. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/OMN/23 
25 October 2007  
 (07-4624) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  OMAN
  
If applicable, name of local government involved:     
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Commerce & Indus try, Directorate General for 
Specification & Measurements (DGSM) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numb er(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Flavoured yoghurt, labneh, yoghurt, froz en yoghurt, laban, flavoured laban, 
laban drink 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable :  All 
trading partners 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Ministrerial Decree for 
compulsory items related to microbiology levels, labelling a nd permitted food additives in 
seven Gulf and Omani Standards for Fermented Milk Products (available in Arabic, 2 pages) 
6. Description of content:  Draft Ministerial Decree for enfo rcing items mentioned in seven 
Gulf & Omani Standards for Fermented Milk Products (see Item 9 of this form for the seven 
standards). The items which specify microbiol ogical levels, labelli ng and permitted food 
additives to be compulsory items.  
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. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[ X ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [   ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:    G/SPS/N/OMN/23 
Page 2  
 
  9. Relevant documents and langu age(s) in which these are available:    
GSO 474  flavoured yoghurt 7 pages,  4  RO price,   available in English 
GSO 1326 Frozen yoghurt  6 pages,  4  RO price,  available in English 
GSO 1375 flavoured laban 7 pages,  4  RO price,   available in English 
GSO 816  labneh  6 pages,  4  RO  price,   available in English 
GSO 992   yoghurt  6 pages,  4  RO  price,  available in English 
GSO 1338   laban  6 pages,  4  RO  price,   available in English 
OS   161 laban drink  9 pages,  4  RO price,  available in English & Arabic 
10. Proposed date of adoption:    1 January 2008 and will be announced in the official gazette. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  1 February 2008   
12. Final date for comments:  25 December 2007 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or  address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body: 
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notifica tion authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: 
 National Enquiry Point and Information Centre (NEPIC) 
 P.O. Box:  550 
 Postal code:  113 Muscat,  Sultanate of Oman   Tel:  +(968) 2481 7252  Fax:  +(968) 2481 7040 
 E-mail:  dgsm123@omantel.net.om