Distribution date: 29 August 2003

The purpose is to develop the provisions contained in the Law on Plant Protection and Animal Health, Decree No. 36-98. For its implementation, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food shall use the technical and administrative structure established in the internal institutional regulation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food, through the Standards and Regulations Unit, which shall act in coordination with other units of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food and other national and international agencies and institutions. In general terms, the chapter on plant protection and animal health develops provisions concerning plant and animal health protection measures; the system of epidemiological surveillance and plant and animal health diagnosis; the system of plant and animal quarantine, and of authorization for the import and export of plants, animals and products and by-products thereof; plant and animal health inspection; campaigns, programmes and schemes for the detection, prevention, suppression, control and eradication of pests and diseases affecting plants and animals; declaration of states of emergency; registration of legal persons interested in carrying out activities connected with inputs for agricultural and animal use; registration of inputs for agricultural and animal use; registration of agricultural and animal inputs for experimental purposes; packaging, packing, labels, pamphlets and notices for agricultural and animal inputs; storage and transport of inputs for agricultural and animal use; destruction of empty packages and containers, residues and unusable products, and spillage collection; cancellation of the registration of inputs for agricultural and animal use; requirements for the import and export of inputs for agricultural and animal use; return of inputs for agricultural and animal use; retail marketing of inputs for agricultural and animal use; handling and use of inputs for agricultural and animal use; programme of supervision and technical auditing for companies and inputs for agricultural and animal use; professional management; national and international coordination; disciplinary measures and final provisions.

Products Covered: Chapters 1-15, 18-21, 23-24, 28-33, 35, 40-47, 50-53 and 67 of the Harmonized System

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 28 August 2003

The purpose is to ensure the protection of human health and to preserve plants, animals, forest and hydrobiological species and the unprocessed products and by-products thereof against the harmful effects of pests and diseases of economic and quarantine significance, without prejudice to human health and the environment. This law is enforceable throughout the territory of Guatemala, including the exclusive economic zone, and is designed to establish the basis for the prevention, diagnosis, control and eradication of diseases and pests from animals, plants and forest and hydrobiological species. Its provisions are based on public order and social interest. It is also specified that the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food shall be the entity responsible for implementing the law and the regulations thereto, and that its functions shall be discharged in accordance with the purposes of the law. The section on plant protection includes provisions relating to phytosanitary diagnosis, plant quarantine, control of inputs for agricultural use, inspection of export products of vegetable origin, programmes, campaigns and schemes for the prevention, suppression, control and eradication of pests, etc. The section on animal health covers zoosanitary measures, epidemiological surveillance, animal quarantine and registration of products for animal use. Other sections deal with the delegation of plant and animal health services, risk analysis of pests and diseases, professional management, national and international coordination, disciplinary measures, transitional provisions and derogations.

Products Covered: Chapters 1-15, 18-21, 23-24, 28-33, 35, 40-47, 50-53 and 67 of the Harmonized System

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 28 August 2003

The purpose is to ensure the protection of human health and to preserve plants, animals, forest and hydrobiological species and the unprocessed products and by-products thereof against the harmful effects of pests and diseases of economic and quarantine significance, without prejudice to human health and the environment. This law is enforceable throughout the territory of Guatemala, including the exclusive economic zone, and is designed to establish the basis for the prevention, diagnosis, control and eradication of diseases and pests from animals, plants and forest and hydrobiological species. Its provisions are based on public order and social interest. It is also specified that the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food shall be the entity responsible for implementing the law and the regulations thereto, and that its functions shall be discharged in accordance with the purposes of the law. The section on plant protection includes provisions relating to phytosanitary diagnosis, plant quarantine, control of inputs for agricultural use, inspection of export products of vegetable origin, programmes, campaigns and schemes for the prevention, suppression, control and eradication of pests, etc. The section on animal health covers zoosanitary measures, epidemiological surveillance, animal quarantine and registration of products for animal use. Other sections deal with the delegation of plant and animal health services, risk analysis of pests and diseases, professional management, national and international coordination, disciplinary measures, transitional provisions and derogations.

Products Covered: Chapters 1-15, 18-21, 23-24, 28-33, 35, 40-47, 50-53 and 67 of the Harmonized System

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 14 August 2003

Products Covered: Tyre (HS 4011.10.100, HS 4011.10.900, HS 4011.20.000, HS 4011.40.000, HS 4013.10.000)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 14 August 2003

Products Covered: Tyre (HS 4011.10.100, HS 4011.10.900, HS 4011.20.000, HS 4011.40.000, HS 4013.10.000)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 06 August 2003

The FDA is proposing to revise the labeling and storage requirements for certain human blood and blood components, including Source Plasma, by combining, simplifying, and updating specific regulations applicable to container labeling and instruction circulars, and the shipping and storage temperatures for frozen noncellular blood components. This proposed rule would facilitate the use of a labeling system using machine-readable information that would be acceptable as a replacement for the "ABC Codabar'' system for labeling blood and blood components. FDA is taking this action as part of its "Blood Initiative'' to comprehensively review and, as necessary, revise its regulations, policies, guidances, and procedures related to the licensing and regulation of blood products. This proposed rule is intended to help ensure the continued safety of the blood supply, and to help ensure consistency in container labeling and storage temperatures.

Products Covered: Blood and blood components, including source plasma, labeling and storage requirements  (HS Chapter 3002) (ICS 11)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 06 August 2003

The FDA is proposing to revise the labeling and storage requirements for certain human blood and blood components, including Source Plasma, by combining, simplifying, and updating specific regulations applicable to container labeling and instruction circulars, and the shipping and storage temperatures for frozen noncellular blood components. This proposed rule would facilitate the use of a labeling system using machine-readable information that would be acceptable as a replacement for the "ABC Codabar'' system for labeling blood and blood components. FDA is taking this action as part of its "Blood Initiative'' to comprehensively review and, as necessary, revise its regulations, policies, guidances, and procedures related to the licensing and regulation of blood products. This proposed rule is intended to help ensure the continued safety of the blood supply, and to help ensure consistency in container labeling and storage temperatures.

Products Covered: Blood and blood components, including source plasma, labeling and storage requirements  (HS Chapter 3002) (ICS 11)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 02 July 2003

As methyl alcohol is acceptable as a processing aid in food production, the Minister of Public Health is authorized, where the Codex Standard is also taken into account, to notify the public that methyl alcohol may be used as a processing aid on certain foods, namely: (i) Calcium 5'-ribonucleotide or Disodium 5'-ribonucleotide which was determined as specific-controlled-food under the Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 38 (1979); (ii) Stevioside which was determined as specific-controlled-food under the Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 262 (2002). Methyl alcohol within this authorization is required to have the nature, specification and foreign matters limits set forth under this notification and the maximum limit (ML) on the above foods is 50 mg./kg.

Products Covered: Methyl alcohol

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 02 July 2003

As methyl alcohol is acceptable as a processing aid in food production, the Minister of Public Health is authorized, where the Codex Standard is also taken into account, to notify the public that methyl alcohol may be used as a processing aid on certain foods, namely: (i) Calcium 5'-ribonucleotide or Disodium 5'-ribonucleotide which was determined as specific-controlled-food under the Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 38 (1979); (ii) Stevioside which was determined as specific-controlled-food under the Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 262 (2002). Methyl alcohol within this authorization is required to have the nature, specification and foreign matters limits set forth under this notification and the maximum limit (ML) on the above foods is 50 mg./kg.

Products Covered: Methyl alcohol

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 02 July 2003

As the occurrences of BSE were found in a large number of countries, the Minister of Public Health, with the utmost concern for protecting the consumers, is authorized to notify the public that: (i) the prohibited food for import or sale under the Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 240 (2001) was repealed; (ii) the following food is prohibited for import or sale: (a) cattle beef and products of cattle origin originating from the BSE risk countries as mentioned above, except a.1. milk and milk products; a.2. gelatin and collagen produced from its skin; however, these products must be accompanied by a certificate of skin origin proved to be safe for consumption, issued either by the competent authority of the producing country or the private agency accredited by the competent authority; and (b) gelatin produced from bone except where there is a certificate of bone origin issued either by the competent authority of the producing country or a private agency accredited by the competent authority. If the origin of the bone is from a country listed above, the additional declaration must be provided that: b.1. all parts of skull, vertebrates and spiral cord have been segregated; b.2. the alkaline process or acid-alkaline process for disease agent reducing must be in place at the heat time/parameters of at least 138°C/4 sec or any other method using the same standard.

Products Covered: Cattle beef and products of cattle origin, gelatin and collagen

Regulation Type: Regular notification