WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/CHE/72 
27 July 2011  
 (11-3828) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
1. Notifying Member:  SWITZERLAND 
If applicable, name of local government involved:     
2. Agency responsible:  Federal Department of Economic Affairs (FDEA) - Federal Office 
for Agriculture (FOAG);  Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) - Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) 
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):  Sprouts, seeds and beans imported from Egypt from 14 July 2011 with the 
following CN Codes:  0708, ex 0709.9099, 0713, 0910.9900, 1201.00, 1209.10, 1209.2100, 
1209.9100, 1207.50, 1207.99 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Egypt  
5. Title of the notified document:   
Ordinance No. SR 916.151.4 of the Fede ral Office for Agriculture (FOAG), dated 
13 July 2011, prohibiting the importation, circ ulation and use of certain seeds and beans 
from Egypt. 
Ordinance No. SR 817.041.1 of the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA), dated 
13 July 2011, prohibiting the importation and ma rketing of certain sprouts, seeds and beans 
from Egypt. 
Web-link:  http://www.admin.ch/dokumentation/gesetz/00068/  
Language(s):  French, German, Italian  Number of pages:  2 
6. Description of content:  The Ordinances prohibit the import and circulation in Switzerland 
of sprouts, seeds and beans from Egypt with  the above CN codes until 31 October 2011. 
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.    G/SPS/N/CHE/72 
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  8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  Outbreaks of 
Shiga-toxin producing E. coli O104:H4 occurre d in Germany and France, involving a total 
of about 4,000 human cases and over 40 deaths .  Investigations (tracing back) of the 
European Food Safety Authority identified sprouts from fenugreek seeds imported from Egypt as the most likely common link. 
See report at:  http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/supporting/pub/176e.htm  
9. Is there a relevant international standard ?  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 number)   
[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:    
10. Other relevant documents and langua ge(s) in which these are available:    
Ordinance No. SR 916.151 on the production and circulation of plant propagation material  
(available in  French, German and Italian) Web-link:  http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/9/916.151.fr.pdf  
Ordinance No. SR 916.307 on the production and circulation of food for animals  
(available in French, German and Italian) 
Web-link:  http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/9/916.307.fr.pdf  
Law No. SR 817.0 - Federal Law on food and basic commodities (available in French, 
German and Italian) 
Web-link:  http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/8/817.0.fr.pdf   
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):    
14 July 2011 / 31 October 2011  
The measures laid down in these Ordinances ar e applicable until 31 October 2011 and shall 
be regularly reassessed. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure    G/SPS/N/CHE/72 
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  12. 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:   
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO  
Holzikofenweg 36 3003 Bern - Switzerland 
Tel.   +(41) 31 322 56 56 
E-mail: sps@seco.admin.ch 
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Address of National Notification Authority:  see Item 12. 
Availability of legal texts:  see web-links indicated under Items 5 and 10.