G/SPS/N/CHE/78  
 
26 August 2019  
(19-5446) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  SWITZERLAND  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office  
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):  Drinking water 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners : Areas polluted with pe rchlorate and being source for water 
for Switzerland  
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  FDHA Ordinance on Drinking Water and Water in Public 
Baths and Shower Facilities (DWBSO) . Language(s):  German, French and Italian . 
Number of pages:  2 
https:// members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/SPS/CHE/19_4514_00_x.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/SPS/CHE/19_4514_00_f.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/SPS/CHE/19_4514_01_x.pdf  
6. Description of content:  A maximum limit for perchlorate in water (drinking water) is 
established. It is set at 4 µg /l. Reason for this is health protection of consumers.  
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:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal  Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it d eviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    G/SPS/N/CHE/78  
 
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  10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 19 March 2020  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 13 April 2020  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 1 May 2020  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 25 October 2019  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [  ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO  
Special Foreign Economic Services  
Non-Tariff Measures Division  
Holzikofenweg 36, 3003 Bern  
Switzerland  
E-mail: sps@seco.admin.ch  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [  ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO  
Special Foreign Economic Services  
Non-Tariff Measures Division  
Holzikofenweg 36, 3003 Bern  
Switzerland  
E-mail: sps@seco.admin.ch