WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/AUS/115
5 May 2000
(00-1846)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  AUSTRALIA
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Australia Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS)
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: Australia’s importation policy relating to live pinnipeds
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document: Import risk analyses:  Pinnipeds –
Draft IRA Report (62 pages)
5. Description of content:  The report proposes conditions for the importation of all pinniped
species, including seals, sea lions, and walruses, from all countries into Australia.
Phocine distemper virus is considered to be the disease of greatest quarantine concern,
Australia's wild seal populations appear not to have been  exposed to this agent, andtherefore may be highly susceptible.  As few of the diseases affecting pinnipeds are covered
in the OIE International Animal Health Code ( Code ) AQIS has proposed requirements
based on available knowledge of these diseases.
6. Objective and rationale: [     ] food safety,  [  X ] 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 [  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:  Available in English
9. Proposed date of adoption:  8 September 2000
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  8 September 2000
11. Final date for comments:  25 June 2000
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:           
12. Texts available from: [     ] National notification authority, [  X  ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:           