WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/EEC/408 
18 July 2011  
 (11-3561) 
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 & Consumers Directorate-General, 
Directorate G Veterinary and International Affairs 
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):  Seeds and beans imported from Egypt during the period 2009-2011 with the 
following CN Codes:  ex 0704 90 90, ex 0706 90 90, 0708, 0713, ex 0709 90 90, 1201 10 00, 1209 21 00, 1209 91, 1207 50 10, 1207 50 90, 1207 99 97, 0910 99 10 and ex 1214 90 
90 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Egypt  
5. Title of the notified document:  Commission implementing Decision of 6 July 2011 on 
emergency measures applicable to fenugreek seeds and certain seeds and beans imported 
from Egypt.  Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  3 
 http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2011/sps/EEC/11_2324_00_e.pdf  
 http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2011/sps/EEC/11_2324_00_f.pdf  
 http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2011/sps/EEC/11_2324_00_s.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Decision requires member States of the European Union to 
withdraw from the market and destroy certain  lots of fenugreek seeds imported from Egypt 
during the period 2009 to 2011.  In addition the re lease for free circula tion in the European 
Union of seeds and beans from Egypt with the above CN codes as prohibited until 31 October 2011. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [X] food safety , [ ] animal health, [X] 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:  Outbreaks of Shiga-
toxin producing E. coli O104:H4 occurred in Germany and France, involving a total of 
about 4,000 human cases and over 40 deaths.  Inv estigations (tracing back) of the European 
Food Safety Authority identified sprouts from fenugreek seeds imported from Egypt as the most likely common link (see report at:   http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/supporting/pub/176e.htm ). G/SPS/N/EEC/408 
Page 2  
 
  9. Is there a relevant international standard ?  If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)   
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)   
[X] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to  the relevant international standard? 
 [ ] Yes   [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:    
10. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   Regulation 
(EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food 
Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety. 
"http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ. do?uri=CONSLEG:2002R0 178:20090807:EN:PDF " 
"http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ. do?uri=CONSLEG:2002R0 178:20090807:FR:PDF " 
"http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ. do?uri=CONSLEG:2002R0 178:20090807:ES:PDF"  
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):   
7 July 2011/31 October 2011 
The measures laid down in this Decision are applicable until 31 October 2011 and shall be 
regularly reassessed on the basis of the guarantees offered by Egypt and the results of the analytical tests and investigations carried out by EU member States. 
[ ] 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/EEC/408 
 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) 29 68185/59922 
Fax: +(322) 29 98090 E-mail:  sps@ec.europa.eu