. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/EEC/104
27 November 2000
(00-5088)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  European Commission, General Directorate for Health and Consumer
Protection
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).   Cereals and cereal products;  dried vine fruit  Regions or countries likely to
be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  EC member States and third countries
exporting to the European Communities
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Draft Commission Regulation
amending Commission Regulation (EC) N° 194/97 of 31 January 1997 setting maximum
levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs (4 pages)
5. Description of content:   This draft Regulation establishes maximum limits for the
mycotoxin Ochratoxin A as follows:
• for raw cereal grains: 05 µg/kg
• for cereal products: 03 µg/kg.
• for dried vine fruit: 10 µg/kg.
The provisions concerning Ochratoxin A will be reviewed before 31 December 2002. By
this date it is intended to establish maximum limits for Ochratoxin content in coffee (green,
roasted and coffee products), wine, beer, grape juice, cocoa and cocoa products and spices.
6. 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   
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [  X ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:  The Codex Committee on Food Additives and
Contaminants at its 32nd Session (Beijing, 20-24 March 2000) decided to return the draftmaximum level of 5 µg/kg Ochratoxin A in Ce reals and Cereal Products to Step 3 for
additional comment.
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  European
Commission Document SANCO/ 0453/00 – Rev.4-1 (Available in all EC languages)
9. Proposed date of adoption:  January 2001
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  1 July 2001G/SPS/N/EEC/104
Page 2
11. Final date for comments:  30 December 2000
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [     ] National notification
authority, [  X ] EC enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:           
12. Texts available from: [    ] National notification authority, [  X ] EC enquiry point or
address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
The opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on Ochratoxin A (18 September 1998) is
available at:. http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/scf/out14_en.html