G/SPS/N/EU/144  
 
16 September 2015  
(15-4725)  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; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Cereals (HS Codes: 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 
1006, 1007, 1008), foodstuffs of animal origin (HS Codes: 0201, 0202, 0203, 0204, 
0205, 0206, 0207, 0208, 0209, 0210) and certain products of plant origin, including fruit 
and vegetables. 
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: Annex to "Draft Commissi on Regulation amending 
Annexes II, III, IV and V to Regulation (EC)  No 396/2005 of the European Parliament 
and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for atrazine and potassium 
thiocyanate in or on certain products (Text with EEA relevance)"  Language(s): English   
Number of pages: 7 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/SPS/EEC/15_3682_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: This notified annex to the draft Regulation sets proposed 
maximum residue levels for atrazine and potassium thiocyanate in Annex V to 
Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. MRLs for these substances in certain commodities are 
changed: either increased or lowered. Higher MRLs are set to accommodate new uses in the European Union and in third countries which export those commodities to the European Union. Lower MRLs are set after updating the limit of determination and/or 
deleting old uses which are not authorized any more in the European Union or for which 
there is not enough data for an MRL to be set. 
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 st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial  n u m b e r  o f  C o d e x  
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)    G/SPS/N/EU/144 
 
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  [X] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[ ] 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: 
"Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 
23 February 2005 on maximum residue levels of pesticides in or on food and feed of 
plant and animal origin and amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC" 
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content /EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02005R0396-20141113  
The European Food Safety Authority published reasoned opinions on the existing MRLs 
for atrazine and potassium thiocyanate. Based on these opinions, Regulation (EC) 
No 396/2005 should be amended accordingly: 
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4126  
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/2922    
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : April 2016 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : April 2016 
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [X] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : Entry into force twenty days after publication in the Official 
Journal. Application six months after publication. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 15 November 2015 
Agency or authority designated to hand le 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 G6 - 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 Notifi cation 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 G6 - 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