. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/AUS/45 
13 December 2005 
 
 (05-5911) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   AUSTRALIA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:    
Food Standards Australia New Zealand 
PO Box 7186 
Canberra BC  ACT  2610 AUSTRALIA  
Fax:  (+61) 2 62712278    
E-mail :  slo@foodstandards.gov.au 
 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:         
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:         
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):   All Countries.  Imported 
(as well as domestically produced) food s sold in Australia / New Zealand. 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document:   Final Assessment 
Report Proposal P292 – Country of Origin La belling of Food (68 pages, in English) 
6. Description of content:   Proposal P292 reviewed Tran sitional Standard 1.1A.3, for 
mandatory Country of Origin Labelling.  The Report made a number of recommendations for 
changes to be made to the Transitional St andard, including amending the provisions for 
packaged foods, removing discriminatory treatment for certain unpackaged foods and 
extending the scope of Country of Origin La belling beyond fish, fruit and vegetables for 
certain processed foods, such as fruit and vege tables and pork, which ar e displayed for retail 
sale unpackaged. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:    
The principal objective  of this particular Proposal is: 
• To ensure that adequate information is pr ovided about the origin of food products to 
enable consumers to make informed choices.   
In meeting this principal objec tive, FSANZ also seeks to ensure: G/TBT/N/AUS/45 
Page 2  
 
 
• That there is a balance between the benef it to consumers of origin labelling and the 
cost to industry and consumers of providing it; 
• consistent treatment of domest ic and imported foods with re gard to country of origin 
requirements; 
• consistency with Australia’s and New Zeal and’s obligations under WTO agreements; 
• consistency with other legislation such  as fair trading legislation;  and 
• consistency with other labe lling standards in the Code. 
All applications to change the Code must be assessed in the context of the following 
objectives:  (a) the protection of public health  and safety;  (b) the provision of adequate 
information relating to food to enable consumers to make informed choices;  and (c) the 
prevention of misleading or deceptive conduct.    
FSANZ must also have regard to: 
 
• The need for standards to be based on risk analysis using the best available scientific 
evidence; 
• the promotion of consistency between dom estic and international food standards; 
• the desirability of an efficient and in ternationally competitive food industry; 
• the promotion of fair trading in food;  and 
any written policy guidelines formulated by the Ministerial Council.  The Ministerial 
Council issued Policy Guidelines for CoOL in December 2003 (see Attachment 2). 
8. Relevant documents:   Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code  (English) 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  This matter was gazetted on 8 December 2005. 
Proposed date of entry into force:  6 months after gazettal 
10. Final date for comments:   13 February 2006 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses,  if available of the other body:  Documents are 
available from the Food Standards Australia New Zeal and website:  
 
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdev elopment/proposals/proposalp292countryo24
52.cfm