WORLD TRADE G/SPS/N/CAN/14
26September 1996
ORGANIZATION
(96-3853)
Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
NOTIFICATION
1. Member toAgreement notifying: CANADA
Ifapplicable, name oflocal government involved:
2. Agency responsible: Agriculture andAgri-Food Canada
3. Products covered (tariff item number(s) asspecified innational schedules deposited with
theWTO. ICSnumbers may beprovided inaddition, where applicable): Biotechnology
4. Title andnumber ofpages ofthenotified document: Proposed Amendments totheFeeds
Regulations, Fertilizers Regulations, Health ofAnimals Regulations andSeeds
Regulations (pages 2357-2388)
5. Description ofcontent:
Thenewtechniques ofbiotechnology, inparticular genetic engineering, arebeing used
todevelop newagricultural andfoodproducts ofbenefit toboththeCanadian public
andother stakeholders intheagriculture andagri-food sector.
These amendments havebeendeveloped toclarify thattheFeeds Act,Fertilizers Act,
Health ofAnimals ActandSeeds Actcontain theauthority toallow Agriculture and
Agri-Food Canada toconduct environmental assessments prior tofieldreleases (or
trials) ofproducts under these Acts.
These amendments willalsoclarify forstakeholders intheagriculture andagri-food
sector andthepublic thatfieldreleases meetappropriate standards forenvironmental
andhuman safety andareconsidered equivalent tostandards under theCanadian
Environmental Protection Act(CEPA) .
Theamendments totheSeeds Regulations provide regulation ofbothconfined and
unconfined releases (releases onanunrestricted basis withnoconditions of
confinement) intotheenvironment ofallplants withnovel traits, including forest trees.
Theamendments totheFeeds Regulations willapply toallnovel feeds (feeds thatare
notlisted inregulatory schedules IVorVoftheFeeds Regulations orarenot
substantially equivalent tofeeds usedpresently inCanada) intended forlivestock that
arereleased outside ofcontained facilities.
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Page2
Theamendments totheFertilizers Regulations willapply toallunregistered andnovel
supplements (substances thatimprove thephysical condition ofthesoiloraidplant
growth orcropyields), whether theyareproducts ofbiotechnology orarechemical in
origin.
Theamendments totheHealth ofAnimals Regulations willpermit fieldreleases of
veterinary biologics outside oflaboratory containment facilities orconfinement, afteran
environmental assessment hasbeenconducted.
6. Objective andrationale: Protection ofplant, animal andhuman health
7. Aninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation does notexist [].
Ifaninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations: consistent withinternational standards
8. Relevant documents andlanguage(s) inwhich these areavailable: Canada Gazette PartI,
17August 1996
9. Proposed date ofadoption: Notstated.
10. Proposed date ofentry intoforce: Notstated.
11. Final date forcomments: 16October 1996
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments: National enquiry Point
12. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X]oraddress, telefax number andE-mail
address (ifavailable) ofother body: