. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/EEC/371 
23 February 2010 
 (10-1007) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN UNION
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  European Commission, Health & Consumers Directorate-General 
Directorate Directorate E – Safety of the food chain 
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):  Several foodstuffs e.g.:  non-al coholic drinks (HS Code:  2206), 
confectionery (HS Code:  17040), chewing gum (HS Code:  17041), edible ices (HS Code:  
2105) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  EU Member States and third countries exporting 
these products to the European Union  
5. Title of the notified document:  Draft Commission Directive of  *** amending Directive 
2008/60/EC laying down specific purity criteria on sweeteners  Language:  English  
Number of pages:  5   
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2010/sps/EEC/10_0755_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) evaluated the safety 
of neotame as a sweetener and flavour enhancer and expressed its opinion of 
27 September 2007.  The objective of this dr aft Directive is to amend the Annex I of 
Directive 2008/60/EC of 17 June 2008 laying down specific purity criteria concerning 
sweeteners for use in foodstuffs.  Neotame is assigned a new E number, namely E 961. 
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) The General Standard on Food Ad ditives, Provisions for Neotame 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    G/SPS/N/EEC/371 
Page 2  
 
  [ ] 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:  The draft amendment of Directive 2008/84/EC carefully takes 
into account the existing Codex specifications  on food additives already permitted in the 
GSFA and prepared by the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). 
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:  When adopted 
it will be published at the Official Journal available at:  http://eur-lex.europa.eu  (available 
in English). 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  July 2010 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  August 2010 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  20 days after publication 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [X] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  24 April 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:   
European Commission 
DG Health and Consumers, Unit D3 - In ternational questions (multilateral)  
Rue Froissart 101,  B 1049 Brussels 
Tel:  +32 (0) 2 29 68185/59922 Fax:  +32 (0) 2 29 98090 E-mail:  sps@ec.europa.eu 
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 D3 - In ternational questions (multilateral)  
Rue Froissart 101,  B 1049 Brussels 
Tel:  +32 (0) 2 29 68185/59922 Fax:  +32 (0) 2 29 98090 E-mail:  sps@ec.europa.eu