. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/AUS/120
25 September 2000
(00-3840)
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 New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA)
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).  Processed food derived from potatoes  Regions or countries likely to be
affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  All countries
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:   
• Application A382 – Food derived from insect-protected potato lines (75 pages);
• Application A383 – Food derived from insect and potato leaf roll virus-protected
potato lines (75 pages);
• Application A384 – Food derived from insect and virus Y-protected potato lines
(68 pages).
5. Description of content:  These draft reports describe the scientific assessments undertaken
and recommend addition of the products concerned to the list of approved foods in
Standard A18 Food Produced Using Gene Technology of the Australian Food Standards
Code.  The reports result from applications for the approval of food derived from three
insect protected potato lines produced using gene technology to be listed in Standard A18.
The three lines of Russet Burbank and Shepody potatoes have been genetically modified in
order to provide protection against a range of insects, including the Colorado potato beetle
(CPB) as well as against potato virus Y (PVY).  These potatoes are known commercially as
New Leaf® Y potatoes.  The New Leaf® Y po tatoes are protected against CPB and PVY
through the transfer of two genes — the cry3Aa  gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus
thuringiensis  subspecies tenebrionis (B.t.t. ) and the PVYcp  gene from PVY.
New Leaf® Y potatoes are not grown in Australia and are currently not permitted to be
imported into Australia as fresh produce.  Rather, the principle food products containing
these potato varieties are likely to be imported processed food commodities such as
processed potato crisps, pre-cooked French fries, potato flour and potato starch.
Australia previously notified members of a propos al to establish a standard requiring a pre-
market safety assessment of foods derived from gene technology on a case by case basis.
6. Objective and rationale: [  X ] food safety,  [    ] animal health,  [    ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [    ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           G/SPS/N/AUS/120
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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:  Australian Food
Standards Code  (Available in English)
9. Proposed date of adoption:  In late 2000 pending Government approval
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  Expected in early to mid 2002 (pending adoption in late
2000, see 9 above).
11. Final date for comments:  30 October 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:
Documents are available from the Australia New Zealand Food Authority website
(www.anzfa.gov.au ).  Also available from:
Australia New Zealand Food Authority
PO Box 7186
Canberra Mail Centre  ACT  2610
Australia
Fax:  (+61) 2 62712278E-mail:  info@anzfa.gov.au
This measure was also notified by New Zealand.