. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/AUS/247 
12 April 2010  
 (10-1881) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
1. Notifying Member:  AUSTRALIA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:     
2. Agency responsible:  Australian Government Department  of Agriculture, Fisheries and 
Forestry 
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):  Nursery stock (excluding tissue cultures) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Canada  
5. Title of the notified document:  Nil  Language:  Nil  Number of pages:  Nil   
6. Description of content:  Australia has adopted emergency measures to amend the 
importation conditions for nursery stock of Phytophthora ramorum  host species from 
Canada to manage the risk of intr oduction and spread in Australia of P. ramorum . 
The importation into Australia of plants and plant parts (other than  tissue cultures) of 
P. ramorum host species is prohibited.  Tissue culture imports of P. ramorum  host species 
will continue to be directed to Government Post-Entry facilities for disease screening and monitoring as per current practice. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ ] food safety, [ ] animal health, [X] 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:   
To prevent the entry of Phytophthora ramorum  into Australia: 
P. ramorum  is a quarantine pest to Australia.  It causes a serious fungal-like disease known 
as Sudden Oak Death or SOD.  The pathoge n has a wide host range and several new 
species are added to the host list as data becomes available.  It is confirmed to be present in 
North America and Europe. 
P. ramorum  is considered to be a quarantine pest  for Canada, which maintains regulations 
to prevent the entry of host speci es of this pest, and considers P. ramorum  as a nursery 
disease within its borders.  Canada maintains regul ations to prevent the spread of this pest 
and has imposed voluntary control measures si nce 2003 to ensure it does not become  G/SPS/N/AUS/247 
Page 2  
 
  established outside nurseries.  However, it is still being detected in surveys of garden 
centres and nurseries.  The movement and dispersal of P. ramorum  may be facilitated by 
plants, plant parts, soil and growing media.  
Australia has introduced measures to prevent the introduction of P. ramorum  into Australia 
from Canada in line with existing measures for other countries where P. ramorum  has 
established.  Australia will continue to revi se its lists of regulated areas and regulated host 
plants as new information on the distribution and host range of this pathogen becomes available.  A comprehensive risk analysis is being undertaken and will be released for 
public comment. 
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)   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)   
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number) ISPM N°10 
[ ] 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:    
10. Other relevant documents and langua ge(s) in which these are available:   -   
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  Immediate 
[ ] 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:   
The Australian SPS Notification Point  
GPO Box 858 
Canberra  ACT  2601 
Australia Fax:  +(61 2) 6272 3678 E-mail:  sps.contact@daff.gov.au 
13. Texts available from:  [ ] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body: