Distribution date: 15 April 2024 | Final date for Comment: 14 May 2024

This Draft Government Decision concerns with the inclusion of the requirement for a quality certificate issued by the producer:The modification and supplementation of Annex No. 1 with organoleptic characteristics for various types of chocolate;The modification and supplementation of Annex No. 2 with physico-chemical indicators for chocolate and cocoa powder;The repeal of Annex No. 3 "Declaration of Conformity."The draft GD also transposes the provisions of the EU Directive 2000/36/EC relating to cocoa and chocolate products intended for human consumption and incorporates the Codex Stan 87-1981 (amended in: 2016, 2022) concerning the standards for chocolate and chocolate products and the Codex Stan 105-1981 (amended in: 2010, 2013, 2016, 2022) for cocoa powder and dry cocoa and sugar blends.

Products Covered: Cocoa and cocoa preparations (HS code(s): 18)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 12 April 2024 | Final date for Comment: 11 June 2024

The proposal provides for mandatory labelling of animal products that are produced using pain-causing procedures without analgesia. The guiding principles of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) in the area of animal welfare are used as a benchmark for the labelling requirement. Furthermore, a labelling obligation is provided for plant products that originate from a country in which the use of plant protection products listed in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (hereinafter Rotterdam Convention; SR 0.916.21) is not prohibited. In addition, for the labelling of wine and the indication of origin of food ingredients, Swiss law will be adapted to that of the EU in order to reduce barriers to trade. With regard to wine, a list of ingredients and a nutrition declaration will in future be mandatory for all wines, sparkling wines and semi-sparkling wines. This information can also be provided electronically. With regard to the labelling of the origin of quantitatively important ingredients, the requirement will apply in future irrespective of the presentation of the product, but instead of the country of origin also a larger geographical area can be indicated.

Products Covered: MEAT AND EDIBLE MEAT OFFAL (HS code(s): 02); EDIBLE VEGETABLES AND CERTAIN ROOTS AND TUBERS (HS code(s): 07); EDIBLE FRUIT AND NUTS; PEEL OF CITRUS FRUIT OR MELONS (HS code(s): 08)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 11 April 2024 | Final date for Comment: 10 June 2024

The drafts define veterinary and sanitary requirements for albumin, albuminates and other derivatives of albumin, as well as for casein, caseinates and other derivatives of casein, casein glues.

Products Covered: Goods (products) subject to veterinary control

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 10 April 2024 | Final date for Comment: 04 May 2024

Updating the text of the Requirements for labeling medicinal products for human use and veterinary medicines, taking into account the experience of their enforcement in terms of variants of specifying the expiration date on the internal packaging of medicinal products

Products Covered: 3004 (Medicinal products)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 10 April 2024 | Final date for Comment: 10 May 2024

The Minimum Requirements for Biological Products will be amended as follows:･ GENERAL RULESRegarding the standard for “Nasally Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine”, the section of “Attenuation Assay” will be deleted. And the standard for “Purified Typhoid Vi Polysaccharide Vaccine” that is to be newly approved will be added. ・STANDARDSThe section of “Standard Antimeasles Serum” will be partially amended. The Public Notice on National Release Testing will be amended as follows: The criterion, fee, and quantity for “Purified Typhoid Vi Polysaccharide Vaccine” that is to be newly approved will be added. And the criterion, fee, and quantity for “Human Serum Albumin” and “Freeze-dried Human Blood Coagulation Factor Ⅷ Concentrate” will be partially amended. In addition, the criterion and fee for “Human Plasma Protein Fraction”　will be partially amended. 

Products Covered: PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS (HS code(s): 30)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 10 April 2024

APA/SDA Ordinance No. 724, 23 December 2022 that approves technical regulation on the identity and quality requirements for hamburgers, notified as G/TBT/N/BRA/1275/Add.1 was amended by MAPA/SDA Ordinance No. 1076, 14 March 2024.

Products Covered: Prepared or preserved meat or offal of bovine animals (excl. sausages and similar products, finely homogenised preparations put up for retail sale as infant food or for dietetic purposes, in containers of a net weight of

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification

Distribution date: 10 April 2024 | Final date for Comment: 09 June 2024

These measures would amend Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as applicable in GB (“the Cosmetics Regulation”) as they apply in [England, Wales and Scotland]. The amendments would prohibit or restrict the use of certain chemical substances in cosmetic products.  We plan to amend the Cosmetics Regulation to permit the use of kojic acid for use at a maximum concentration of up to 1% in the following cosmetic products: face and hand products. We will also amend the Cosmetic Regulation to prohibit the use of chemicals classified as CMR substances under Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (the GB CLP Regulation).

Products Covered: Cosmetics products are defined by Article 2(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.   ESSENTIAL OILS AND RESINOIDS; PERFUMERY, COSMETIC OR TOILET PREPARATIONS (HS code(s): 33); Cosmetics. Toiletries (ICS code(s): 71.100.70)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 09 April 2024 | Final date for Comment: 08 June 2024

This Draft East African Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for anti-aging/ antiwrinkle products. This standard does not apply to skincare products covered by EAS 786, aromatherapy substances, sun protection products and hair creams, lotions and gels.

Products Covered: ESSENTIAL OILS AND RESINOIDS; PERFUMERY, COSMETIC OR TOILET PREPARATIONS (HS code(s): 33); Cosmetics. Toiletries (ICS code(s): 71.100.70); anti-aging skincare products; anti-wrinkle skincare products

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 09 April 2024 | Final date for Comment: 08 June 2024

This Draft East African Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for anti-aging/ antiwrinkle products. This standard does not apply to skincare products covered by EAS 786, aromatherapy substances, sun protection products and hair creams, lotions and gels.

Products Covered: ESSENTIAL OILS AND RESINOIDS; PERFUMERY, COSMETIC OR TOILET PREPARATIONS (HS code(s): 33); Cosmetics. Toiletries (ICS code(s): 71.100.70); anti-aging skincare products; anti-wrinkle skincare products

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 09 April 2024 | Final date for Comment: 08 June 2024

This Draft East African Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for anti-aging/ antiwrinkle products. This standard does not apply to skincare products covered by EAS 786, aromatherapy substances, sun protection products and hair creams, lotions and gels.

Products Covered: ESSENTIAL OILS AND RESINOIDS; PERFUMERY, COSMETIC OR TOILET PREPARATIONS (HS code(s): 33); Cosmetics. Toiletries (ICS code(s): 71.100.70); anti-aging skincare products; anti-wrinkle skincare products

Regulation Type: Regular notification