. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/COL/90 
18 August 2004 
 (04-3472) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures  Original:   Spanish  
 
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   COLOMBIA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Social Welfare 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Panela  - unrefined brown cane sugar (tariff subheading 1701.11.10.00) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:   
 Countries trading this product with Colombia 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Ministry of Social 
Welfare Resolution No. 02546 of 6 August 2004 Issuing the Emergency Technical 
Regulation Establishing the Sanitary Require ments for the Production and Marketing of 
Panela  Cane Sugar for Human Consumption, and Adopting Other Provisions  (12 pages, in 
Spanish). 
6. Description of content:  Purpose;  Scope of application;  Definitions;  General conditions 
for panela  cane sugar;  Physico-chemical requi rements;  Prohibitions;  Production of 
panela  cane sugar from unrefined molasses;  Sanitary conditions of sugar mills and storage 
facilities for unrefined molasses;  Packing, p ackaging, labelling, repackaging, storage, 
distribution, transport and marketing;  Exportation of panela  cane sugar, sanitary 
registration and surveillance;  Inspection,  monitoring, control, safety measures and 
penalties;  Conformity assessment and certifica tion;  Notification and Period of validity. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, [ X ] 
protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from other 
damage from pests   
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reasons for urgent action:    Colombian sanitary 
authorities established, by way of analytical laboratory tests conducted in 2003 on panela  
cane sugar as part of their inspection, monitori ng and control duties, that 64 per cent of the 
samples collected contained bleaching agents and colouring matter, which are extremely 
detrimental to human health. 
9. International standard, gu ideline 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:  
10. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:  Decree No. 3075 of 
1997 G/SPS/N/COL/90 
Page 2  
 
11. Date of entry into force/period of  application (as applicable):  Upon publication in the 
Official Journal / twelve (12) months. 
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [ X ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or  address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
Servicio Nacional de Información 
Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo 
Dirección de Regulación 
Calle 28 No.13A - 15, primer piso Tel.:  (571) 350-5500, Ext. 703 Fax:  (571) 350-5211 
and 
Ministerio de la Protección Social 
Dirección de Salud Pública 
E-mail: agonzalez@minproteccionsocial.gov.co 
Carrera 13 No. 32 - 76, Piso 21 Bogotá, D.C., Colombia Tel.:  (571) 336-5066, Ext. 2150 Fax:  (571) 336-0116 Web site:  http://www.minproteccionsocial.gov.co/MseContent/home.asp  
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National noti fication authority, [ X ] National enquiry 
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: 
Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo 
Dirección de Regulación 
Calle 28 No. 13A - 15, primer piso  
Bogotá, D.C., Colombia Enquiry Point
:  
Contact person: Daniel Héctor Rico R.  E-mail:  danielrico@mincomercio.gov.co Tel.:  (571) 350-5500, Ext. 713 
Fax:  (571) 350-9564 
Web site:  http://www.mincomercio.gov.co