G/SPS/N/EU/476  
 
6 April 2021  
(21-2832) 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):  Preparation of a kind used in animal nutrition (HS Code: 2309)  
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:  Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/506 
concerning the authorisation of methanethiol as a feed additive for all animal species 
(Text with EEA relevance) . Language(s):  English, French and Spanish . Number of 
pages:  4 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/SPS/EEC/21_2272_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/SPS/EEC/21_2272_00_f.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/SPS/EEC/21_2272_00_s.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 provides for the authorisation 
of additives for use in animal nutrition and for the grounds and procedures for granting 
such authorisation. Article 10(2) of that Regulation provides for the re -evaluation of 
additives authorised pursuant to Council Directive 70/524/EEC. Methanethiol was 
authorised without a time limit, in accordance with Directive 70/524/EEC, as a feed 
additive for all animal species. This additive was subsequently entered in the Register of 
feed additives as an existing product, in accordance with Article 10(1)(b) of Regulat ion 
(EC) No 1831/2003. In accordance with Article 10(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 in 
conjunction with Article 7 thereof, an application was submitted for the re -evaluation of 
methanethiol as a feed additive for all animal species. The applicant reque sted the 
additive to be classified in the additive category 'sensory additives' and in the functional 
group 'flavouring compounds'. That application was accompanied by the particulars and 
documents required under Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/200 3. The European 
Food Safety Authority ( 'the Authority') concluded in its opinions of 17 April 2013 and 
30 September 2020  that, under the proposed conditions of use, methanethiol does not 
have an adverse effect on animal health, human health or the environm ent. It also 
concluded that the additive should be considered as irritant to skin and eyes and to the 
respiratory tract and no conclusions could be drawn on skin sensitisation. Therefore, the 
Commission considers that appropriate protective measures should  be taken to prevent 
adverse effects on human health, in particular as regards the users of the additive. 
The Authority does not consider that there is a need for specific requirements of post -
market monitoring. It also verified the report on the methods o f analysis of the feed 
additives in feed submitted by the Reference Laboratory set up by Regulation 
(EC) No 1831/2003. The assessment of methanethiol shows that the conditions for G/SPS/N/EU/476  
 
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  authorisation, as provided for in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003,  are satisfied. 
Accordingly, the use of methanethiol should be authorised as specified in the Annex to 
this Regulation.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or dise ase, [  ] 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) : Code of practice on G ood Animal Feeding 
CAC/RCP  54-2004 
[ ] 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?  
[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:    
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 23 March 2021  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 24 March 2021  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : This Regulation shall enter into force on the twe ntieth day 
following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.  
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  
Agen cy 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 D2-Multilateral International Relations  
Rue Froissart 101  
B-1049 Brussels  
Tel: +(32 2) 29 54263  
Fax: +(32 2) 29 98090  
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 D2 -Multilateral International Relations  
Rue Froissart 101  
B-1049 Brussels  
Tel: +(32 2) 29 54263  
Fax: +(32 2) 29 98090  
E-mail: sps@ec.europa.eu