. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/NZL/143
22 June 2001
(01-3107)
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:  Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF)
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).  Grapes ( Vitis vinifera)  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the
extent relevant or practicable:  United States of America (State of California)
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Draft import requirement summary,
commodity sub-class: fresh fruit/vegetables; grapes, Vitis vinifera  from the United States of
America (State of California), 14 June  2001 (16 pages) (Available in English)
5. Description of content:  New Zealand has revised the phytosanitary requirements for the
importation of fresh table grapes ( Vitis vinifera ) from the United States of America (State of
California) to mitigate the risks of Homalodisca coagulata  (glassy-winged sharpshooter) and
Xylella fastidiosa  (Pierce’s disease) which may be present in the pathway.
Changes to the phytosanitary requirements have been summarized below:
1. Increased sample size for phytosanitary inspection from 600 bunches to
920 bunches;
2. Acceptance level of zero infested units for quarantine risk group 2 pests and
leaves/trash in a 920 bunch sample;
3. Mandatory cold disinfestation treatment conducted either in-transit or pre-export
(under two options depending on the timing of export).
4. Validation of cold disinfestation treatment (for in-transit treatments) by NZ MAF
on arrival of the container in New Zealand.
New Zealand suspended the previous measures for table grapes from the United States in
response to contamination of consignments by pests.  The new import requirement summary
has been extensively negotiated with the United States.  As this is a trade-facilitatingmeasure, New Zealand will implement it on 25 June 2001 to allow for the commencement
of the harvest season for table grapes in California and trade with New Zealand.  New
Zealand welcomes comments on the new import requirement summary and will take them
into account and amend the import requirement summary as necessary.
6. Objective and rationale: [     ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [  X ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           G/SPS/N/NZL/143
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7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [  X ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:           
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  None
9. Proposed date of adoption:  25 June 2001
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  25 June 2001
11. Final date for comments:  17 August 2001
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:  Mr. Justin Downs, MAF Biosecurity Authority, PO Box 2526,
Wellington, New Zealand;  Tel:  +64 4 474 4119;  Fax:  +64 4 474 4257;  E-mail:
downsj@maf.govt.nz
12. Texts available from: [  X ] National notification authority, [     ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  Mr. Justin
Downs, MAF Biosecurity Authority, PO Box 2526, Wellington, New Zealand;  Tel:  +64 4474 4119;  Fax:  +64 4 474 4257;  E-mail:  downsj@maf.govt.nz
Website:  www.maf.govt.nz/biosecurity/sps/transparency/notifications/index.htm