Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures - Notification - Australia - Pesticides - Residuos - Agricultural and veterinary chemicals

NOTIFICATION

1.

Notifying Member: AUSTRALIA

If applicable, name of local government involved:

2.

Agency responsible: Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)

3.

Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable): Foods in general

4.

Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:

[X]     All trading partners

[ ]      Specific regions or countries:

5.

Title of the notified document: Proposal to amend Schedule 20 of the revised Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (25 November 2025). Language(s): English. Number of pages: 2

https://www.apvma.gov.au/sites/default/files/gazette/food-standards/Gazette%20No%2024%2C%20Tuesday%2025%20November%202025%20-%20Proposed%20variation%20to%20Schedule%2020.pdf

6.

Description of content: This Proposal seeks to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code to align the following maximum residue limit (MRL) for a veterinary chemical so that it is consistent with other national regulations relating to the safe and effective use of agricultural and veterinary chemicals: Florfenicol in 'Salmon, Atlantic' (WD 0893)

7.

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.

8.

Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:

[X]       Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial number of Codex standard or related text):

-_        CAC/MRL 1 Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for Pesticides 2009

-_        CAC/MRL 2 Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs in Food 2009

-_        CAC/MRL 3 Extraneous Maximum Residue Limits (EMRLs) 2001 and subsequent variations to relevant standards as adopted or revoked by the Commission

[ ]        World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic Animal Health Code, chapter number):

[ ]        International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number):

[ ]        None

Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?

[ ] Yes   [X] No

If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the international standard:

Certain proposed limits may differ from Codex limits.

The scientific methodology used by Australia to establish MRLs is consistent with international best practice and follows a rigorous scientific risk analysis including dietary exposure assessment to chemical residues from potentially treated foods.

Countries set MRLs according to the good agricultural practice (GAP) or good veterinary practice (GVP) applicable to their region. Agricultural and veterinary chemical use patterns differ between different production regions and countries as pests, diseases and environmental factors vary. This means that Australian MRLs for agricultural and veterinary chemicals in food may differ from Codex standards.

Australia's residues assessment processes for agricultural chemicals are available at: https://apvma.gov.au/node/1037.

Australia's residues assessment processes for veterinary chemicals are available at: https://apvma.gov.au/node/719.

9.

Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:

Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/F2015L00468 (available in English)

10.

Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy): Adoption anticipated November 2025.

Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy): Publication anticipated November 2025.

11.

Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication, and/or (dd/mm/yy): Entry into force anticipated November 2025.

[X]     Trade facilitating measure The proposed MRL of in Atlantic Salmon (WD 0893) of T1 mg/kg is considered to be trade facilitating noting that Codex does not have an MRL established for florfenicol in this species, and the EU, China and the USA have established tolerances of 1 mg/kg for florfenicol in fin fish and/or salmonids. Therefore, this specific MRL change will progress without the normal consultation period.

12.

Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification and/or (dd/mm/yy): Not applicable (trade facilitating)

Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:

Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

GPO Box 858

Canberra ACT 2601

Australia

Tel: +(61) 2 6272 3933

Email: sps.contact@aff.gov.au

Website: http://www.agriculture.gov.au

13.

Text(s) available from: [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:

Food Standards Australia New Zealand

PO Box 5423

KINGSTON ACT 2604

Australia

Fax: +(61) 2 6271 2278

E-mail: standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au