G/SPS/N/OMN/44/Rev.1  
 
14 April 2015  
(15-1995)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
Revision 
1. Notifying Member: OMAN 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible: Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) 
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): All imported food 
- Specific certificates for animals: animal products (meat and its derivatives). 
- Bird products and derivative products. 
- Fish and products and their derivatives. - Phytosanitary: plant products and their derivatives and products. 
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: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Guide for Control on 
Imported Foods  Language(s): English  Number of pages: 36  
6. Description of content: This Guide describes principles and regulatory requirements to 
be applied by the importing (GCC) countries in assuring the safety and suitability of 
shipments of imported food. Specific attestations for animal and plant health certification 
are also provided in the Guide. The Guide incorporates Codex, OIE, IPPC standards as international benchmarks where appropriate.  
There is ongoing work in GCC countries to harmonize all regulatory requirements for 
imported foods and provide a coordinated and efficient border inspection and clearance system. While regulatory requirements and pr ocedures for imported foods are not as yet 
fully harmonized between the countries of the GCC, this Guide will contribute to the 
harmonization process. In particular, the countries of the GCC will continue to work 
towards a fully risk-based approach to assure the safety of imported foods. 
7. Objective and rationale: [X] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pe st or disease, [X] protect territory 
from other damage from pests.   G/SPS/N/OMN/44/Rev.1 
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international stan dard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] 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  
[ ] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[ ] 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: None   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : Not stated 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 1 June 2015 (experimental) 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure    
12. Final date for comments: [X] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 13 June 2015 
Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
13. Text(s) available from: [ ] National Notifi cation Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
National Enquiry Point and Information Centre (NEPIC)  
P.O. Box: 550 
Postal code: 113 Muscat 
Sultanate of Oman Tel: +(968) 2481 7252 
Fax: +(968) 2481 7040 
E-mail: nepic@moci.gov.om