. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/EEC/409 
21 July 2011 
 (11-3687) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
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):  ICS Code(s):  67.220.20 - F ood additives; all foodstuffs 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  EU Member States and third countries exporting 
these products to the European Union  
5. Title of the notified document:  Draft Commission Regulation amending Annex II to 
Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Pa rliament and of the Council with regard 
to steviol glycosides  Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  9 
 http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2011/sps/EEC//11_2448_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  This Regulation concerns an  amendment to Annex II to 
Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on food additives with regard to the aut horization of steviol glycosides. 
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) evaluated the safety of steviol glycosides, 
extracted from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant, as sweetener and 
expressed its opinion on 10 March 2010. 
Taking into account the opinion of EFSA th e Commission considers it appropriate 
authorize the steviol glycosides at appropriate  levels assuring safe use by the consumer.  
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:  
[ ] 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)    G/SPS/N/EEC/409 
Page 2  
 
  [ ] 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:    
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:  When adopted 
it will be published at the Official Journal at:  http://eur-lex.europa.eu  (available in English) 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  15 November 2011 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  16 November 2011 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  20 days after publication 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [X] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  19 September 2011 
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) 29 68185/59922 Fax:  +(322) 29 98090 
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) 29 68185/59922 
Fax:  +(322) 29 98090 
E-mail:  sps@ec.europa.eu