. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/TPKM/24
1 December 2003
(03-6349)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF
TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:   Department of Health
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where
applicable):  Edible rice
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:
Imported (as well as domestically produced) foods sold in the Separate Customs Territory of
Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   "Draft of Standard for the
Tolerance of Heavy Metals in Rice"  (Available in English, 1 page)
6. Description of content:  The draft establishes the tolerance of lead in rice.
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection,
[  ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or di sease,  [   ]  protect territory from other
damage from pests
8. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[ X ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [   ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
The Codex standard "Maximum Levels for Lead " is one of the important references for
amending this standard.
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  "Draft of Standard for
the Tolerance of Heavy Metals in Rice" (18 November 2003, Food No. 0920402764)
(Available in English from the National Notification Authority and Department of Health).
The amendment will be published in the Official Government Gazette when adopted.
10. Proposed date of adoption:   To be determined.
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   To be determined.G/SPS/N/TPKM/24
Page 2
12. Final date for comments:  20 January 2004
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:
Bureau of Food Safety
Department of Health
12F, 100 Ai-Kuo E. Rd., Taipei, Taiwan, Postal Code 100
Tel:  886-2-23210151 ext 353
Fax:  886-2-23929723
E-mail:  fswang@doh.gov.tw
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority, [ X ] National enquiry point,
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Bureau of Food Safety
Department of Health
12F, 100 Ai-Kuo E. Rd., Taipei, Taiwan, Postal Code 100
Tel:  886-2-23210151 ext 353
Fax:  886-2-23929723
E-mail:  fswang@doh.gov.tw