. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/EEC/101 
27 February 2006 
 (06-0830) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   European Commission 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:    
European Commission 
EC-TBT Enquiry Point Fax:  (+32) 2 299 80 43 E-mail:  ec-tbt@cec.eu.int  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [   X  ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [  X  ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:         
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.  
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Agricultural and 
aquaculture products intended to be marketed as organic in the EU. 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Proposal for a 
Council regulation on organic production and labelling of organic products (COM/2005/671 
final). 
Proposal for a Council regulation amendi ng Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91 on organic 
production of agricultural products and indications  referring thereto in agricultural products 
and foodstuffs (33 pages, in English). 
6. Description of content:   The proposal for a Council regulation on organic production and 
labelling of organic products shall apply as of 1 January 2009 and replace Council 
Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91.  It defines the production and labelling rules of agricultural 
products and aquaculture, including: 
(a) unprocessed plant and livestock products and livestock; 
(b) processed plant and livestock products which are intended for human 
consumption; 
(c) live or unprocessed products of aquaculture; (d) processed products of aquaculture which are intended for human 
consumption; 
(e) feed. 
The proposal for a Council regulation amendi ng Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91 shall apply 
for  a transitional  period  from  1 January 2007  until  Regulation  No. 2092/91  is  repealed  G/TBT/N/EEC/101 
Page 2  
 
(probably as of 1 January 2009).  Part of th e import provisions of the current Regulation 
(EEC) No. 2092/91 run out on 31 December 2006.  In order not to disrupt international 
trade, it is considered necessary to extend the possibility for member States to continue to 
grant import authorisations for individual products until the measu res necessary for the 
functioning of the new import scheme have been put in place.  Regulation (EEC) 
No. 2092/91 should therefore be amended accordingly. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
The proposals establish objectives, principles and rules concerning consumer and 
environmental protection and they will contribut e to transparency and consumer confidence 
as well as a harmonised perception of the concept of organic production. 
8. Relevant documents:   
- Proposal for Council Regulation on orga nic production and labelling of organic 
products (COM/2005/671 final). 
- Proposal for a Council regulation ame nding Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91 on 
organic production of agricultural produc ts and indications referring thereto in 
agricultural products and foodstuffs (COM/2005/671 final). 
- Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural 
products and indications referring thereto on  agricultural products and foodstuffs 
(OJ L 198, 22.7.1991, p. 1) as last amended by Regulation (EC) No. 1567/2005 
(OJ L 252, 28.9.2005, p.1). 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  End June 2006  
 Proposed date of entry into force:  One week after publication in the Official Journal of 
the EU. 
10. Final date for comments:   60 days from circulation. 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [    ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   
European Commission 
EC-TBT Enquiry Point Fax:  (+32) 2 299 80 43 E-mail:  ec-tbt@cec.eu.int