WORLD TRADE G/SPS/GEN/56
23February 1998
ORGANIZATION(98-0662)
Original: English Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
DRAFT ECREGULATION -AFLATOXIN CONTROL
Submission byMalaysia
Thefollowing communication wasreceived from Malaysia on13February 1998.
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Malaysia 'sResponse totheEuropean Commission
1. Malaysia hasreviewed theWorld Trade Organization document G/SPS/N/EEC/51 dated
8January 1998wherein theEuropean Commission (EC)hasnotified itsintention toamend itsexisting
regulation No.194/97 dated 31January 1997. Thepurpose oftheamendment istoestablish new
maximum limits foraflatoxins incertain foodstuffs witheffect from March 1998.
2. Having alsoreviewed thedraftECregulation, Malaysia considers theproposed maximum limits
foraflatoxins ingroundnuts, nutsanddried fruitandprocessed products thereof; cereal andprocessed
products thereof, andformilkandmilkproducts tobeunjustifiably lowinrelation toaflatoxin exposure
ofconsumers ofsuchproducts intheEuropean Communities. Theproposed maximum limits areso
extremely lowthattheywould negatively impact upon thetrade ofexporting countries, without any
substantial increase inconsumer protection. Inaddition, theincreased handling costsassociated with
theproposed multiple sampling andanalysis would beanadditional burden onexporters, without any
substantial reduction inthelevelofaflatoxin contamination inthesaidproducts.
3. Article 3.1oftheAgreement ontheApplication ofSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
(henceforth referred toas"theAgreement") stipulates that"Members shallbasetheirsanitary and
phytosanitarymeasuresoninternationalstandards,guidelinesandrecommendations".However,Malaysia
understands thatcurrently there arenointernational standards onthepermissible levels ofaflatoxin
contamination infoodstuffs, butthatnevertheless, theCodex Committee onFood Additives and
Contaminants isconsidering theestablishment ofsuchlevels.
4. Notwithstanding this,eveniftheEuropean Commission considers itasextremely urgent to
establish suchlevels onaunilateral basis, theAgreement stipulates thatitshall bebased upon an
assessment, asappropriate tothecircumstances, oftheriskstohuman, animal andplantlifeorhealth.
Therecent Appellate Body (oftheWorld Trade Organization) report onthehormone caseisrelevant
here. ThedraftECregulation doesnotgiveindication ofanysuchariskassessment having been
undertaken. Article 5.4oftheAgreement further stipulates that"Members should, when determining
theappropriate level ofsanitary andphytosanitary protection, takeintoaccount theobjective of
minimising negative trade effects".
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5. Based onthese considerations alone, Malaysia considers theproposal tounilaterally establish
newmaximum permissible levels foraflatoxin infoodstuffs asinappropriate. Ifestablished, thenew
regulations would haveserious consequences onthetradeofexporting countries ofthesaidfoodstuffs.
Malaysia therefore urges theEuropean Commission toreconsider itsproposed amendment ofregulation
No.194/97 of31January 1997, asnotified viatheWorld Trade Organization document
G/SPS/N/EEC/51 dated 8January 1998.
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