RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/R/11/Corr.11
12 October 1998
(98-3916)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
SUMMARY OF THE MEETING HELD ON 10-11 JUNE 1998
Note by the Secretariat
Corrigendum
1. The following paragraphs replace paragraphs 41 and 42 of G/SPS/R/11:
41. The representative of Australia responded that the justification of the measure was the
need for inactivation of pathogenic organisms,  that the measure had not been notified as it
was put in place before 1 January 1995, and that imports had been stopped when it was
realized that the established procedures were not being complied with.  The preliminaryassessment report for the proposed variation of the relevant food standard, which was being
sought by Switzerland, had been issued for public consultation.  With reference to the matter
raised by the delegation of the European Communities, the representative of Australia advised
that an application for variation of Australia's food standards as they relate to roquefort cheese
was at an advanced stage of consideration under the procedures of the Australia/New ZealandFood Authority (ANZFA).
42a. The representative of New Zealand noted that pasteurization of milk used for cheese
manufacture had been required since well before 1 January 1995 as a measure to mitigate the
health risks which might arise from the presence of pathogenic organisms in raw milk
cheeses, and that this measure was in line with the practices of many other WTO Members.
As the measure was introduced before the SPS Agreement entered into force, it did not need
to be notified to the WTO.
42b. The New Zealand representative advised that his country fully accepted its obligation
to consider requests to accept the sanitary measures of other members as equivalent, and that
New Zealand had already advised the Swiss authorities that it considered the processes for the
manufacture of Swiss hard cheeses from unpasteurized milk to provide an equivalent level ofprotection to that offered by pasteurisation, in terms of animal health requirements.  In respect
of public health protection, a review of the food standard for hard cheeses made from
unpasteurized milk was currently being carried out by ANZFA, which was now responsible
for setting new food standards for both Austra lia and New Zealand.  A risk assessment was
currently underway, in response to an application by the Swiss government and French cheeseproducers, and the consideration of the proposed standard would be done as expeditiously as
possible.  New Zealand would await the completion of the ANZFA standard-setting process
before reconsidering its position on the importation of such cheeses.
2. The reference to the delegation of Hong Kong in paragraph 68 should read:  "… The
delegation of Hong Kong (China) …".
__________
                                                     
1 English only