. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/NOR/4 
4 January 2005 
 
 (05-0020) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   NORWAY
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):    
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of the Environment 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:         
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:         
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):   Genetically modified 
organisms 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:    Draft Regulations 
relating to the labelling, transport, import and export of genetically modified organisms.  
(6 pages,  Norwegian and English). 
6. Description of content:   The draft Regulation amends Re gulation 1066 of 13 November 
1998, which was notified under the TBT Agreement as a draft 28 October 1997 
(G/TBT/Notif.97.704).   
Transport and import of genetically modified organisms may be carried out without prior 
approval when requirements regarding labelli ng and packaging are fulfilled. Approval is 
however required for some organisms representi ng a risk to health and environment. The 
first import of genetically modified organism s shall also be reported to the authorities. 
All products consisting of or cont aining genetically modified orga nisms have to be labelled.  
The labelling requirements do not cover food and feed products. Export of genetically 
modified organisms to countries outside the European Economic Area for deliberate release 
into the environment is dependent upon prior informed consent. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
The purpose of these Regulations is to establis h conditions enabling the transport and import 
of genetically modified organi sms without the prior approval required by Section 10, first 
paragraph, of the Norwegian Ge ne Technology Act. Furthermore,  the purpose is to secure 
labelling of all Genetically Modified Organism s and to implement the Cartagena Protocol on 
Biosafety to the Conventiona on Biological Diversity. 
8. Relevant documents:   Act No. 38 of April 1993 relating to the production and use of 
genetically modified organisms. G/TBT/N/NOR/4 
Page 2  
 
 9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:   }Spring 2005 
10. Final date for comments:   28 February 2005 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [    ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   
 
Norwegian Ministry of the Environmen t, PO Box 8013 – Dep, NO-0030 Oslo  
 
Contact person: Ms. Beate B. Ekeberg 
Phone: + 47 22 24 58 75 Fax: + 47 22 24 27 56 E-mail: beate.berglund.ekeberg@md.dep.no