. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/AUS/176 
12 April 2005 
 (05-1501) 
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:   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):  Roquefort Cheese 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  France 
and Australia.  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   Draft Assessment for 
Application A499 – To permit the sale of R oquefort Cheese (Available in English, 153 
pages). 
6. Description of content:  The Application seeks to amend the Australia New Zealand Food 
Standards Code  to permit the sale of Roquefort cheese.  The Draft Assessment Report 
contains a scientific evaluation of the safety of Roquefort chee se, options for the management 
of Roquefort cheese and a draft Standard  proposed for incorporation into the Australia New 
Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) . 
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 
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 consum ers to make informed choices; and (c) the 
prevention of misleading or deceptive conduct.  
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[ X ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [   ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:   The CODEX Code of Hygienic Practice for 
Milk and Milk Products (CAC/RCP 57, 2004) a pplies to all products derived from milk, 
including raw milk cheeses. 
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Australia New 
Zealand Food Standards Code  (English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption:   Notification to Government anticipated mid-2005 with 
adoption (gazettal) to follow, pending Government consideration. G/SPS/N/AUS/176 
Page 2  
 
 11. Proposed date of entry into force:   Date of Gazettal pending Government consideration 
(see 10. above). 
12. Final date for comments:  23 May 2005 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [ X ] National notification 
authority, [   ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:    
Food Standards Aust ralia New Zealand 
PO Box 7186 
Canberra BC  ACT  2610 Australia Fax:  + 61 2 6271 2278 E-mail:  info@foodstandards.gov.au
 
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notification authority, [   ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Documents are available from the Food Stan dards Australia New Zealand website: 
www.foodstandards.gov.au/standardsdevelopment .   
Copies are also available from: 
The Australian SPS Notification Point GPO Box 858 
CANBERRA  ACT  2601 
AUSTRALIA 
Fax:  +61 2 6272 3678    Email:  sps.contact@daff.gov.au