. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/CHN/522 
27 January 2012 
 (12-0541) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  CHINA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) 
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):  Foods 
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:  National Food Safety Standard of the P.R.C.  Maximum 
Residue Limits for Pesticides in Foods  Language(s):  Chinese  Number of pages:  32 
 http://members.wto.org/crnatt achments/2012/sps/CHN/12_0347_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content:  This standard establishes 209 ma ximum residue limits (MRLs) 
for 129 pesticides, including 2,4-D butylate, 2,4-D Na, etc. in foods. 
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)   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] 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:   
Certain proposed limits may differ from Codex maximum residue limits. G/SPS/N/CHN/522 
Page 2  
 
  The scientific methodology used by China to establish MRLs is consistent with 
international practices.  Countries set MRLs  according to the good agricultural practice 
(GAP) applicable to their region.  Since p esticide use patterns differ between different 
production regions and countries, and diseases and environmental factors vary too, Chinese 
MRLs for pesticides in food may differ from Codex standards. 
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:  None   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [X] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  27 March 2012 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:    
13. Texts available from:  [ ] National Notification  Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body: