. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.00/492
12 October 2000
(00-4197)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   THE NETHERLANDS
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:   National Enquiry Point – EC WTO TBT 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, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Herbal preparations and
foodstuffs and other products which contain herbal preparations (some examples are:
nutritional supplements containing herbs, herbal tea, and soft drinks which contain herbalextracts).  Products which are already regulated in another legal framework will be excluded
from the operation of this decree.  Examples of products which are not covered by this
decree are:  pharmaceutical products and cosmetics.
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Commodities Act
Decree herbal preparations.
6. Description of content:   Herbal preparations are prepared from plants.  The Commodities
Act Decree on herbal preparations contains an appendix in which a number of plants arenamed whose use is forbidden or strictly controlled.  Included in the list are plants which are
at the present time known scientifically to be able to exert damaging effects on health.  In
addition, a number of labelling requirements will be set for herbal preparations.  Thus, inthe case of an assertion being made about the action or properties of the product, the trader
who brings herbs onto the market must be able to substantiate this claim with objective
information.  In addition, herbal preparations in the form of foodstuffs must containdirections for use and dosage instructions.  Herbal preparations in forms other than
foodstuffs must include, amongst other things, a list of ingredients, directions for use and
dosage instructions.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
Herbal preparations are being used ever more frequently because of the possible health
effects such as a stimulating or calming effect.  It is, however, also known that the use ofcertain herbal preparations can pose serious risks to health.  There are well known examples
of the use of certain preparations in slimming pills which have led to permanent kidney
damage in consumers.  Therefore it is necessary for the sake of public health that there islegislation in this field.  For the rest, pharmaceutical products and cosmetics (which are
regulated on a European level) are outside the scope of this decree.G/TBT/Notif.00/492
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8. Relevant documents:
9. Proposed date of adoption:  December 2000
Proposed date of entry into force:  1 January 2001
10. Final date for comments:   15 December 2000
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X] or address, e-mail and telefax
number of the other body: