. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/EEC/402 
21 April 2011 
 (11-2065) 
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:  Commission of the European Un ion.  Health & Consumers 
Directorate-General 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):  Food Additives: ICS Code 67.220.20; all foodstuffs 
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 Commission Regulation amending Annex III to 
Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on food 
additives by establishing a Union list of food a dditives approved for use in food additives, 
food enzymes, food flavourings and nutrients.  Language(s):  English  Number of 
pages:  38 
 http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2011/sps/EEC/11_1235_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 provides for the 
establishment of EU lists of approved food addi tives and their conditions of use in food 
additives, in food enzymes, in food flavourings and in nutrients or categories, to which the 
food additives may be added according to  Article 4(4) of that Regulation. 
The aim of the use of those food additives is to have a technological function in food 
additives or enzymes or flavourings or nutrients. 
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 Additives (GSFA). 
[ ] 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/402 
Page 2  
 
  [ ] 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:  The EU lists are mainly based on the Codex Alimentarius 
General Standards on Food Additives. Adaptati ons were however needed to take into 
account the specificity of the food additive author isations currently in force in the European 
Union. 
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 .  
Information relevant to this proposal can be found on the website of DG Health and 
Consumers at: http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/chemi calsafety/additives/index_en.htm  
(available in English) 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  September 2011 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  September 2011 
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) :  20 June 2011 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [X] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] 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 2) 29 68185/59922 
Fax:  +(32 2) 29 98090 
E-mail:  sps@ec.europa.eu 
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [ ] 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 2) 29 68185/59922 Fax:  +(32 2) 29 98090 E-mail:  sps@ec.europa.eu