WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/EU/15 
11 April 2012  
 (12-1869) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
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 numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Feed and food from certain regions of Japan 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Japan  
5. Title of the notified document:  "Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 
No 284/2012 of 29 March 2012 imposing special conditions governing the import of feed 
and food originating in or consigned from Japan following the accident at the Fukushima 
nuclear power station and repealing Im plementing Regulation (EU) No 961/2011" 
Language(s):  English   Number of pages:  8 
"http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriSer v.do?uri=OJ:L:2012:092:0016:0023:EN:PDF " 
"http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriSer v.do?uri=OJ:L:2012:092:0016:0023:FR:PDF " 
"http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriSer v.do?uri=OJ:L:2012:092:0016:0023:ES:PDF " 
or 
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2012/sps/EEC/12_1254_00_e.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2012/sps/EEC/12_1254_00_f.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2012/sps/EEC/12_1254_00_s.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Japanese authorities adopted on 24 February 2012 new 
maximum levels for the sum of caesium-134 and caesium-137, to be applied as from 
1 April 2012.  It is therefore appropriate to apply the same maximum levels in the European 
Union.  Similarly, it is appropriate to excl ude sake, whiskey and shochu from the scope of 
the regulation due to the fact that no radioac tivity has been detected  in samples of these 
spirit drinks. 
The Regulation (EU) No 961/2011 notifie d in G/SPS/N/EEC/397/Add.1 is repealed. G/SPS/N/EU/15 
Page 2  
 
  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. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  Urgent action was 
needed following the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power station and the findings that certain foodstuffs in the neighbouring region contain high levels of radioactivity.  
9. 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)  
 CODEX STAN 193-1995 General Standard fo r Contaminants and Toxins in Food 
and Feed 
[ ] 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   [X] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  New provisional levels are establishe d to ensure consistency with 
maximum levels currently applied in Japan. 
10. Other relevant documents and langua ge(s) in which these are available:       
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  1 April 2012 
It shall apply from the date of entry into fo rce until 31 October 2012.  It will be reviewed 
regularly taking into account deve lopments in the situation. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Agency or authority designated to handle 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:  +(322) 2968185/59922 
Fax:  +(322) 2998090 E-mail:  sps@ec.europa.eu  G/SPS/N/EU/15 
 Page 3 
 
 
  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:  +(322) 2968185/59922 
Fax:  +(322) 2998090 E-mail:  sps@ec.europa.eu