. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/ARG/150
12 December 2003
(03-6576)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  Spanish
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   ARGENTINA
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Secretariat of Health Policy, Regulation and Relations (SPRRS) and
Secretariat of Agriculture, Live stock, Fisheries and Food (SAGPA)
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   Idem  National
enquiry point
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwis e national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Food products
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   ARGENTINE FOOD
CODE – Dietetic foods or foods for special dietary uses and gluten-free foods (3 pages, in
Spanish)
6. Description of content:
(a) Article 1339 of the Argentine Food Code is  replaced by the fo llowing:  "Article
1339 – "Dietetic foods" or "Foods for special dietary uses" shall be understood to
mean specially prepared packaged foods that are distinct from the foods already
defined in this Code because of their composition and/or physical, chemical,
biological or other modifications resulting from the manufacturing process or the
addition, removal or substitution of specific component substances.
(b) Article 1382 is inserted into the Argent ine Food Code as follows: "Article 1382 –
"Gluten-free food" shall be understood to m ean food prepared only with ingredients
which, by their natural origin and through the use of good processing practices
(avoiding any cross-contamination), contain no prolamines of: wheat, any species
of Triticum, such as spelt (Triticum spelta L.) and kamut (Triticum polonicum L.)wheat, durum wheat, rye, barley, oats or any cross-varieties thereof.
(c) The paragraph in Article 235 of the Argentine Food Code reading as follows is
repealed:  "The expression " Sin TACC " (wheat-, oat-, barley- and rye-free) or the
international "gluten-free" symbol may be used on products containing no wheat,
oats, barley, rye or any of their proteic components.G/TBT/N/ARG/150
Page 2
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
To enhance the population's nutritional status
8. Relevant documents:   Joint Resolution No. 120/2003 (SPRRS) and No. 510/2003
(SAGPA)
Proposed date of adoption:  19 November 2003 (Official Journal)
Proposed date of entry into force:  90 days from 19 November 2003
10. Final date for comments:   31 January 2004
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:
Focal Point of the Argentine Republic
National Directorate of Domestic Trade (DNCI)
Avda. J.A. Roca 651, 4th floor, Sector 2
(C1067ABB) Buenos Aires
Tel:  (54 11) 4349-4067
Fax:  (54 11) 4349-4072
E-mail:  focalotc@mecon.gov.ar
Website:  http://www.puntofocal.gov.ar