numb er(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Horses 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable :  
Member States of the European Union, Canada, Fiji, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, New 
Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, the 
United States of America 
5. Title, language and number of pa ges of the notified document:  Amended interim 
quarantine conditions for the importation of horse s, Biosecurity Australia Advice (3 pages) 
and 4 attachments (48 pages)  (available in English) 
6. Description of content:  The Australian Government has accepted all of the 
recommendations of the Commission of Inqui ry into August 2007 outbreak of Equine 
Influenza in Australia.  The Australian G overnment has amended the interim quarantine 
conditions for the importation of horses from all countries except New Zealand.  The latest 
amendments include specifying equine influenz a strains in vaccines, collection of blood 
samples during pre-export quaran tine, additional equine influe nza testing requirements and 
changes to the operational arrangements  during PEQ and post-arrival quarantine.  
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   
In August 2007 an outbreak of equine influenza o ccurred in Australia.  The outbreak has been 
successfully controlled and equine influenza eradicated.  The Australian Government appointed a Commission of Inquiry into the August 2007 outbreak and this Commission of 
Inquiry made 38 recommendations, includi ng recommendations regarding pre-export 
quarantine arrangements.  In  June 2008, the Australian Government accepted all 
recommendations and is in the process of im plementing these as a high priority.  This 
includes amending Australia's horse  import requirements to decrease the likelihood of a future 
introduction of equine influenza.  G/SPS/N/AUS/226 
Page 2  
 
  8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:    
9. Relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:   Biosecurity Australia 
Advice 2008/22, Biosecurity Australia Advi ce 2008/22a, Biosecurity Australia Advice 
2008/22b, Biosecurity Australia Advice 2008/22c , Biosecurity Australia Advice 2008/22d – 
all in English and on Biosecurity Australia's website at http://www.daff.gov.au/ba/revi ews/current-animal/horses
 
10. Proposed date of adoption:  14 July 2008 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  14 July 2008 
12. Final date for comments:  Biosecurity Australia Advice 2008/22 foreshadows a formal 
horse import risk analysis will be undertaken.  Comments will be accepted from stakeholders, 
including WTO members during that process.  Members may register with Biosecurity 
Australia for inclusion on their stakeholders regi ster prior to commence of this formal horse 
import risk analysis. 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or  address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body: 
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notifica tion authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: