WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/EEC/294 
10 August 2006 
 (06-3843) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Commission of the European Co mmunities. Health & Consumer 
Protection Directorate-General.  
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):  Food additives, food enzymes and food  flavourings. Numerous positions HS 
Headings 0910, 2103, 2106, 2901 to 2940, 3302, 3507. ICS: 67.220 and foods in which they 
are used.  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable:  
Member States of the European Communiti es (EC) and third countries exporting the 
products concerned to the EC.  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Commission Document 
COM (2006) 423 final, 2006/0143(COD) 'Proposal for a Regulation of the European 
Parliament and of the Council establishing a common authorisation procedure for food 
additives, food enzymes and food flavourings' (21 pages).  
This proposal is also notified to the TBT.  
6. Description of content:  This proposal aims to introduce common procedural aspects for 
the above substances.  The procedures for the handling of applications, evaluations by the 
European Food Safety Authority and approval vi a inclusion in the appropriate positive lists. 
As such the proposal is closely related to the individual proposed legislation on food additives, food enzymes and food flavourings.  
Further Background 
Community harmonisation of national legislat ion relating to food additives and their 
conditions of use was created seventeen years ago by Council Directive 89/107/EEC of 21 
December 1988 on the approximation of the la ws of the Member States concerning food 
additives for use in foodstuffs intended for human consumption, before the creation of the 
WTO Agreement on the Application of SPS measures .  Since then this legislation has been 
modified several times.  
The community legislation on food flavourings was created in 1988, seventeen years ago, 
before the creation of the WTO agreement on th e application of SPS measures.  Since then 
the legislation has been further developed.  
The Community legislation on food enzymes falls  within the scope of various pieces of EC 
legislation and also national legislation of member States of the European Communities.  G/SPS/N/EEC/294 
Page 2  
 
  The commission with a view to clarifying the various legislative areas, incorporating new 
scientific knowledge and with the ultimate aim of facilitating trade by setting clear rules, is 
presenting a package of four related proposals. 
The other proposals are notified in  G/SPS/N/EEC/291 
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and Council on Food Additives 
[COM(2006) 428 final / 2006/0145 (COD)] 48 pages.  
G/SPS/N/EEC/292 
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on food enzymes 
and amending Council Directive 83/417/EEC, Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999, 
Directive 2000/13/EC, and Council Directive 2001/112/EC [COM(2006) 425 final. 2006/0144(COD)] 37 pages. 
G/SPS/N/EEC/293 
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring prope rties for use in and on foods and amending 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89, Council Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91, Regulation 
(EC) No 2232/96 and Directive 2000/13/EC [COM(2006) 427 final  2006/0147 (COD)] 49 
pages 
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. International standard, guideline or recommendation: 
[  ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [ X ] None 
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:  
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Commission 
Document COM (2006) 423 final, 2006/0143(COD) 'Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council est ablishing a common authorisation procedure for 
food additives, food enzymes and food flavourings'.  
Document available at: 
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriSe rv/site/en/com/2006/com2006_0423en01.pdf    
10. Proposed date of adoption:  This European Commission proposal is submitted to the 
Council and to the European Parliament fo r its adoption according to the co-decision 
procedure (Article 251 of the EC Treaty). An ex act date of adoption ca nnot be given at this 
moment although is expected to take place around Spring 2008.  
Detailed information about this pr ocedure is given at "Pre-Lex": 
http://ec.europa.eu/prelex/detail _dossier_real.cfm?CL=en&DosId=194541    
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  20 days as of publication in the Official Journal.   G/SPS/N/EEC/294 
 Page 3 
 
 
  12. Final date for comments:  Sixty (60) days after the date of notification.  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [ X ] National notification 
authority, [   ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:   
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: