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): Food imported for sale in New Zealand as per the attached list of tariff numbers

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: Importing Food - Food Notice  Language(s): English  Number of pages: 15

http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/SPS/NZL/15_4010_00_e.pdf

6.

Description of content: The Food Act 2014 provides that importers of food must be registered and requires that the manner of registration be specified by notice, the proposed notice will do this.

Regulations to be made under the Food Act will set out two categories of imported food that may require written clearance for entry into New Zealand. These being:

a)    High Regulatory Interest Food , imported food that presents an increased risk to human health based on the foods inherent nature and hazards associated with it, the nature of its processing or handling, or the nature of the food safety controls in the country of origin;

b)    Increased Regulatory Interest Food, imported food for which there is some uncertainty or concern about the risk to the safety and suitability of the food.

The proposed notice sets out which foods are considered High Regulatory Interest and Increased Regulatory Interest. For each food the requirements and mechanisms for clearance are also set out.

Regulations to be made under the Food Act will also set out a requirement that when imported food is required to be tested for clearance the testing must be completed by an approved laboratory. The Act requires laboratories to be approved by notice. The proposed notice therefore approves laboratories for testing of imported food.

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.  

8.

Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:

[X]      Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial number of Codex standard or related text)

-   CAC/GL 26-1997  Guidelines for the Design, Operation, Assessment and Accreditation of Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems

-   CAC/GL 20-1995 Principles for Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification

-   CAC/GL 47-2003  Guidelines for Food Import Control Systems

[ ]        World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic Animal Health Code, chapter number)  

[ ]        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:  

9.

Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:

Food Act 2014

Proposals for regulations under the Food Act 2014 MPI Public Discussion Paper No: 2015/01 (available in English)

10.

Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy): 1 March 2016

Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy): No later than 1 February 2016

11.

Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication, and/or (dd/mm/yy): 1 March 2016

[ ]      Trade facilitating measure  

12.

Final date for comments: [X] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification and/or (dd/mm/yy): 8 December 2015

Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X] National Notification Authority, [ ] 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: +(64 4) 894 0431; Fax: +(64 4) 894 0733; E-mail: sps@mpi.govt.nz

13.

Text(s) available from: [X] National Notification Authority, [ ] 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: +(64 4) 894 0431; Fax: +(64 4) 894 0733; E-mail: sps@mpi.govt.nz

Website: http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/sps/transparency/notifications/index.htm