G/SPS/N/EU/45  
 
21 May 2013  
(13-2604)  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 Consumers 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):  Live animals (HS Code: 01) and products of animal 
origin (HS Code: 05) 
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 "Regulation of the European Parliament and of 
the Council on Animal Health"  Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  255 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2013/sps/EEC/13_1932_00_e.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2013/sps/EEC/13_1932_00_f.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2013/sps/EEC/13_1932_00_s.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The objective of the proposed regulation is to simplify, 
modernise and increase the consistency of animal health legislation across the European 
Union. The proposed regulation repeals several pieces of existing EU legislation. 
The main changes provided by the draft Animal Health Regulation are: a simpler 
legislative framework; the reduction of administrative burden; clarification of the animal 
health responsibilities of operators, veterinarians and others; scope for using new 
technologies for animal health activities; increased flexibility and a systematic risk-based approach, including criteria for listing and categorising animal diseases on a scientific and evidential basis and wider use of "compartmentalisation". 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ ] food safety, [X] animal health, [ ] plant protection, 
[X] protect humans from animal/plant pe st or disease, [ ] protect territory 
from other damage from pests.    
8. Is there a relevant international st andard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or seri al number of Codex 
standard or related text)   
[X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)  Terrestrial and Aquatic Animal Health 
Code in their entirety.  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None G/SPS/N/EU/45 
 
- 2 - 
 
  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:  None   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) :  On the twentieth day following that of its publication in the 
Official Journal of the European Union. It shall apply 36 months from the date of entry 
into force. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  120 days 
Agency 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 Consumers, Unit G6-Multilateral International Relations 
Rue Froissart 101, B-1049 Brussels Tel: +(32 2) 295 99 22 Fax: +(32 2) 299 80 90 
E-mail: sps@ec.europa.eu 
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notifi cation Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
European Commission  
DG Health and Consumers, Unit G6-Multilateral International Relations 
Rue Froissart 101, B-1049 Brussels 
Tel: +(32 2) 295 99 22 Fax: +(32 2) 299 80 90 E-mail: sps@ec.europa.eu