WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/EU/29 
27 July 2012 
 (12-4167) 
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 numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Sprouts and seeds intended for sprou ting (HS Codes under title 0708 and HS 
codes 070490, 070690, 070999, 091099, 120799, 120921, 120991, 121490) 
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 on the traceability requirements for sprouts and seeds 
intended for the production of sprouts";  Language:   English;  Number of pages:   7 pages; 
Draft "Commission Regulation on certification re quirements for imports into the Union of 
sprouts and seeds intended for the production of sprouts";  Language:   English;  Number 
of pages:   7 pages; 
Draft "Commission Regulation amending Re gulation (EC) No 2073/2005 as regards 
microbiological criteria for sprouts and the sampling rules for poultry carcases and fresh 
poultry meat";  Language:   English;  Number of pages:   8 pages   
 http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2012/sps/EEC/12_2957_00_e.pdf  
 http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2012/sps/EEC/12_2957_01_e.pdf  
 http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2012/sps/EEC/12_2957_02_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The purpose of the first draft is to lay down detailed rules on the 
traceability of batches and consignments of sprouts and seeds intended for the production 
of sprouts, implementing Article 18 of Re gulation (EC) No 178/2002 (The General Food 
Law).  
The purpose of the second draft is to lay down certification requirements for sprouts and 
seeds intended for the production of sprouts imported into the European Union.  The 
certification requires compliance with th e relevant provisions in Regulation 
(EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs, Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, and rega rding import of sprouts, the approval of 
establishments producing sprouts. G/SPS/N/EU/29 
Page 2  
 
  The purpose of the third draft is to lay down a food safety criterion for six serotypes of 
shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in sprouts, including minimum sampling rules.  In 
addition, the third draft introduces some changes for the Salmonella food safety criterion in fresh poultry meat that are only editorial (for legal clarity). 
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 stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)  
 Code of Hygienic Practice for Fresh Fru its and Vegetables (CAC/RCP 53-2003), in 
particular Annex II for sprout production. 
[ ] 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:   
Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the Europ ean Parliament and of the Council of 
28 January 2002 laying down the general pr inciples and requirements of food law, 
establishing the European Food Safety Authorit y and laying down procedures in matters of 
food safety. "http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriSer v.do?uri=OJ:L:2002:031:0001:0024:EN:PDF " 
Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the Europ ean Parliament and of the Council of 
29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with 
feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules. "http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriSer v.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:191:0001:0052:EN:PDF " 
Regulation (EC) NO 852/2004 of the Europ ean Parliament and of the Council of 
29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs.   
"http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriSer v.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:226:0003:0021:EN:PDF " 
Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 of 15 November 2005 on microbiological 
criteria for foodstuffs. "http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriSer v.do?uri=OJ:L:2005:338:0001:0026:EN:PDF " 
(available in all the European Union official languages)  G/SPS/N/EU/29 
 Page 3 
 
 
  10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  30 November 2012 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  1 December 2012 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  1 January 2013 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [X] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  25 September 2012 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] 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 29 68185/59922 
Fax:  +(32) 2 29 98090 
E-mail:  sps@ec.europa.eu 
13. Texts 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 Consumers, Unit G6 - Multilateral International relations 
Rue Froissart 101 B 1049 Brussels 
Tel:  +(32) 2 29 68185/59922 
Fax:  +(32) 2 29 98090 E-mail:  sps@ec.europa.eu