1.

Notifying Member: New Zealand

If applicable, name of local government involved:  

2.

Agency responsible: Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)

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): Raw apricot kernels either unhulled (with skin) or hulled (without skin).

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: Proposal P1016 Hydrocyanic acid in Apricot Kernels and Other Foods  Language(s): English  Number of pages: 20

http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2014/sps/NZL/14_5590_00_e.pdf

6.

Description of content: This Proposal seeks to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code for hydrocyanic acid in raw apricot kernels. In order to manage the potential risks of consumption of raw apricot kernels, FSANZ has prepared a draft food regulatory measure to prohibit the sale of raw apricot kernels both unhulled (with skin) and hulled (without skin). This prohibition would also apply to any substance derived from raw apricot kernels (ground, milled, cracked, chopped) with an exemption for apricots containing raw apricot kernels, alcoholic beverages, oil, flavourings, stone fruit juices, marzipan, cakes, biscuits and confectionery.

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:

[ ]      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)  

[ ]      International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)  

[X]    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:  

9.

Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (available in English).

10.

Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy): FSANZ Board approval anticipated mid?May 2015.

Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy): Notification to Government anticipated early June 2015 with gazettal and registration of legislative instrument to follow, in mid?August 2015, pending Government consideration.

11.

Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication, and/or (dd/mm/yy): Date of Gazettal and registration of legislative instrument pending Government consideration (see 10. above).

[ ]      Trade facilitating measure  

12.

Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification and/or (dd/mm/yy): 20 February 2015

Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [ ] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e?mail address (if available) of other body:

Food Standards Australia New Zealand

PO Box 7186

Canberra BC ACT 2610

Australia

E-mail: standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au

Assessment summary available (in English) from FSANZ's website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/proposals/Pages/proposalp1016hydrocy5438.aspx

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:

Documents are available from the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website: http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/proposals/Pages/proposalp1016hydrocy5438.aspx

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