. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/EU/2 
10 January 2012  
 (12-0090) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN UNION 
If applicable, name of local government involved:     
2. Agency responsible:  European Commission, 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):  Rice and rice products originating in or  consigned from China (HS Code(s):  
100610, 100620, 100630 and others).  Complete list of products men tioned in Annex I of 
Commission implementing Decision. 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  China  
5. Title of the notified document:  Commission Implementing Decision of 
22 December 2011 on emergency measures rega rding unauthorised genetically modified 
rice in rice products originating from China and repealing Decision 2008/289/EC [OJ L343, 
23 December 2012, pp.140-148]  Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  9 
"http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriSer v.do?uri=OJ:L:2011:343:0140:0148:EN:PDF " 
"http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriSer v.do?uri=OJ:L:2011:343:0140:0148:FR:PDF " 
"http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriSer v.do?uri=OJ:L:2011:343:0140:0148:ES:PDF " 
or 
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2012/sps/EEC/12_0029_00_e.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2012/sps/EEC/12_0029_00_f.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2012/sps/EEC/12_0029_00_s.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The implementing Decision lays down the control requirements 
concerning rice products exported from China to the European Union.  Annex I of the Decision details the list of products which are affected by the Decision, Annex II the 
sampling and testing protocol which must be followed both by the Chinese competent authorities and EU official control services.  Annexes III and IV provide models for the 
health certificate and analytical report wh ich must accompany each consignment covered 
by the Decision. G/SPS/N/EU/2 
Page 2  
 
  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. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  Considering the 
continuing notifications from EU member St ates concerning the presence of non-authorized 
genetically modified rice events in rice products originating from China, it has been 
considered necessary to reinforce th e existing import control measures. 
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:       
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  This 
Decision shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official 
Journal of the European Union, and will be  reviewed six months after this date. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [X] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
European Commission  
DG Health and Consumers, Unit G6 - Multilateral International Relations 
Rue Froissart 101 B-1049 Brussels Tel:  +(322) 2968185/59922 Fax:  +(322) 2998090 
E-mail:  sps@ec.europa.eu 
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
European Commission 
DG Health and Consumers, Unit G6 - Multilateral International Relations 
Rue Froissart 101 B-1049 Brussels 
Tel:  +(322) 2968185/59922 
Fax:  +(322) 2998090 E-mail:  sps@ec.europa.eu