G/SPS/N/GTM/64  
24 May 2016  
(16-2803)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: Spanish  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
1. Notifying Member: GUATEMALA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible: Ministerio de Salud Pública y Asistencia Social  (Ministry of Public 
Health and Social Welfare) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS num bers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable): Maize (corn) flour 
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: Acuerdo Gubernativo número 66-2016, que contiene la 
prórroga de entrada en vigencia del Acuerdo Gubernativo número 298-2015  (Government 
Decision No. 66-2016 deferring the entry into force of Government Decision No. 298-2015) Language(s): Spanish Number of pages: 1 
6. Description of content: The notified text amends Article 28 of Government Decision No. 
298-2015 of 29 December 2015, Regulation on the fortification of nixtamalized maize 
(corn) flour with micronutrients, published in the Diario de Centro América  (Official 
Journal) on 12 January 2016. 
The Regulation will be applied by the Food  Regulation and Control Department of the 
Directorate-General of Health Regulation, Surveillance and Control at the Ministry of Public 
Health and Social Welfare, in accordance with Government Decision No. 969-99 (Food Safety Regulations).  
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: 
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission ( e.g. title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text ) Codex Standard for whole maize (corn) meal - Codex 
STAN 154-1985 (Rev. 1-1995). 
[ ] World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention ( e.g. ISPM No. ) 
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to  the relevant international standard? 
[ ] Yes [X] No  G/SPS/N/GTM/64 
- 2 - 
  If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard: The proposed Regulation applies to fortified nixtamalized maize 
(corn) flour for direct human consumption or industrial use, and to that used in food 
products, while the Codex applies to whole maize (corn) meal, degermed maize (corn) meal, enriched maize (corn) meal, maize (corn) flours, maize (corn) grits, quick grits, hominy grits, self-rising maize (corn) meals, bolted maize (corn) meals, maize (corn) 
flakes and other maize (corn) based ready-to-eat cereals, maize (corn) flaking grits, and 
alkaline-treated maize (corn) products. 
Food and Drug Administration  (FDA), Docket No. FDA-2012-F-0480, Document No.: 2016-
08792, Document Citation: 81 FR 22176-22183.  
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available: None  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 8 April 2016 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 11 April 2016 
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication, and/or 
(dd/mm/yy) : 12 October 2016 
[ ] 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. 
Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and email address 
(if available) of other body:   
13. Text(s) available from: [X] National Notifi cation Authority, [ ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and email address (if available) of other body: 
Departamento de Regulación y Control de Alimentos de la Dirección General de Regulación, 
Vigilancia y Control de la Salud del Ministerio de Salud Pública y Asistencia Social  (Food 
Regulation and Control Department, Directorate-General of Health Regulation, Surveillance and Control, Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare) 
Email: coordfortificadosdrca@gmail.com 
Contact person: Ana Urbina Tel.: +(502) 2502 2502, Ext. 206