. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/EEC/331 
14 July 2008  
 (08-3392) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
  
If applicable, name of local government involved:     
2. Agency responsible:  Commission of the European Communities. Health & Consumer 
Directorate-General Di rectorate E – Safety of the Food Chain 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numb er(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Alginic acid (HS 3913), Beeswax (HS 1521), Calcium hydroxide and calcium 
oxide (HS 2825), Guar gum (HS 1302) , Magn esium carbonate (HS 2519), Microcrystalline 
wax (HS 2712), Nisin (HS 3504), when circul ating as food additives. (ICS: 67.220) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable :  
Member States of the European Communities (E C) and third countries exporting the products 
concerned to the EC. 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  SANCO/569/2008 Draft 
Commission Directive amending Directive 96/77/ EC laying down specif ic purity criteria on 
food additives other than colour s and sweeteners  (29 pages) 
http://members.wto.org/crnatt achments/2008/sps/EEC/08_2078_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:   
The draft Directive updates the specific purity criteria for  
• Nisin produced through a modified  (sugar) production process,  
• Alginic acid (and their salts) regarding their c ontent in formaldehyde,  
• Guar gum (extending the scope to pa rtially depolymerised guar gum),  
• Magnesium carbonate,  
• Calcium hydroxide and calcium oxide (reg arding their content on Magnesium, alkali 
salts, and lead),  
• Beeswax (regarding its content of lead) and  • Microcrystalline wax. 
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  Adoption of the purity criteria whic h will then become as a mandatory 
nature.  G/SPS/N/EEC/331 
Page 2  
 
  8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[ X ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [   ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly id entify deviations:  The draft takes into account, where technically 
possible, the specifications established by international bodies (JECFA, Joint FAO /WHO 
Expert Committee on Food Additives). 
9. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:   A consolidated  
version of  Commission Directive 96/77/EC of 2 De cember 1996 laying down specific purity 
criteria on food additives othe r than colours and sweeteners  (date of reference 
29 December 2006) is available from:  
http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ /LexUriServ.do?uri=CON SLEG:1996L0077:20061229:EN:PDF   
 More information concerning the EC policy for authorized food additives is available from 
the hyperlink indicated below: 
http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/ chemicalsafety/index_en.htm
 
10. Proposed date of adoption:  October 2008 (at this stage it is  not possible to provide a more 
specific date). 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  20 days as of publication in the Official Journal. 
12. Final date for comments:  Sixty (60) days after the date of notification.  
Comments are welcomed at any time.  They will be considered at the occasion of a new 
modification of Direct ive 96/77/EC laying down specific purity criteria concerning food 
additives other than colours and sweeteners. 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [ X ] EC notification authority, [  
 ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of 
other body: 
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notifi cation authority, [ X ] EC enquiry point, or 
address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: 
sps@ec.europa.eu