G/SPS/N/ARG/240  
6 August  2020 
(20-5444) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member : ARGENTINA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible : Subgrupo de Trabajo No. 3 "Reglamento Técnico y Evaluación de 
la Conformidad" - MERCOSUR  (Working Subgroup No. 3: "Technical regulation and 
conformity assessment" - MERCOSUR)  
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) : Rice and rice products other than oil  
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 : Límites Máximos de Contaminantes Inorgánicos en 
Alimentos  (Maximum levels of inorganic contaminants in food) Language(s) : Spanish 
Number of pages : 2 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/ARG/20_4746_00_s.pdf  
6. Description of content : The notified text updates the limit for arsenic in rice laid dow n 
in GMC Resolution No. 12/11, in order to bring it into line with levels for inorganic arsenic 
established in the Codex Alimentarius.  
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.  
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 ): CODEX S TAN 193 -1995 (most recent version)  
[ ] World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. T errestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) : 
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention ( e.g. I SPM No. ): 
[ ] 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:  G/SPS/N/ARG/240  
- 2 - 
  9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available : GMC 
Resolution No. 12/11 "Reglamento Técnico Mercosur sobre Límites Máximos de 
Contaminantes Inorgánicos en Alimentos"  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 
11. Proposed date of entry into force : [ ] Six months from date of publication, and/or 
(dd/mm/yy ): 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments : [X] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or ( dd/mm/yy ): 5 October 2 020 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments : [X] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point . Address, fax number and email address (if 
available) of other body:  
Punto Focal SPS Argentina  (SPS Focal Point of Argentina)  
Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Pesca (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and 
Fisheries)  
Av. Paseo Colón 982 . Oficina 203 - CP: C1107ADQ  
Ciudad de Buenos Aires - Argentina  
Tel.: (+5411) 4363 6289  
Email: sps-argentina@magyp.gob.ar  
Website: www.agroindustria.gob.ar  
13. Text(s) available from : [X] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry 
Point . Address, fax number and email address (if available) of other body:  
Punto Focal SPS Argentina  
Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Pesca  
Av. Paseo Colón 982 . Oficina 203 - CP: C1107ADQ  
Ciudad de Buenos Aires - Argentina  
Tel.: (+5411) 4363 6289  
Email: sps-argentina@magyp.gob.ar  
Website: www.agroindustria.gob.ar