. /. WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/CAN/638 
31 October 2012  
 (12-5934) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  CANADA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Health Canada 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Poultry and eggs ; primary breeders, egg-type multiplier breeders, egg-type 
day-old chicks, hatchery suppl y flocks, pullets, laying hens, hatching eggs (ICS Codes:  
65.020, 67.040, 67.120, 67.220) 
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:  Guidance on Reducing the Risk of Salmonella  Enteritidis 
in Canadian Shell Eggs  Language(s):  English and French  Number of pages:  26 
6. Description of content:  Health Canada has provided gui dance on reducing the risk of 
Salmonella  Enteritidis in Canadian shell eggs .  The document's focus is on flock 
management practices in laying flocks as well as the storage and handling of shell eggs.  
Environmental sampling for S. Enteritidis in pullets and laying flocks is recommended to 
assess the flock status for S. Enteritidis.  Testing of laying flocks for S. Enteritidis should 
follow at least the minimum national standard  sampling protocol and methodology.  Eggs 
from laying flocks that have tested positive for S. Enteritidis by environmental sampling are 
to be sent for further processing for the lifetime of the flock.  Due to the vertical passage of 
the organism from a hen into a shell egg or  to her progeny, the guidance document also 
provides guidance to the poultry breeding stock that supply laying hens for the egg industry. 
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.    G/SPS/N/CAN/638 
Page 2  
 
  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)   
[X] 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   [X] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
Yes - Codex Alimentarius; the proposed guidance for Salmonella  Enteritidis is the same as 
the Codex Code. 
No -  OIE - Chapter 6.5 Prevention, detection and control of Salmonella  in poultry: 
 Only some sections of the OIE document are relevant to the Canadian guidance 
document 
 The guidance document covers only Salmonella  Enteritidis whereas OIE 
Chapter 6.5 covers Salmonella  Enteritidis and Salmonella  Typhimurium 
9. Other relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:   
CAC Code of Hygienic Practice for Eggs and Egg Products. CAC/RCP 15 - 1976  
http://www.codexalimentarius.org/input /download/standards/73/CXP_015e.pdf  (English) 
Chapter 6.5.  Prevention, detection and control of Salmonella  in poultry 
http://web.oie.int/eng/normes/ mcode/en_chapitre_1.6.5.pdf  (English)   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  4 February 2013 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  4 February 2013 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  5 August 2012 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  4 January 2013 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:    
13. Texts available from:  [ ] National Notification  Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
The electronic version of the guidance document can be downloaded from:  
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2012/sps/CAN/12_4276_00_e.pdf  (English)