G/TBT/N/MEX/257  
12 April 2013  
(13-1919)  Page: 1/3  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: Spanish  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Notifying Member: MEXICO 
If applicable, name of local governme nt involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible: Secretaría de Salud (Ministry of Health), Secretaría de Economía  
(Ministry of the Economy) 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, e-mail and website 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:  
Comité Consultivo Nacional de Normalización de Regulación y Fomento Sanitario  
(National Advisory Committee on Standardization for the Regulation and Promotion of Health) 
Oklahoma número 14, planta baja 
Colonia Nápoles Código postal 03810, México, D.F. 
Tel.: (+52) 55 5080-5200, Ext. 1333 
Fax: (+52) 55 5511-1499 E-mail: rfs@cofepris.gob.mx  
Website: http://www.cofepris.gob.mx  
 
Comercial y Prácticas de Comercio (National Advisory Committee on Standardization 
for User Safety, Commercial Information and Trade Practices) 
Avenida Puente de Tecamachalco número 6 
Colonia Lomas de Tecamachalco, Sección Fuentes Naucalpan de Juárez 
Código postal 53950, Estado de México 
Tel.: (+52) 55 5729-9100, Ext. 43222 Fax: (+52) 55 5520-9715 Website: " http://www.economia.gob.mx/comuni dad-negocios/c ompetitividad-
normatividad/normalizacion " 
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2. 10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ],  5.7.1 [ ], other:   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN wh ere applicable, otherwise national 
tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Cocoa, chocolate and 
other similar products (ICS 67.140.30). 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Proyecto de 
Norma Oficial Mexicana PROY-NOM-186-SSA1/SCFI-2012, Cacao, chocolate y productos 
similares, y derivados del cacao. Especifica ciones sanitarias. Denominación comercial. 
Métodos de prueba  (Draft Mexican Official Standa rd PROY-NOM-186-SSA1/SCFI-2012: 
Cocoa, chocolate and other similar products, and cocoa byproducts. 
Sanitary specifications. Trade description . Test methods) (64 pages, in Spanish) G/TBT/N/MEX/257 
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  6. Description of content: The notified Standard establishes the trade specifications 
for cocoa, chocolate and other similar products, and cocoa byproducts. It also establishes 
the generic and specific description for these products. It is mandatory for natural and 
legal persons involved in the processing or importation of the products covered by the Standard that are to be marketed in Mexican territory. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: To protect human health and prevent practices likely to mislead consumers. 
8. Relevant documents:  
- CODEX STAN 141-1983, Rev. 1-2001. Codex Standard for cocoa (cacao) mass 
(cocoa/chocolate liquor) and cocoa cake; 
- CODEX STAN 105-1981, Rev. 1-2001, Amendment 1, 2010. Codex Standard for cocoa 
powders (cocoas) and dry mixtures of cocoa and sugars; 
- CODEX STAN 87-1981, Rev. 1-2003. Codex Standard for chocolate 
and chocolate products; 
- CODEX STAN 86-1981, Rev. 1-2001. Codex Standard for cocoa butter; - Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-008-SCFI-2002, Sistema General de Unidades de Medida  
(Mexican Official Standard NOM ‑008‑SCFI‑2002: General system of units 
of measurement); 
- Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-051-SCFI/SSA1-2010, Especificaciones generales de 
etiquetado para alimentos y bebidas no alcohólicas preenvasados - Información comercial y sanitaria  (Mexican Official Standard NOM-051-SCFI/SSA1-2010: General 
specifications for the labelling of pre ‑packaged food and non ‑alcoholic beverages ‑ 
Commercial and health information); 
- Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-086-SSA1-1994, Bienes y servicios. Alimentos y bebidas 
no alcohólicas con modificaciones en su composición. Especificaciones nutrimentales  
(Mexican Official Standard NOM-086-SSA1 -1994: Goods and services. Foodstuffs 
and non-alcoholic beverages the composition of which has been modified. 
Nutritional specifications); 
- Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-127-SSA1-1994, Salud ambiental, agua para uso y 
consumo humano - Límites permisibles de calidad y tratamientos a que debe someterse el agua para su potabilización  (Mexican Official Standard NOM-127-SSA1-1994: 
Environmental health, water for human use and consumption ‑ Permissible limits 
and water purification treatment); 
- Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-243-SSA1-2010, Productos y servicios. Leche, fórmula 
láctea, producto lácteo combinado y derivados lácteos. Disposiciones y especificaciones sanitarias. Métodos de prueba  (Mexican Official Standard NOM-243-SSA1-2010: 
Goods and services. Milk, milk formula, combined dairy products and dairy byproducts. 
Health provisions and specifications. Test methods); 
- Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-251-SSA1-2009, Prácticas de higiene para el proceso de 
alimentos, bebidas o suplementos alimenticios  (Mexican Official 
Standard NOM-251-SSA1-2009: Hygiene practice s for the processing of foods, drinks 
and dietary supplements). 
9. Proposed date of adoption: 
Proposed date of entry into force:   Not applicable. 
60 days after publication of the final Mexican 
Official Standard in the Official Journal, 
except for the aflatoxin limit of 15 µg/kg 
established in point 6.8.1, which will enter into force 365 days after publication 
of the final Mexican Official Standard. 
10. Final date for comments: 6 June 2013 G/TBT/N/MEX/257 
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  11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and website addresses,  if available of the other body: 
Secretaría de Economía 
Subsecretaría de Competitividad y Normatividad Dirección General de Normas Tel.: (+52) 55 5729 9100, Ext. 43217 
Fax: (+52) 55 5520 9715 
E-mail: normasomc@economia.gob.mx  and/or jesus.figueroa@economia.gob.mx  
Website: " http://www.economia.gob.mx/comuni dad-negocios/c ompetitividad-
normatividad/normalizacion/catalogo-mexicano-de-normas " 
 
Text available online at: 
http://dof.gob.mx/index.php?year=2013&month=04&day=08 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2013/TBT/MEX/13_1493_00_s.pdf