WORLD TRADE G/TBT/Notif.97.543
29September 1997
ORGANIZATION
(97-4055)
Committee onTechnical Barriers toTrade
NOTIFICATION
Thefollowing notification isbeing circulated inaccordance withArticle 10.6.
1. Member toAgreement notifying: NETHERLANDS
Ifapplicable, name oflocalgovernment involved (Articles 3.2and7.2):
2. Agency responsible: Ministry ofHealth, Welfare andSports
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments regarding thenotification canbe
indicated ifdifferent from above: National enquiry point
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X],2.10.1 [],5.6.2 [],5.7.1 [],other:
4. Products covered (HSorCCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICSnumbers maybeprovided inaddition, where applicable): Thethree drafts are
closely related andcover vinegar, protein products, tinned potatoes, tinned vegetables,
gravy, mayonnaise, salad cream andwine. TheAmendments ofDecrees which relate to
other foods ordrinks areofamerely editorial nature.
5. Title, number ofpages andlanguage(s) ofthenotified document: Three drafts which
areclosely related:
(a) Draft Decree repealing nine Decrees: theGeneral Designation Decree
(Commodities Act), theGeneral Decree (Commodities Act), theVinegar Decree
(Commodities Act), theProtein Products Decree (Commodities Act), theTinned
Potatoes Decree (Commodities Act), the Tinned Vegetables Decree
(Commodities Act), theGravy Decree (Commodities Act), theMayonnaise and
Salad Cream Decree (Commodities Act)andtheWine Decree (Commodities
Act), aswellastherelated Amendments of13other Decrees;
(b) Draft Protein Products (Commodities Act)Decree;
(c) Draft Reserved Designations (Commodities Act)Decree.
6. Description ofcontent: TheDutch Government hasdecided tosimplify itsfoodstuffs
legislation toalarge extent. This decision hasbeen implemented byrepealing nine
Decrees amending 13other Decrees. TheAmendments ofthose 13Decrees areofa
merely editorial nature (draft 5a). Specifications Regarding Protein Products which are
Necessary toProtect Public Health willbemaintained inthedraft Protein Products
(Commodities Act)Decree (draft 5b). Thisdraft doesnot,therefore, contain anynew
specifications. Asthespecifications indraft5ahavebeenrepealed quite extensively, it
hasbeen suggested thatthedesignation ofcertain products which areconsumed quite
widely andforwhich there isawell-defined expectation onthepartofthecustomer,
would nolonger beprotected. Consequently, thedraft Reserved Designations
(Commodities Act) Decree contains minimum rules fortheoptional useofthe
designations vinegar, mayonnaise andfruitwine. These designations arenotcompulsory
butoptional subject tocertain minimum conditions (draft 5c).
./.G/TBT/Notif.97.543
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7. Objective andrationale: Thethree drafts havebeencompiled, taking dueconsideration
ofmarket fluctuations, deregulation andthequality ofDutch foodstuffs legislation.
Once thethree drafts have been laiddown, Dutch foodstuffs legislation willbe
deregulated forthemost part.
8. Relevant documents:
General Designation Decree (Commodities Act), theGeneral Decree
(Commodities Act), theVinegar Decree (Commodities Act), theOwn Brands Decree
(Commodities Act), theTinned Potatoes Decree (Commodities Act), theTinned
Vegetables Decree (Commodities Act), theMayonnaise andSalad Cream Decree
(Commodities Act), andtheWine Decree (Commodities Act).
9. Proposed dateofadoption: 15December 1997
Proposed dateofentry intoforce: 1January 1998
10. Final dateforcomments: 15November 1997
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X]oraddress andtelefax number ofother
body: