. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/BEL/6
13 February 2002
(02-0706)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  French
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  BELGIUM
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Social Affairs, Public Health and the Environment –
General Inspectorate of Foodstuffs.
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). Fishery products.  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent
relevant or practicable: All countries that export to Belgium.
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Draft Royal Decree Amending the
Royal Decree of 19 May 2000 Setting Maximum Levels of Dioxins and Polychlorinated
Biphenyls in Particular Foodstuffs (3 pages).
5. Description of content:  When placed on the market, the abovementioned products must
not exceed the maximum level of 75 µg of PC Bs (sum of 7 polychlorinated dibenzofuran
congeners)/kg. of product. The goal is to protect public health by withdrawing from the
market those products whose levels exceed the authorized maximum.
6. Objective and rationale: [  X ]  food safety,  [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, [  ]
protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from other
damage from pests           
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [ X ]. If an
international standard, guideline or recom mendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: Draft Royal Decree
amending the Royal Decree of 19 May 2000 setting maximum levels of dioxins and
polychlorinated biphenyls in particular foodstuffs.  To be published in the Moniteur Belge
of the Kingdom of Belgium when adopted – Available in French and Dutch. Abstracts are
available in all EU languages.
9. Proposed date of adoption:
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  Immediately after publication.
11. Final date for comments: 60 days after the notification date. 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:G/SPS/N/BEL/6
Page 2
12. Texts available from:  [    ] National notification authority, [ X ] National enquiry
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Institut belge de Normalisation (IBN). (Belgian Standards Institute)
Avenue de la Brabançonne 29
1040 Brussels
Telephone:  + (322) 734 92 05
Telefax:  + (322) 733 42 64
E-mail/Internet:  tonneaux@ibn.be ;  cibelnor@ibn.be
Ministry of Social Affairs, Public Health and the Environment
General Inspectorate of Foodstuffs
CAE – Esplanade – 11e étage
Boulevard Pachéco 19/5B – 1010  Brussels
Telephone:  +(322) 210 48 43
Telefax:  +(322) 210 48 16
E-mail/Internet:  Thierry.Terwagne@health.fgov.be