 
 RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/W/150 
8 September 2004 
 
 (04-3763) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
 
SECOND REVIEW OF THE OPERAT ION AND IMPLEMENTATION  
OF THE SPS AGREEMENT 
 
Submission by New Zealand
 
 
 1. On 30 July 2004, New Zealand submitted four i ssues for consideration in the second review 
of the "Operation and Implementation of the SPS Ag reement".  New Zealand considers that issues 
raised in the context of the review should be achie vable within the given timeline (i.e. adoption of the 
final report at the SPS Committe e meeting in June 2005). 
2. In order to better focus discussions by the Co mmittee, New Zealand wishes to provide more 
precision and clarification on the issues it submitted.   We encourage other Members who have also 
submitted issues to do the same, thereby enhancing pr eparations for the first meeting to discuss the 
review.  
3. Our issues are: 
(a) Transparency
1 
(i) the development of a more user-friendly SPS database as distinct from the 
WTO documents online facility (DDF+);  
(ii) notification of all new measures that are based on international standards; 
(b) Administration 
(i) discussion on the use of the SPS Committee to facilitate ad hoc  consultations 
to progress trade concerns;  and 
(ii) discussion on how to avoid unnecessary duplication of work of the SPS 
Committee and the relevant standard-setting bodies. 
4. New Zealand does not have any comments on the Secretariat’s background document 
(JOB(04)/71). 
5. We are currently preparing a supporting pape r elaborating on these issues for the October 
meeting. 
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1 Both these issues were discussed at the June 2004 SPS Committee meeting; see paragraphs 64 and 66 
of G/SPS/R/34 regarding notification of measures even when based on international standards.   