G/SPS/N/PHL/282
24 April 2015 
(15-2198)  Page: 1/2
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English
 
  NOTIFICATION 
1. Notifying Member: PHILIPPINES 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible: Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of Agriculture and 
Fisheries Standards (BAFS) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): HS Code(s): 071220, 071290, 0904, 0905, 0906, 0907, 
0908, 0909, 0910, 120750, 120791 
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: Final Draft Philippine National Standards (PNS) on the 
Code of Hygienic Practice for Spices and Dried Aromatic Herbs   Language(s): English  
Number of pages: 30 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/SPS/PHL/15_1745_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: This Code applies to spices and dried aromatic herbs - whole, 
broken, sliced, ground or blended. It cove rs the minimum requirements of hygiene for 
pre-harvest, harvesting, post-harvest practices (e.g. curing, bleaching, blanching, cutting, drying, cleaning, grading, packing,  transportation and storage, including 
disinfestation and fumigation), processing establishment, processing technology and 
practices (e.g. grinding, blending, freezing and freeze-drying, treatments to reduce the microbiological load), packaging, and storage of processed products. 
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 st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) CAC/RCP42-1995 (Revised in 2014) 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant 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:   G/SPS/N/PHL/282 
 
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  9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:     
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 1 July 2015 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 11 May 2015 
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 1 July 2015 
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 26 June 2015 
Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [X] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
Policy Research Service 
Department of Agriculture 
3rd Floor, DA Building, Elliptical Road 
Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines Tel: +(632) 926 7439 
Fax: +(632) 928 0590 
E-mail: spspilipinas@da.gov.ph 
or 
Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards 
BPI Compound, Visayas Avenue Diliman, Quezon City Tel: +(632) 456 6552/455 2858 
E-mail: bafpsda@yahoo.com 
13. Text(s) available from: [X] National Notifi cation Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Policy Research Service  
Department of Agriculture 
3rd Floor, DA Building, Elliptical Road 
Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines Tel: +(632) 926 7439 Fax: +(632) 928 0590 
E-mail: spspilipinas@da.gov.ph 
or Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards 
BPI Compound, Visayas Avenue 
Diliman, Quezon City Tel: +(632) 456 6552/455 2858 
E-mail: bafpsda@yahoo.com