. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/EEC/242 
7 April 2004 
 (04-1570) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved: 
2. Agency responsible:   Commission of the European Communities. Health & Consumer 
Protection Directorate-General  Directorate E – Food Safety: Plant Health, Animal Health and Welfare, International questions 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):   Jelly mini-cups containing additives E 400, E 401, E 402, E 403, E 404, E 405, 
E 406, E 407, E 407a , E 410, E 412, E 413, E 414, E 415, E 417 and/or E 418 (ICS:  67.220) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:   
Member States of the European Communiti es (EC) and third countries exporting the 
products concerned to the EC.  
5. Title, language  and number of pages of the notified document:  Draft Commission 
Decision suspending the placing on the market a nd import of jelly mini -cups containing the 
food additives E 400, E 401, E 402, E 403, E 404, E 405, E 406, E 407, E 407a, E 410, 
E 412, E 413, E 414, E 415, E 417 and/or E 418.  (Available in all EC official la nguages, 
2 pages.) 
6. Description of content:  In the notification G/SPS/N/EEC/175, the EC notified "Directive 
2003/52/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2003 amending 
Directive 95/2/EC as regards the conditions  of use for a food additive E 425 konjac", 
(published in the Official Journal L 178,  17/07/2003 p. 0023 - 0023).  Now the Commission 
is proposing the suspension of the placing on the market and the import of jelly mini-cups 
containing the food additives E 400, E 401, E 402, E 403, E 404, E 405, E 406, E 407, E 407a, E 410, E 412, E 413, E 414, E 415, E 417 and/or E 418. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection, 
[   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease, [   ] protec t territory from other 
damage from pests  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:   Jelly mini-cups containing 
additives derived from seaweed and gums as gelling agents co nstitute the same risk of 
choking as jelly mini-cups cont aining E 425 konjac that has already been prohibited in the 
EU.  Now, and based on the information exch anged through the Rapid Alert System, several 
Member States informed on the Commission on the temporary banning from their markets of 
jelly mini-cups containing additives derive d from seaweed due to choking hazard.  This 
decision introduces te mporary safeguard meas ures at EU level. G/SPS/N/EEC/242 
Page 2  
 
 9. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:  
10. Relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:   Commission Decision 
available in all Community languages.  When adopted it will be published at the Official 
Journal available at:  http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/oj/index.html . 
11. Date of entry into force/period  of application (as applicable):   Entry into force: 
immediate.  Period of a pplication:  temporary. 
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or  address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority, [ X ] National enquiry 
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: