G/SPS/N/MAR/93  
8 December  2022 
(22-9125) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original:  French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member : MOROCCO  
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible : Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires , 
ONSSA  (National Office for Food Safety)  
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) : Couscous and pasta  
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 : Projet d'Arrêté du ministre de l'agriculture, de la pêche 
maritime, du développement rural et des eaux et forêts fixant les spécifications physiques 
et chimiques du couscous et des pâtes alimentaires  (Draft Order of the Minister of 
Agriculture, Marine Fisheries, Rural Development, Water Resources and Forestry 
establishing phy sical and chemical specifications for couscous and pasta) Language(s) : 
French Number of pages : 3 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/SPS/MAR/22_8272_00 _f.pdf  
6. Description of content : Article 5 of Decree No. 2-22-136 of 1 7 May 2 022 on the quality 
and safety of marketed couscous and pasta provides for the establishment of physical 
and chemical specifications by order. The provisions of the notified draft Order aim 
primarily to establish the physical and chemical specifications for  couscous and pasta 
provided for by that Decree, in particular those relating to : 
− moisture content;  
− ash content;  and 
− protein content.  
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 standard ? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : CODEX S TAN 202 -1995 
[ ] World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. T errestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) : 
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. I SPM number) : 
[ ] None  G/SPS/N/MAR/93  
- 2 - 
  Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Ye s [ ] 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) : To be determined . 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined . 
11. Proposed date of entry into force : [ ] Six months from date of publication, and/or 
(dd/mm/yy) : To be determined . 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments : [X] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 6 February 2 023 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments : [X] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enqui ry Point . Address, fax number and email address 
(if available) of other body:  
Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires  (National Office for Food 
Safety)  
Division de la Normalisation et des Questions SPS  (Standardization and SPS Matters 
Division)  
Direction de l' Évaluation des Risques et des Affaires Juridiques  (Directorate of Risk 
Assessment and Legal Affairs)  
Avenue Hadj Ahmed Cherkaoui  
Tel.: (+212) 05 37 67 65 11/13  
Mobile : 006 7399 7817  
Fax: (+212) 05 3768 2049  
Email: enquirypoint.spsmar@onssa.gov.ma  
Website: http://www.onssa.gov.ma  
13. Text(s) available from : [X] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point . Address, fax number and email address (if available) of other body:  
Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires  (National Office for Food 
Safety)  
Division de la Normalisation et des Questions SPS  (Standardization and SPS Matters 
Division)  
Direction de l' Évaluation des Risques et des Affaires Juridiques  (Directorate of Risk 
Assessment and Legal Affairs)  
Avenue Hadj Ahmed Cherkaoui  
Tel.: (+212) 05 37 67 65 11/13  
Mobile : 006 7399 7817 
Fax: (+212) 05 3768 2049  
Email: enquirypoint.spsmar@onssa.gov.ma  
Website: http://www.onssa.gov.ma