NOTIFICATION CIRCULAR [8-05]
14 November 2005
Further information about the matter mention below can be accessed on the FSANZ website at www.foodstandards.gov.au under <StandardsDevelopment>,then <Documents for PublicComment>.
The Information Officer | The Office Administrator |
Food Standards Australia New Zealand | Food Standards Australia New Zealand |
PO Box 7186 | PO Box 10559 |
CANBERRA BC ACT 2610 | WELLINGTON 6036 |
AUSTRALIA | NEW ZEALAND |
Tel +61 2 6271 2241 Fax +61 2 6271 2278 | Tel +64 4 978 5630 Fax +64 4 473 9855 |
Email: info@foodstandards.gov.au | Email: info@foodstandards.govt.nz |
General questions on the work of FSANZ should be directed to the Information Officer at the address above. Queries concerning the matters in this Circular should be directed to slo@foodstandards.gov.au .
FEASIBILITY STUDY – COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELLING
Following discussion by the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (Ministerial Council) and subsequent direction from the Australian Government FSANZ is considering the feasibility and cost/benefits of extending country of origin labelling to each of two (or less) principal fruit and vegetable whole food components packaged together (including where other incidental ingredients are included).
FSANZ will be providing a Report on this to the Ministerial Council by the end of March 2006. This Report will include an assessment of the regulatory impact of the extension of CoOL as outlined, a cost benefit analysis, an estimation of compliance costs to industry using the ‘Costing Tool’ recently developed by the Australian Government (Office of Small Business), and outcomes of consultation with stakeholders. FSANZ’s Report to the Ministerial Council will not include a draft Standard; it will only address the feasibility and costs/benefits of extending country of origin labelling to the category of products outlined above.
At the time of this notification New Zealand has yet to define its position on country of origin labelling.
FSANZ is:
- seeking early input from stakeholders through this initial notification;
- undertaking relevant research;
- circulating a Discussion Paper for consideration by stakeholders in February 2006 (incorporating the issues raised through this initial consultation and the results of relevant research);
- accepting comments on the Discussion Paper for three weeks following circulation;
- preparing a comprehensive report addressing the costs, benefits and overall impact of the proposal for consideration by the Ministerial Council.
FSANZ therefore invites written submissions on matters relevant to the scope of the Feasibility Study to be made to FSANZ by6 pm (Canberra time) 5 December 2005.