G/TBT/N/EU/892  
18 May 2022  
(22-3839) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN UNION  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
European Commission  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
European Comm ission,  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point,  
Fax: +(32) 2 299 80 43,  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools -databases/tbt/en/  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Food 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Draft 
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) amending Delegated Re gulation (EU) 2017/1798 
as regards the lipid and magnesium requirements for total diet replacement for weight 
control; (5 page(s), in English), (2 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  This delegated Regulation aims at amending certain 
compositi onal requirements set out by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1798 
for total diet replacement for weight control based on the relevant EFSA scientific opinion.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  The Commission has received a request, accompanied by a list of new 
scientific evidence, from Total Diet & Meal Replacements Europe for the revision of the 
minimum content of linoleic acid and alpha -linoleic acid as well as the maximum content 
of magnesium set out in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1798 for total diet replacement 
for weight control.  
The Commission asked EFSA to assess the submitted scientific evidencetogether with any 
other relevant new scientific evidence available and, if neces sary, to update the 
conclusions of its latest scientific opinion on total diet replacement for weight control. In 
its opinion of 15 April 2021, EFSA concluded that there is no need to add linoleic acid to 
total diet for weight control and that a minimum of  0.8 g/day alpha -linolenic acid needs 
to be supplied by total diet for weight control in order to meet the adequate intake for 
alpha -linolenic acid. EFSA further concluded that the likelihood that magnesium -induced 
diarrhoea occurs at a severity that may b e considered of concern for overweight or obese 
individuals consuming total diet for weight control, who more often suffer from G/TBT/N/EU/892  
 
- 2 - 
 
  constipation than diarrhoea, is low when the total maximum magnesium content in total 
diet replacement for weight control is 350  mg/day.  
Taking into account the conclusions of that opinion, it is appropriate to lower the minimum 
alpha -linolenic acid content required under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1798 for total 
diet replacement for weight control to 0.8 g/total daily ration a nd to increase the 
maximum magnesium content permitted for those products to 350 mg/total daily ration 
as well as to delete the provision on the minimum content of linoleic acid; Protection of 
human health or safety  
8. Relevant documents:   
1. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1798 of 2 June 2017 supplementing 
Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as 
regards the specific compositional and information requirements for total diet 
replacement for weight c ontrol EUR-Lex - 32017R1798 - EN - EUR-Lex 
(europa.eu)  
2. EFSA NDA Panel (EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens), 2021. 
Statement on additional scientific  evidence in relation to the essential composition 
of total diet replacement for weight control. Statement on additional scientific 
evidence in relation to the essential composition of tota l diet replacement for 
weight control | EFSA (europa.eu)  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  3rd quarter 2022  
Proposed date of entry into force:  The proposed measure shall enter into force 
following its publication in the Official Journal of the EU.  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
European Commission,  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point,  
Fax: + (32) 2 299 80 43,  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
The text is available on the EU -TBT Website : http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools -
databases/tbt/en/  
https://members.wto.org/crnatta chments/2022/TBT/EEC/22_3480_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/EEC/22_3480_01_e.pdf