G/SPS/N/EU/289  
 
19 December 2018  
(18-8024) 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): Animals, products of animal origin, germinal products, animal by-
products [composite products, hay and straw], plants and plant products  
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 Implementing Regulation on prior 
notification of consignments of certain categories of animals and goods entering the Union 
(Text with EEA relevance) . Language(s): English.  Number of pages: 3 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/EEC/18_6507_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on Official Controls (OCR) 
establishes the framework  for official controls and other official activities to verify the 
correct application of Union agri -food chain legislation. This includes official controls 
performed on animals and goods entering the Union from third countries.  
Regulation (EU) 2017/625 requires the operator responsible for certain consignments 
entering the Union to give prior notification to the competent authorities of the border 
control posts before the arrival of the consignments.  
The purpose of this implementing act is to fix a gener al minimum time period for giving 
prior notification, while allowing for certain, specific derogations:  
In cases of transport related logistical constraints or, as regards border control posts 
designated for imports of unprocessed logs and sawn and chipped  wood, of specific 
geographical constraints, Member States would be allowed to require a different time 
period for prior notification, to ensure a timely and effective performance of official 
controls also under such circumstances.  
7. Objective and ration ale: [X]  food safety, [X]  animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[X] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [X]  protect territory 
from other damage from pests.  
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  G/SPS/N/EU/289  
 
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  [ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[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:   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : First quarter of 2019.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : First quarter of 2019.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six month s from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 20 days after publication in the Official Journal of the European 
Union.  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 17 February 2019  
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 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.e uropa.eu