. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/EEC/351 
3 August 2009 
 (09-3773) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Commission of the European Communities.  Health & Consumers 
Directorate-General  Directorate E – Safety of the food chain 
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):   
Foodstuffs with the following CN Codes: 
− Almonds:  CN Codes 080211, 080212 and 200819; 
− Pistachios:  CN Codes 080250 and 200819; 
− Hazelnuts:  CN Codes 080221, 080222 and 200819; 
− Tree nuts other than almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios:  CN Codes 0801 and 0802; 
− Oilseeds including groundnuts:  CN Codes 1201, 1202, 1203, 1204,  1205, 1206, 1207 
and derived products CN Code 1208; 
− Liquorice:  CN Codes 130212 and 170490;  and 
− Vegetable oils:  CN Codes 1507, 1508, 1509, 1510, 1511, 1512, 1513, 1514 and 1515. 
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:  "Draft Commission Regulation of *** amending 
Regulation (EC) No 401/2006 laying down the methods of sampling and analysis for the official control of the levels of mycotoxins in foodstuffs as regards groundnuts, other 
oilseeds, nuts, liquorice and vegetable oil"  Language:  English  Number of pages:  18 
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2009/sps/EEC/09_2727_00_e.pdf
 
6. Description of content:  This draft Commission Regulation amends Regulation (EC) 
No 401/2006 laying down the methods of sampling and analysis for the official control of the levels of mycotoxins in foodstuffs as re gards groundnuts, other oilseeds, nuts, liquorice 
and vegetable oil. 
Following recent decisions in the Codex A limentarius Commission, the following changes 
are proposed as regards the sampling for the control of aflatoxins: 
− Alignment with Codex of the sampling of tree nuts for the control of aflatoxins;  
− Alignment with Codex of the sampling of gr oundnuts for the control of aflatoxins;  G/SPS/N/EEC/351 
Page 2  
 
   − Establishment of sampling provisions for the control of aflatoxins in oilseeds; 
− Establishment of specific sampling provisions for the control of mycotoxins in 
vegetable oils;  and 
− Establishment of sampling provisions for the control of Ochratoxin A in liquorice. 
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) Codex General Standard for Cont aminants and Toxins in Foods 
(CODEX STAN 193-1995) 
 http://www.codexalimentarius.net/dow nload/standards/17/CXS_193e.pdf  
[ ] 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?   
 [X] Yes   [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:    
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:  - 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  End of December 2009 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  End of December 2009 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  1 February 2010 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure 
12. Final date for comments:  [X] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  2 October 2009 
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:   
sps@ec.europa.eu 
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
sps@ec.europa.eu