. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/NZL/45
30 June 1999
(99-2704)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  NEW ZEALAND
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Australia New Zealand Food Authority
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable).  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  Cheese, butter and edible oil spreads
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:   Explanatory Notes – Proposal P186
(18 pages)
5. Description of content:  To develop joint Australia New Zealand food standards for
cheese, butter and edible oil spreads.
6. 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           
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [    ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:  The preferred regulatory option for cheese,
butter and edible oil spreads are more stringent than draft Codex standards for cheese and
butter, also fat spreads and blended spreads.
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Australian Food
Standards Code ;  New Zealand Food Regulations 1984  (both in  English)
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Recommendation to Government anticipated late 1999;
adoption to follow, pending Government approval late 1999/early 2000 with promulgation
of joint Australia/New Zealand Food Standards Code.
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  See paragraph 9 aboveG/SPS/N/NZL/45
Page 2
11. Final date for comments:  The domestic closing date for comments is 4 August 1999
however comments from Members will be accepted until 23 August 1999 if notice of
intention to comment is received by the domestic closing date.
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [     ] National notification
authority, [    ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:  Australia New Zealand Food Authority, PO Box 10 559, The
Terrace, Wellington, New Zealand;  Tel:  +(64) 4 473 9942;  Fax:  +(64) 4 473 9855;
E-mail:  anzfa.nz@anzfa.gov.au
12. Texts available from: [     ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: Australia New
Zealand Food Authority, PO Box 10 559, The Terrace, Wellington, New Zealand;  Tel:
+(64) 4 473 9942;  Fax:  +(64) 4 473 9855; E-mail:  anzfa.nz@anzfa.gov.au
This document has also been notified by Australia.