. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/NZL/263
10 November 2003
(03-5990)
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:   New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA)
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):  Herbs or spices that have been fumigated with ethylene oxide
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  All
countries.
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   Review of Ethylene
Oxide Fumigation of Herbs and Spices October 2003 (available in English, 19 pages)
6. Description of content:   The document assesses three potential regulatory options:
• To retain the current ethylene oxide maximum residue limit for herbs and spices of
20 ppm in New Zealand (Maximum Residue Limits of Agricultural Compounds) Food
Standard 2002;
• Partial permissions based on technological need;
• Phase out of ethylene oxide fumigation of herbs and spices (preferred option).
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection,
[  ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or di sease,  [   ]  protect territory from other
damage from pests
8. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [ X ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  New Zealand
(Maximum Residue Limits of Agricultural Compounds) Food Standard 2002 (available in
English)
10. Proposed date of adoption:   mid 2004
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   mid 2004G/SPS/N/NZL/263
Page 2
12. Final date for comments:  7 January 2004
Please note: The discussion document states that submissions close on 28 November 2003.
This is the closing date for domestic submitters.  New Zealand, however, has allowed for a
60 day consultation period for WTO Members.
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:   "Ethylene Oxide Review", Attention:  Chris Wilson,
New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZ FSA), PO Box 2835, Wellington, New Zealand.
Tel:  +64 4 463 2563, Fax:  +64 4 463 2583, Email:  policy@nzfsa.govt.nz
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notification authority, [   ] National enquiry point,
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  Ms Sally Griffin,
Coordinator, SPS New Zealand, PO Box 2526, 101-103 The Terrace, Wellington,
New Zealand.  Tel:  +64 4 474 4140;  Fax:  +64 4 470 2730;  E-mail:  sps@maf.govt.nz
Website: www.maf.govt.nz/biosecurity/sps/transparency/notifications/index.htm