. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/EEC/324 
27 February 2008  
 (08-0858) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:   Commission of the European Communities. Health & Consumer 
Protection Directorate-General  Directorate E – Food Safety:  production and distribution 
chain 
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):  Isoprene [FL-01.049 (2-methyl-1,3-butadie ne)] and food products containing 
this flavouring substance (ICS 67.220.20) 
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:  Draft Commission 
Decision amending Commission Decision 1999/217/EC adopting a register of flavouring substances used in or on fo ods (SANCO/2008/388, 4 pages) 
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2008/sps/EEC/08_0567_00_e.pdf
 
6. Description of content:  Subsequent to the evaluation programme set by Commission 
Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000 of 18 July 2000 laying down the measures necessary for the 
adoption of an evaluation programme in application of Regulation (EC) No 2232/96 of the 
European Parliament and of the Council, the following substance does not comply with the 
general criteria for the use of flavouring substances set out in the Annex to  Regulation (EC) 
No 2232/96 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 October 1996 laying 
down a Community procedure for flavouring subs tances used or intended for use in or on 
foodstuffs . 
- 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene (Isoprene; FL-01.049). As a consequence, it should be deleted fro m the register of allowed substances. 
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    G/SPS/N/EEC/324 
Page 2  
 
  8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  The European Food 
Safety Authority concluded in its opinion of  29 November 2007 on aliphatic and aromatic 
hydrocarbons, that 2-methylbuta-1,3-diene (registered as FL-no: 01.049; 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene) showed genotoxic potential in vivo  and carcinogenic effect in experimental 
animals.  Accordingly, its use as a flavouring substance is not acceptable, because it does 
not comply with the general criteria for the use of flavouring substances set out in the 
Annex to the Regulation (EC) No 2232/96.  As a consequence, the substance should be 
deleted from the register. 
9. 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:    
10. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   Opinion of the 
Scientific Panel on food additives, flavourin gs, processing aids and materials in contact 
with food (AFC) on a request related to a 17th list of substances fo r food contact materials 
available from 
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/ef sa_locale-1178620753812 _1178675761369.htm  
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  Mid 2008 
12. Agency or authority designated to handl e 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 notifica tion authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  
sps@ec.europa.eu