G/SPS/N/EU/655  
13 July 2023  
(23-4729) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN UNION  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  European Commission, Health and Food Safety Directorate -General  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Preparations of a kind used in animal feeding  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Draft Commission Implementing Regulation concerning 
the authorisation of guanidinoacetic acid and a preparation of guanidinoacetic acid as feed 
additives for chickens reared for breeding and chickens reared for laying in feed and in 
water for drinking, and chickens for fattening in water for drinking (holder of authorisation: 
Alzchem Trostberg GmbH), and correcting and amending Implementing Regulat ion 
(EU) 2016/1768 (Text with EEA relevance) . Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  17 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/SPS/EEC/23_10954_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/SPS/EEC/23_10954_01_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The draft act concerns the authorisation of guanidinoacetic ac id, 
in the form of a substance and of a preparation, as a feed additive for chickens reared for 
breeding and chickens reared for laying (for use in feed and in water for drinking) and for 
chickens for fattening (for use in water for drinking). The draft ac t also corrects and 
amends the existing authorisation of that additive (for use in feed for chickens for 
fattening, pigs for fattening and weaned piglets) in order to re -allocate it to the category of 
'zootechnical additives' instead of 'nutritional additi ves', on the basis of the EFSA opinions 
of 28 September 2022 and 27 January 2016. The draft act also specifies the composition 
of the additive in the form of a preparation.  
It is proposed to provide a transitional period in order to allow operators to adap t to the 
modifications of the existing authorisation, in particular the re -allocation of the additive to 
the category of 'zootechnical additives', triggering a holder -specific authorisation status. 
That transitional period would end on the expiry date of t he existing authorisation 
(25 October 2026).  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   G/SPS/N/EU/655  
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : Code of practice on Good Animal Feeding 
CAC/RCP  54-2004 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Heal th (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   
− EFSA scientific opinion: Safety and efficacy of guanidinoacetic acid for chickens for 
fattening, breeder hens and roosters, and pigs (2016)  
https://members.wto.org /crnattachments/2023/SPS/EEC/23_10954_02_e.pdf  
− EFSA scientific opinion: Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of 
guanidinoacetic acid for all animal species  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/SPS/EEC/23_10954_03_e.pdf  
(available in English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : October 2023  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : October 2023  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : Twenty days after publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the  
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 11 September 2023  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
European Commission  
DG Health and Food Safety, Unit A4 -Multilateral International Relations  
Rue Froissart 101  
B-1049 Brussels  
Tel: +(32 2) 29 54263  
E-mail: sps@ec.europa.eu  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notificati on Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
European Commission  
DG Health and Food Safety, Unit A4 -Multilateral International Relations  
Rue Froissart 101  
B-1049 Brussels  
Tel: +(32 2) 29 54263  
E-mail: sps@ec.europa.eu