. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/EEC/289 
2 August 2006 
 (06-3714) 
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 Co mmunities. Health & Consumer 
Protection Directorate-General.  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Plant protection products; CN headin g 3808 (Fungicides, Herbicides, anti-
sprouting products and plant-growth regulat ors, among other sim ilar products) excluding 
3808.40 ex-post.  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable:  
Member States of the European Communiti es (EC) and third countries exporting the 
products concerned to the EC.  
5. Title, language and number of p ages of the notified document:  Proposal for a regulation 
of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the placing of plant protection 
products on the market [2006/01 36/COD, COM(2006)388, 98 pages].  
6. Description of content:  The EC is proposing to the European Parliament and to the 
Council a new regulation.  The proposed Regulation replaces Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and repeals Council 
Directive 79/117/EEC prohibiting the placing on the market and use of plant protection products containing certain active substances.  In a nutshell, it consists of the following 
elements: 
- Establishment at EU level of a positive list of active substances, safeners, synergists and 
a negative list of co-formulants; - Authorisation of plant protection products at Member State level; - Compulsory mutual recognition of authorisations in Member States belonging to the same authorisation zone; 
- Comparative assessment and substitution of products containing substances identified as 
candidates for substitution; - Specific provisions for basic substances or  products containi ng substances of low 
concern; - Detailed rules on data protection and transparency; 
- Provisions on packaging, labelling and advertising; 
- Obligation to keep records and to carry out controls;  and - Establishment of criteria for approval of active substances, safeners or synergists.  G/SPS/N/EEC/289 
Page 2  
 
  7. Objective and rationale: [ X ] food safety,  [   ] animal health,  [ X ] plant protection, 
[   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [   ] protect territory from other damage from pests   
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation: 
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [ X ] None 
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:   
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  European Union 
Document:  2006/0136/COD, COM(2006)388 available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriSe rv/site/en/com/2006/com2006_0388en01.pdf   
Press release IP-06-982 (Commission proposes ne w rules for plant protection products) 
available at: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressR eleasesAction.do?reference= IP/06/982&format=HTML&aged
=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en  
and MEMO-06-279 (Questions and Answers on Plant Protection Products) available at: 
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressR eleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/279&format=HTML&
aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en  
10. Proposed date of adoption:  This proposal follows the proc edure established by Article 251 
of the Treaty (Co-decision) and it is expected to be adopted by 1 January 2008 (this date may 
be different according to  its progress through the European Parliament). 
You can get information on the evolution of any Commission proposal through the 
European Parliament and the Counc il, by consulting "Pre-Lex" at: 
http://ec.europa.eu/prelex/detail _dossier_real.cfm?CL=en&DosId=194494    
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  1 January 2008  
12. Final date for comments:  Ninety (90) days after the date of notification  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [ X ] National notification 
authority, [   ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: