. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/DOM/5 
2 April 2009 
 (09-1639) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
 
If applicable, name of local government involved: 
2. Agency responsible:  Secretaría de Estado de Agricultura , SEA (Ministry of Agriculture) 
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):  Unprocessed organic plants and plant products, processed plant products for 
human consumption, and by-products thereof 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners, or 
[ ] Specific regions or countries: 
5. Title of the notified document:  Decreto No. 223-08, sobre la Agricultura Orgánica 
(Decree No. 223-08 on organic farming) Language:  Spanish Number of pages:  4 
6. Description of content:  The notified Decree establishes the legal basis for regulating the 
production, processing, packaging, labelling, st orage, transport and marketing of products 
which bear or are intended to bear indications referring to the organic farming system.  It 
also establishes the related control system. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X] food safety, [ ] animal he alth, [ ] plant protection, 
[X] 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:  
[ ] 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 N°)  
[X] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to  the relevant international standard? 
 [ ] Yes [ ] No  If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  G/SPS/N/DOM/5 
Page 2  
 
  9. Other relevant documents and langua ge(s) in which these are available:  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  30 May 2008 
Propose date of publication ( dd/mm/yy) :  30 May 2008 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  30 May 2008 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or ( dd/mm/yy ):  Not applicable 
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:  
Ms Ruth Montes de Oca S. 
Directora de la Oficina de Tratados Comerciales Agrícolas (OTCA) 
Secretaría Ejecutiva del Comité MSF-RD 
Punto de Contacto/Servicio Nacional de Información MSF ante la OMC C/Manuel de Jesús Goico Castro No. 20 (antigua c/Z), Ensanche Naco Apartado Postal No. 10119 Santo Domingo, D.N., República Dominicana 
Tel.: +(809) 227-6188;  +(809) 227-3164;  +(809) 547-1575 
Fax: +(809) 540-5943 E-mail: rmontesdeoca@otcasea.gob.do and rd.cnmsf.snni@gmail.com Website: www.otcasea.gob.do
 
13. Texts available from:  [ X] National Notification Authority, [ X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  
Consejo Nacional de Agricultura Orgánica (CONAO) 
Secretaría de Estado de Agricultura (SEA) Km 6½ Autopista Duarte, Urbanización Jardines del Norte Santo Domingo, D.N., República Dominicana 
Tel.: +(809) 547-3888, Ext. 4120 
Website: http://www.agricultura.gob.do