. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/EEC/44
8 December 2003
(03-6488)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   European Commission
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:
European Commission,
EC-TBT Enquiry Point,
Fax: 0032 2 299 80 43,
E-mail: ec-tbt@cec.eu.int
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [ X ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Products containing or
consisting of genetically modified organisms
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   "Draft Commission
Regulation Establishing a System for th e Development and As signment of Unique
Identifiers for Genetically Modified Organisms" (9 pages, available in all
Community languages)
6. Description of content:   The draft Commission Regulation notified herewith lays down a
harmonized format to be used for unique identifiers for genetically modified organisms
authorized for their placing on the market under Community legislation and the system
under which they are to be assigned as required under Article 8(a) of Regulation (EC)
No. 1830/2003 concerning the traceability and labelling of genetically modified organismsand the traceability of food and feed products produced from genetically modified
organisms and amending Directive 2001/18/EC ( Official Journal of the European Union
L268, 18.10.2003, p 24).
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
Food safety, public health and animal health, protection of the environment
8. Relevant documents:   The Commission Regulation will be published in the
Official Journal of the European Union .  The draft Commission Regulation implements
Article 8(a) of Regulation (EC) No. 1830/2003,  of the European Parliament and of the
Council, of 22 September 2003, concerning the traceability and labelling of geneticallymodified organisms and the traceability of food and feed products produced from
genetically modified organisms and amending Directive 2001/18/EC ( Official Journal ofG/TBT/N/EEC/44
Page 2
the European Union L268, 18.10.2003, p 24).
The draft Commission Regulation follows OECD  guidelines (Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development - Series on Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in
Biotechnology.  Series 23.  ENV/JM/MONO (2002)7) concerning unique identification.  It
also takes account of the requirements of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to theConvention on Biological Diversity, in particular those of the Biosafety Clearing House, as
regards specification of the identity of GMOs.
9. Proposed date of adoption:  By the Commission:  January 2004
Proposed date of entry into force:  On the date of publication of the Regulation in the
Official Journal of the European Union
10. Final date for comments:   30 days from the date of notification given the requirement for
new regulatory system established by Regulation (EC) No. 1830/2003 and Regulation (EC)
No. 1829/2003 to enter into operation on 18 April 2004.
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:           
European Commission,
EC-TBT Enquiry Point,
Fax: 0032 2 299 80 43
E-mail: ec-tbt@cec.eu.int