. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/NLD/48
27 August 1999
(99-3556)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  THE NETHERLANDS
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports
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).  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  Animal waste, particularly corpses
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Proposed regulation on the
designation of Specific High-Risk Materials
5. Description of content: .
The present regulation designates the corpses of cattle older than one year, sheep and goats
as specific high-risk materials.  In EC D ecision 97/534 of the Commission of the European
Communities of 30 July 1997, parts of cattle, sheep and goats are designated as specific
high-risk materials.
In the interest of public health, corpses from which these parts have not been removed
should be completely destroyed.
6. Objective and rationale: [   ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[ X   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,
[    ] protect territory from other damage from pests           
The present Decree implements the amendments of the destruction Act of 14 May 1998
implementing Decision No.97/534/EC of 30 July 1997 banning, in connection with
transmittable spongiform encephalopathy, the use of risk materials (OJ L 216).  The basis
for this is that specific high-risk materials may in no way be brought into food or the food of
feed chain.  This can only be achieved by destroying not only the parts referred to in theDecision but also the corpses of cattle older than one year, sheep and goats from which
these parts have not been removed.  In the interest of public health, the corpses in question
must be completely destroyed.
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:
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:
-  Destruction Act 1994
-  Act of 21 December 1995 amending the Destruction Act-  Act of 14 May 1998 amending the Destruction Act
-  Amendment to the Destruction ActG/SPS/N/NLD/48
Page 2
9. Proposed date of adoption:  2 July1999
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  5 July1999
11. Final date for comments:
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [     ] National notification
authority, [  X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:           
12. Texts available from: [     ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:           