G/SPS/N/EU/67  
 
4 March 2014  
(14-1301)  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; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Ovine embryos 
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: Commission Regulation amending Annexes II, VII, 
VIII, IX and X to Regulation (EC) No 999/200 1 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain 
transmissible spongiform encephalopathies + corresponding Annex  Language(s): 
English  Number of pages: 20 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2014/sps/EEC/14_1106_00_e.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2014/sps/EEC/14_1106_01_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: Chapter H of Annex IX to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 lays 
down rules for the importation into the European Union of ovine and caprine semen and 
embryos. These import rules are updated to reflect the conditions for intra-Union trade laid down in Annex VIII to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 and offer to the EU's trading 
partners the possibility to exempt hetero zygous ovine ARR embryos exported to the 
European Union from any classical scrapie related requirements. 
7. Objective and rationale: [ ] food safety, [X] 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:  
[ ] 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)  Chapter 14.9 of the OIE Terrestrial 
Code 
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[X] Yes   [ ] No G/SPS/N/EU/67 
 
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  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: 
EFSA scientific opinions: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/e n/efsajournal/doc/1429.pdf  
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/e n/efsajournal/doc/3080.pdf  
(available in English) 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : September 2014 (expected) 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : September 2014 
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 1 January 2015 
[X] Trade facilitating measure  The new rules are less stringent compared to the 
current EU requirements according to wh ich heterozygous ovine ARR embryos are 
exempted from scrapie-related conditions. By means of the newly proposed rules, 
the European Union extends the scope of the exemption.  
12. Final date for comments: [X] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 3 May 2014 
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:  
European Commission 
DG Health and Consumers, Unit G6-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. Texts 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 Consumers, Unit G6-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