WORLD TRADE G/SPS/N/EEC/49
23September 1997
ORGANIZATION
(97-3859)
Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
NOTIFICATION
1. Member toAgreement notifying: EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
Ifapplicable, name oflocal government involved:
2. Agency responsible: European Commission -Directorate General forAgriculture
3. Products covered (tariff item number(s) asspecified innational schedules deposited with
theWTO. ICSnumbers may beprovided inaddition, where applicable): Allproducts of
bovine, caprine andovine origin containing orderived from "specified riskmaterial"
defined as:
(a)theskull, including thebrain andeyes, tonsils andspinal cordof:
-bovine animals agedover12months,
-ovine andcaprine animals which areagedover12months orhaveapermanent
incisor tooth erupted through thegum;
(b)thespleen ofovine andcaprine animals.
4. Title andnumber ofpages ofthenotified document: Commission Decision 97/534/EC
of30July1997 ontheprohibition oftheuseofmaterial presenting risksasregards
transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. (4pages)
5. Description ofcontent: Theuseofspecified riskmaterial (SRM) asdefined above is
prohibited foranypurpose. ECMember States mayallow theuseofSRM forresearch
andforfeeding furanimals under certain conditions. Theuseofthevertebral column
ofbovine, ovine andcaprine animals fortheproduction ofmechanically recovered
meatisalsoprohibited.
Inorder tobeimported intotheCommunity, products ofanimal origin intended for
foodorfeedshallbeaccompanied bytheappropriate certificate, asrequired by
Community legislation, supplemented byadeclaration signed bythecompetent
authority ofthecountry ofproduction, worded asfollows:
"The product doesnotcontain, andisnotderived from, specified riskmaterial as
defined inCommission Decision 97/534/EC ormechanically recovered meatobtained
from thevertebral column ofbovine, ovine orcaprine animals".
Inorder toenable theirproducts tobeimported intotheCommunity, producers of
medical, pharmaceutical, orcosmetic products, ortheirstarting materials or
intermediate products, shallupon request bythecompetent authority ofaMember
State, supply adeclaration signed bythecompetent authority ofthecountry of
production, worded asfollows:
"The product doesnotcontain, andisnotderived from, specified riskmaterial as
defined inCommission Decision 97/534/EC".
./.G/SPS/N/EEC/49
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6. Objective andrationale: Public andanimal health
7. Aninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation does notexist [].
Ifaninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations:
8. Relevant documents andlanguage(s) inwhich these areavailable: Commission Decision
97/534/EC of30July1997 ontheprohibition oftheuseofmaterial presenting risksas
regards transmissible spongiform encephalopathies; Official Journal L216of8.8.97,
p.95.
9. Proposed date ofadoption: 30July1997
10. Proposed date ofentry intoforce: Thedecision shallapply from 1January 1998
11. Final date forcomments: 2November 1997
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments: European Community Enquiry
Point
12. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X]oraddress, telefax number andE-mail
address (ifavailable) ofother body: