G/SPS/N/EU/204  
 
29 March 2017  
(17-1699) 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 Consumers 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): Cereals (HS Codes: 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 
1006, 1007, 1008), foodstuffs of animal origin (HS Codes: 0201, 0202, 0203 , 0204, 
0205, 0206, 0207, 0208, 0209, 0210) and certain products of plant origin, including fruit 
and vegetables  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or count ries:   
5. Title of the notified document: Draft Commission Regulation amending Annexes II 
and III to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council 
as regards maximum residue levels for mercury compounds in or on certain produc ts 
(Text with EEA relevance) . Language(s): English  . Number of pages: 10 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/SPS/EEC/17_1526_00_e.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/SPS/EEC/17_1526_01_e.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/SPS/E EC/17_1526_02_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: The proposed draft Regulation concerns the review of existing 
MRLs for mercury compounds in certain food commodities to reflect the current 
environmental occurrence. The MRLs are set on a temporary basis in accordance with 
Article 16(1) of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005.  
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:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :   
[ ] 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?   G/SPS/N/EU/204  
 
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  [ ] 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:  
 "Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 
February 2005 on maximum residue levels of pest icides in or on food and feed of 
plant and animal origin and amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC"  
http://eur -lex.europa.eu/legal -content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32005R0396  
 Opinion published by the Scientific Panel on contaminants in the Food Chain 
(CONTAM Panel) of the European Food Safety Authority on on mercury and 
methylmercury in food  
https://www.efsa.europa .eu/en/efsajournal/pub/2985  
(available in English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : October 2017  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : October 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.  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 28 May 2017  
Agency or authority designated to han dle 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. europa .eu