RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/SPS/W/3
5April 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-0817)
Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures Original: English
NEW ZEALAND: REGULATORY FRAMEWORK AND PROCESS
FOR DEVELOPMENT AND ADOPTION OFSANITARY
AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES
Submission ofNewZealand attheMeeting of29-30 March 1995
Introduction
1. Thispaper setsouttheprincipal features ofNewZealand 'ssanitary andphytosanitary regulatory
framework anddescribes, ingeneral, theprocesses fordevelopment andadoption ofsanitary and
phytosanitary measures byNewZealand.
NewZealand Regulatory Framework
2. There arethree agencies withresponsibilities intheSPSarea:
(i) TheMinistry ofAgriculture isresponsible foradministering regulations relating to:
- zoosanitary (i.e.animal health) andphytosanitary (i.e.planthealth) measures
forimport andexport ofanimals, plants andtheirproducts;
- sanitary (i.e.human health) measures fortheexport ofprimary products (e.g.
meat, dairy, seafood, horticultural); and
- sanitary (i.e.human health) matters related tomeatanddairy products sold
onthedomestic market whether domestically produced orimported.
These functions areadministered bytheMinistry 'sRegulatory Authority.
(ii) TheMinistry ofHealth isresponsible foradministering regulations relating to:
- sanitary (i.e.human health) measures forimported foodanddomestically
produced andconsumed foods (other thanmeatanddairy products);
- labelling andcomposition standards forfoodsoldontheNewZealand market;
and
- sanitary measures toprevent orlimit theentry, establishment orspread of
human pests and/or disease vectors.
(iii) TheMinistry ofForestry isresponsible foradministering regulations relating to
phytosanitary (i.e.plant health) measures forimported andexported forest products.G/SPS/W/3
Page2
Thefollowingdescribes,ingeneral,theprocessusedbytheMinistryofAgricultureandFisheries
fordeveloping andadopting sanitary andphytosanitary measures.
NewZealand 'sAgricultural Security System
3. NewZealand 'ssystem forprotecting itsagricultural industries fromtheintroduction ofnew
pests anddiseases consists ofthefollowing keycomponents:
- determination oftherequired SPSstandards andmeasures;
- assessment oftheexporting countries compliance withtherequired SPSstandards and
measures;
- compliance checks andinspections carried outuponentry toNewZealand, which may
include aperiod ofpost-entry quarantine;
- surveillance systems toverify NewZealand 'shealth status anddetect theintroduction
ofnewpests anddiseases; and
- response systems andstrategies foreradicating (orcontaining) newly introduced pests
anddiseases.
Determination ofSPSStandards andMeasures forEntry ofAnimals, Plants andtheir Products
4. NewZealand hasastrong commitment tointernational harmonization ofSPSstandards and
adheres tothese tothemaximum extent possible consistent withnational biosecurity. Ingeneral the
NewZealand process fordetermining SPSstandards andmeasures involves thefollowing steps:
(i) Import proposal :aprocess which involves thesupply ofinformation ontheproposed
import, which mayinclude information onorganisms associated withthevector/product
proposed forimport;
(ii) Riskassessment :aprocess foridentify/confirming theorganisms associated withthe
proposed import andassessing thesetodetermine which areofquarantine significance
toNewZealand (i.e.those which arenotpresent inNewZealand andwhich areof
economicorenvironmentalsignificance).Thisprocessalsoinvolvesdetailedassessment
oftheprobability andconsequences ofentry ofoneormore ofthese organisms;
(iii) Designing theSPSstandards andmeasures required :aprocess fordesigning new
SPSstandards and/or measures thatarenecessary andjustified toeffectively manage
therisks identified instep(ii),taking intoaccount theprovisions ofappropriate
international agreements (e.g.GATT: SPSAgreement), standards andguidelines;
(iv) Consultation :aprocess which involves communication withinterested andaffected
parties, bothwithin NewZealand andinternationally, ontheproposed SPSstandard(s)
and/or measure(s); and
(v) Determining andpublishing therequired SPSstandards andmeasures :aprocess
empowered bylawforfinally determining andpublishing, bywayofregulation or
administrative instrument (e.g.approved standard, import protocol, import permit)
theSPSstandards and/or measures theproposed import must comply with.G/SPS/W/3
Page3
Export Certification andQuality Assurance (SPS)
5. Asatrading nation withamajor reliance onexports ofprimary products, NewZealand has
avitalinterest inensuring theSPSrequirements ofimporting countries arecomplied with. TheMinistry
ofAgriculture andtheindustries involved design, implement andmonitor systems toensure these
requirements aremet. Surveillance systems, riskanalysis, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point
(HACCP) andquality management methodologies arewidely usedtoensure thatthese systems are
themosteffective andefficient andhavetheleastpossible impact ontrade. Suchmethodologies are
alsousedtoproduce thescientific information required tochallenge animporting country 'sSPS
requirements when these areconsidered unjustified.
Determination ofSPSStandards forImported Foods
6. TheMinistry ofHealth 'sprime responsibility istheprovision ofsafefoodonthedomestic
market. TheMinistry ofHealth andtheindustries involved design, implement andmonitor systems
toensure theprime responsibility ismet. Surveillance systems, riskanalysis, HACCP andquality
management methodologies arewidely usedtoensure thatthese systems areeffective.
7. TheMinistry ofHealth isalsoresponsible forsetting foodstandards anddetermining maximum
residue limits (MRL 's)forfoodsoldfordomestic consumption inNewZealand. Thedomestic food
standard system iscurrently under review withaview toachieving amore streamlined system for
development andpromulgation offoodstandards. NewZealand isalsoinvolved innegotiations aimed
atestablishing ajointfoodstandard setting system forAustralia andNewZealand.