. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/PHL/179 
11 March 2010  
 (10-1319) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  PHILIPPINES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Health (DOH), Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) 
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):  Smoked fish (HS Code: 0305.49.00) 
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:  Draft Recommended Code of Practice (RCP) for the 
Processing and Handling of Smoked Fish  Language:  English  Number of pages:  39 
6. Description of content:  This Code of Practice is a set of recommended procedures that 
shall be adopted by processors of smoked fish  to enable their products to conform to the 
Standards for Smoked Fish.  This code also pr ovides a guide in the production, storage, and 
handling of smoked fish necessary to maintain  safety and quality from the receipt of raw 
materials and ingredients up to distribution.  
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 stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text) Codex Alimentarius Commission. 2003. Recommended 
International Code of Practice – General Principles of Food Hygiene – CAC/RCP 
1-1969, rev. 4 (2003) 
[ ] 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   [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:    G/SPS/N/PHL/179 
Page 2  
 
  9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:      
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  26 March 2010 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :    
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  26 March 2010 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  23 March 2010 
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:    
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
 Philippine National SPS Enquiry Point 
 Office of the Director   Policy Research Service  Department of Agriculture  
 3rd Floor, DA Building, Elliptical Road 
 Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines  Tel:  +(632) 9267 439  Fax:  +(632) 928 0590  E-mail: epad.polreser@lycos.com