. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/MEX/120 
13 December 2006 
 
 (06-5975) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   Spanish 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  MEXICO
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of the Economy 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers and 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:  
Punto de Contacto OMC – Dirección General de Normas 
(WTO Enquiry Point – General Directorate of Standards): Puente de Tecamachalco #6 Piso 2 Colonia Lomas de Tecamachalco Naucalpan de Juárez 
Estado de México 
México. C.P. 53950 
Fax:  +(52)(55) 55209715  
E-mail:  normasomc@economia.gob.mx 
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [   ], 2.10.1 [  X ], 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):  
 Alcoholic beverages – agave distillates 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Norma Oficial 
Mexicana de Emergencia NOM-EM-012-SCF I-2006, Bebidas alcohólicas-Bebidas 
alcohólicas-Destilados de agave- Especificaciones, informació n comercial, etiquetado y 
métodos de prueba (Emergency Mexican Official Standard NOM-EM-012-SCFI-2006, 
Alcoholic Beverages – Alcoholic Beverag es – Agave Distillates – Specifications, 
Commercial Information, La belling and Testing Methods)  (5 pages, in Spanish). 
6. Description of content:   The purpose of this Emergency Mexican Official Standard is to 
determine the specifications, commercial in formation and labelling requirements, and 
testing methods for alcoholic beverages ma de from raw vegetable materials of the 
Agavaceae family which are produced and/or market ed in Mexico, so as to ensure that the 
consumer or user receives accurate inform ation.  This Emergency Mexican Official 
Standard does not apply to alcoholic beverages protected by an appellation of origin within 
the meaning of the Law on Industrial Property, or those covered by a specific Mexican Official Standard. G/TBT/N/MEX/120 
Page 2  
 
  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:  
 The considerable increase in the market ing of beverages distilled from agave which 
come accompanied by inaccurate information has brought to light the fact that consumers 
are being badly misled, which has direct economic implications for them and affects their right to information.  The Ministry of the Economy is responsible for regulations ensuring 
consumer safety in the marke ting and handling of products.  It was therefore considered 
indispensable to introduce a mandatory national standard to ensure immediate and effective 
control of the marketing of distilled alcoholic  agave beverages without creating technical 
barriers to international trade.  The purpose of this Mexican Official Standard is to protect 
consumers by establishing commercial informati on requirements so as to prevent fraudulent 
practices and by ensuring product quality through minimum quality standards. 
8. Relevant documents:   Diario Oficial de la Federación  (Official Journal) of 
30 November 2006 (available in Spanish). 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  
Proposed date of entry into force:  }Day following publication in the Diario 
Oficial de la Federación (1 December 2006)
10. Final date for comments:   Not applicable 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X ], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and E-mail and Web site add resses, if available, of other body:  
General Directorate of Standards: 
 Tel.:  (+52) 55 5729 9300, Ext. 43245 Fax: (+52) 55 5520 9715 
Web site: http://www.economia.gob.mx/?P=2781 
  http://www.economia.gob.mx/?P=85 (Standards catalogue) E-mail:  normasomc@economia.gob.mx