. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/EEC/298 
20 October 2006 
 (06-5067) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Commission of the European Co mmunities. Health & Consumer 
Protection Directorate-General. Directorate E –Safety of the food chain.  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):   Materials and articles in contact with food (including catering containers) and 
materials and articles in contact with dri nking water covered by TARIC positions 3919, 
3920, 3923 & 3924.  ICS number: 67.250  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable:  
Member States of the European Communiti es (EC) and third countries exporting the 
products concerned to the EC.  
5. Title, language and number of p ages of the notified document:  SANCO/1009/2006 
Draft Commission Directive amending Directive 2002/72/EC relating to plastic materials 
and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs (16 pages).  
6. Description of content:  This draft Directive introduces the lids in the scope of the 
Directive; updates the list of monomers and additives (including surface biocides) used for the manufacture of plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs, in accordance with the opinion from th e European Food Safety Authority.  It 
introduces the concept of functional barrier and the correction of the specific migration by 
the Fat Reduction Factor applicable to lipophilic substances.  
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:  To facilitate trade  by authorising a number of new substances to 
be used in the manufacture of plas tics, whilst ensuring consumer safety.  
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation: 
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [ X ] None 
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:   G/SPS/N/EEC/298 
Page 2  
 
  9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   
European Commission Document SANCO/1009/2006 (available in English).  When 
adopted it will be published at th e Official Journal available at:  
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/JOYear.do?year=2006  
The scientific risk assessments related to the substances mentioned in the draft Directive are 
available at http://www.efsa.europ a.eu/en/science/af c/afc_opinions.html . 
Further to document SANCO/1009/2006, informa tion relevant to this proposal can be 
found: 
(a) in the opinions and minutes of EFSA available respectively at 
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/ science/afc/afc_opinions.html  and 
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/science/afc/afc_meetings.html  
(b) on the website of DG Health and Consumer Protection at 
http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/chemi calsafety/foodcontact/index_en.htm  
10. Proposed date of adoption:  November 2006 (at this time is not  possible to estimate a more 
specific date).  
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  November 2007.  
12. Final date for comments:  Sixty (60) days after the date of notification.  Comments may be 
welcome at any time.  They will be considered at the occasion of a modification of Directive 2002/72/EC relating to plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact 
with foodstuffs.  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [ X ] National notification 
authority, [   ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:   
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: