G/SPS/N/NZL/629  
 
5 June 2020  
(20-4035) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  NEW ZEALAND  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry for Primary Industries  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Horses, assess, mules and hinnies  
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:  Import health standard: Horses (HORANIIC.GEN) . 
Language(s): English . Number of pages: 23 
6. Description of content:  New Zealand's import health standard for horses. An urgent 
amendment is being undertaken to clarify the testing requirements for piroplasmosis, to 
require two of the OIE manual recommended serological tests for international trade 
(the IFAT and cELISA) to  be carried out during pre -export isolation.  
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.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  A horse imported 
into New Zealand in February 2019 has been confirmed positive to Theilereria equi in 
May 2020. This is the first time a pos itive case has been confirmed in New Zealand. 
Initial  investigation suggests it is likely the imported animal was infected prior to import.  
The import requirement at the time was to require one negative serological test taken 
during the pre -export isolatio n period. Both OIE Manual recommended serological tests 
(IFAT and cELISA) for both Theileria equi  and Baesia caballi  will now be required during 
pre-export isolation to increase New Zealand's level of protection and increase likelihood 
of detecting early i nfection. This measure will not apply to countries that are free from 
piroplasmosis with adequate import measures.  G/SPS/N/NZL/629  
 
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  9. Is there a relevant international standard? 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) : 12.7 Equine piroplasmosis  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
10. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  
2 June 2020  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
Mrs Sally Jennings, Coordinator, SPS  New Zealand  
PO Box 2526, Wellington, New Ze aland  
Tel: +(644) 894 0431  
Fax: +(644) 894 0733  
E-mail: sps@mpi.govt.nz   
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
Mrs Sally Jennings, Coordinator, SPS  New Zealand  
PO Box 2526, Wellington, New Zealand  
Tel: +(644) 894 0431  
Fax: +(644) 894 0733  
E-mail: sps@mpi.govt.nz