notification on maximum tolerance levels for ocratoxin a in coffee colombia stated that on 17 june 2003 germany had notified a draft regulation for mrls for ocratoxin in products including soluble and roasted coffee. in september 2003 the application of the measure had been postponed until december 2003. colombia believed that the mrl was disproportionate to the risks and that the scientific evidence regarding risks to human health was inconclusive. the economic losses could be significant for colombia as it exported 1.7 million bags of coffee to germany which was equivalent to 17 per cent of its total coffee exports. the testing could result in 6 per cent of all coffee entering germany from colombia being rejected. colombia questioned the relationshi between this measure and the ec regulations. bolivia brazil chile el salvador guatemala mexico and peru shared the concerns expressed by colombia. brazil noted that the higher mrl for soluble product compared to the roasted coffee was unusual as normally products for direct consumption had lower levels of mrls. the european communities explained that each ec member state retained the right to adopt national legislation for the protection of human health when no ec standard existed. since there was no mrl ocratoxin a for coffee in the european communities germany could establish its own mrls. the measure was based on new scientific evidence. the european commission had organized a meeting between colombian and german toxicology experts and replies to colombias questions would be circulated to all members shortly. in march 2004 papua new guinea informed the committee that it had submitted comments on germanys measures on coffee in g sps gen 470. colombia stated that written responses to its questions outlined in g sps gen 434 had not been provided by the european communities. germany had since informed colombia of the approval of the bundesrat directive 713 03 by the ministry of consumer protection food and agriculture. directive 713 03 changed the existing regulation of the mrls for ocratoxin a ota in roasted and soluble coffee in germany. germany also indicated that the european communities would be notifying a similar measure for roasted soluble and green coffee. colombia was concerned about the impact of the measure on the marketing of coffee in europe and requested the european communities to respond to its questions. bolivia brazil costa rica cuba dominican republic el salvador ecuador guatemala india mexico nicaragua and peru shared the concerns raised by papua new guinea and colombia. germanys mrls for ota in coffee were discriminatory and scientifically unjustified. germany was requested to answer the questions previously posed by colombia and to take into consideration the special needs of coffee exporting countries. codex explained that ota a mycotoxin contaminant had been a standing agenda item of the codex committee for food additives and contaminants ccfac since its 23rd session in march 1991. a risk assessment of the consequences of establishing a maximum level of 5 micrograms kg or 20 micrograms kg for ota in cereals and cereal products had been conducted based on food consumption data for european type diets. cereals and wine were identified as major dietary contributors of the overall intake of ota while coffee and grape juice were considered minor contributors. the joint fao who expert committee on food additives and contaminants jecfa retained the previously established provisional tolerable weekly intake of 100 nonograms kg of body weight and recommended that overall contamination of foods especially cereals should be lowered by appropriate agriculture storage and processing practices. the conclusion of the jecfa evaluation was available from who as technical report series 906. ccfac would consider draft maximum levels for ota in cereals at its 36th session. the european communities stated that colombias questions were still under consideration by ec authoritie