Commission regulation (Eu) No. 488/2014 of 12
May 2014 amending regulation (ec) no. 1881/2006 as regards maximum
levels of CADMIUM in foodstuffs
communication from Peru
The
following communication, dated 27 October 2017, is being circulated at the
request of the delegation Peru.
_______________
1. Peru would like to express before
WTO Members its trade concern with respect to Commission Regulation (EU) No.
488/2014 of 12 May 2014 amending Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006 as regards maximum
levels of cadmium in foodstuffs. Specifically, this European regulation has
established maximum levels for cadmium in chocolate and other cocoa products
which, upon entry into force on 1 January 2019, would have a negative impact on
trade in cocoa beans.
2. Peru is one of the leading
centres of genetic diversity for cocoa[1]:
six of the ten cocoa clusters genetically identified to date grow in the
Peruvian Amazon[2],
making Peru the most cocoa biodiverse country in the world. Cocoa has become
one of the highest grade Peruvian inputs, recognized worldwide: value added is
created in top quality chocolate factories, both domestic and foreign, and in
fact, both Peruvian cocoa and Peruvian chocolate makers were awarded prizes at
the 2017 International Chocolate Awards. The International Cocoa Organization
(ICCO) considers Peru to be a producer and exporter of fine and flavour cocoa,
classifying 75% of Peruvian production in that category.[3]
Indeed, Peru ranks second among world exporters of fine and flavour cocoa after
Ecuador.[4]
[2] "Cocoa
Genetic Clusters" by Juan C. Motamayor, Philippe Lachenaud, Jay Wallace da
Silva e Mota, Rey Loor, David N. Kuhn, J. Steven Brown, Raymond J. Schnell -
Geographic and Genetic Population Differentiation of the Amazonian Chocolate
Tree (Theobroma Cocoa L), October 2008.
[4] "Cacao Fino de Aroma de origen
peruano: estrella de nuestra biodiversidad nativa", presentation at the
Foro Productos de la Biodiversidad Nativa, organized by MINCETUR at
EXPOALIMENTARIA 2017. Author: Alianza Cacao Perú.