G/SPS/N/EU/764  
17 May 2024  
(24-3832) 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):  All types of ready -to-eat foodstuffs  
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 Regulation amending Regulation (EC) 
No 2073/2005 as regards Listeria monocytogenes  (Text with EEA relevance) . 
Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  6 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/SPS/EEC/24_03288_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/SPS/EEC/24_03288_01_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The notified document consis ts of a draft text updating the 
Listeria monocytogenes  food safety criterion laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) 
No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs. The objective of the draft text is to 
ensure an appropriate level of public health  protection as regards the placing on the 
EU market of ready -to-eat foods, other than those intended for infants and for special 
medical purposes, that are able to support the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and for 
which the producing food business opera tor has not been able to demonstrate, to the 
satisfaction of the competent authority, that the level of Listeria monocytogenes  will not 
exceed the limit of 100 cfu/g throughout their shelf -life. 
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal heal th, [  ] 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) : CXG 61-2007 (Guidelines on the Application of 
General Principles of Food Hygiene to the Control of Listeria Monocytogenes in 
Foods)  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (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?  G/SPS/N/EU/764  
 
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  [X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international stand ard:  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : Fourth quarter of 2024  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : Fourth quarter of 2024  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : 1 January 2026  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 16 July 2024  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
avail able) 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 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