G/SPS/N/EU/190  
 
6 February 2017  
(17-0686) 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 it em number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Ethoxyquin (6 -ethoxy -1,2-dihydro -2,2,4-
trimethylquinoline) as a feed additive and all types of animal feed containing eth oxyquin  
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 
suspending the autho risation of ethoxyquin as a feed additive for all animal species and 
categories (Text with EEA relevance) . Language(s): English . Number of pages: 7 
http://members.wto.org/c rnattachments/2017/SPS/EEC/17_0648_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: The draft measure suspends the existing authorisation of 
ethoxyquin used as antioxidant feed additive for all animal species, since the conditions 
for authorisation laid down by the r elevant EU legislation are no longer met. According to 
the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) of 21 October 2015, there is 
an overall lack of data submitted to assess the exposure and the safety of ethoxyquin 
for animals, consumers and th e environment. In addition, several potential safety 
concerns are raised: at least one of the additive's metabolites, ethoxyquin quinone 
imine, could be genotoxic. Also, the impurity p -phenetidine, which remains in the 
additive, is a possible mutagen.  
The draft suspension act is accompanied by transitional measures in order to allow 
operators to adapt to the withdrawal obligation.  
The suspension measure will be reviewed by 31 December 2020 at the latest.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [X]  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 standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : Code of practice on G ood Animal Feeding 
CAC/RCP  54-2004 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :   G/SPS/N/EU/190  
 
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  [ ] International Plan t 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: 
Opinion  of the European Food Safety Authority of 21 October 2015, published in the 
EFSA Journal 2015, 13(11):4272  (available in English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : May 2017  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : May 2017  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ]  Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : Twenty days after publication in the Official Journal of the 
European Union. Transitional measures for the application of the measure are provided 
for. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 7 April 2017  
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 Bruss els 
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.europa.eu