G/SPS/N/MAR/75  
16 April 2021 
(21-3175) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original:  French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member : MOROCCO  
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible : Office national de sécurité sanitaire des produits alimentaires , 
ONSSA (National Food Safety Office)  
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) : Table olives  
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 : Projet d'Arrêté du Ministre de l'Agriculture, de la Pêche 
Maritime, du Développement Rural et des Eaux et Forêts fixant les dénominations et les 
caractéristiques des olives de table  (Draft Order of the Minister of Agriculture, Marine 
Fisheries, Rural Development, Water Resources and Forestry establishing the names and 
characteristics of table olives) Language(s) : French Number of pages : 6 
Text availa ble at:  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/SPS/MAR/21_2735_00_f.pdf  
6. Description of content : The purpose of the notified draft Order on table olives is to 
establish a regulatory framework for the preserved and semi -preserved vegetable sector 
within the framework of the new legislation on the safety of food products . The notified 
draft Order issued under Article 3 of Decree No. 2-20-422 on the quality and foo d safety 
of preserved and semi -preserved vegetables aims primarily to:  
− Establish the names of table olives according to the processing method used;  
− determine the presentation of the product and the defect thresholds permitted by 
type and category of olive;  
− classify olives according to level of ripeness  
− establish the physico -chemical characteristics of table olive brine ; and 
− provide for the specific in formation to be included on labelling.  
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:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : Standard for table olives, CXS 66 -1981, Adopted in 
1981. Revised in 1987, 2013  
[ ] World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. T errestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) : G/SPS/N/MAR/75  
- 2 - 
  [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. I SPM number) : 
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international stan dard?  
[X] Ye s [ ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined  
11. Proposed date of entry into force : [ ] Six months from date of publication, and/or 
(dd/mm/yy) : To be determined  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments : [X] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 15 June 2 021 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments : [X] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point . Address, fax number and email address 
(if available) of other bo dy: 
Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires (ONSSA)  
Direction de l'Évaluation des Risques et des Affaires Juridiques  (Directorate of Risk 
Assessment and Legal Affairs)  
Division de la Normalisation et des Questions SPS  (Standardization and SPS Matters 
Division)  
Avenue Hadj Ahmed Cherkaoui, Agdal, Rabat  
Tel.: (+212) 537 676 513  
Fax: (+212) 537 682 049  
Email : enquirypoint.spsmar@onssa.gov.ma   
13. Text(s) available f rom: [X] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point . Address, fax number and email address (if available) of other body:  
Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires (ONSSA)  
Direction de l'Évaluation des Risques et des A ffaires Juridiques  (Directorate of Risk 
Assessment and Legal Affairs)  
Division de la Normalisation et des Questions SPS  (Standardization and SPS Matters 
Division)  
Avenue Hadj Ahmed Cherkaoui, Agdal, Rabat  
Tel.: (+212) 537 676 513  
Fax: (+212) 537 682 049  
Email : enquirypoint.spsmar@onssa.gov.ma