Regulatory Updates

Distribution date: 16 August 2024 | Final date for Comment: 15 October 2024

Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) is proposing to regulate formaldehyde in paints as a hazardous substance under the Environmental Protection and Management Act. Once the regulations take effect: The import, manufacture, and/or sale of interior paints containing equal to or more than 0.01% weight in weight of formaldehyde will be prohibited in Singapore, unless such interior paints are imported or manufactured for export or re-export purposes. In such cases, companies will be required to apply for a Hazardous Substances (HS) licence from NEA. The import, manufacture, and/or sale of paints for outdoor or industrial use, containing equal to or more than 0.01% weight in weight of formaldehyde will be required to comply with the relevant labelling requirements. The labelling requirements would not apply to paints which are imported or manufactured for export or re-export purposes.  Accordingly, importers and manufacturers of interior paints would have to submit test reports to NEA, upon request, substantiating that the measured total in-can formaldehyde content in each interior paint product is less than 0.01% weight in weight. Such test reports would have to be prepared by accredited laboratories, such as those accredited by accreditation bodies which are signatories to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual Recognition Arrangement (ILAC MRA). 

Products Covered: HS Heading Description  32081020Anti-fouling or anti-corrosive paints for ships' hulls based on polyesters in non-aqueous medium 32081090  Other paints based on polyesters in non-aqueous medium & solutions 32082040  Anti-fouling or anti-corrosive paints of acrylic or vinyl polymers in non-aqueous medium for ship hull 32082090Other paints & varnishes in non-aqueous medium & solutions based on acrylic or vinyl polymers 32089030  Anti-fouling or anti-corrosive paints for ships' hulls based on other polymers in non-aqueous medium 32089090  Other paints in non-aqueous medium & solutions based on other polymers 32091050 Anti-fouling or anti-corrosive paints of acrylic or vinyl polymers in aqueous medium for ships hulls 32091090 Other paints & varnishes of acrylic or vinyl polymers in aqueous medium 32099000 Other paints & varnishes of synthetic or chemically modified natural polymers in aqueous medium 32100091 Anti-fouling or anti-corrosive paints for ships hulls 32100099 Other paints & varnishes 

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 15 August 2024

Amendment no. 37 to Israel's Pharmacists Ordinance was published in Israel's Book of Laws no. 3275 on 31 July 2024 and will enter into force gradually from 1 January 2025 onward.

Products Covered: Cosmetics (HS code(s): 33; 34); (ICS code(s): 71.100.70)

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification

Distribution date: 13 August 2024 | Final date for Comment: 12 October 2024

This Draft Kenya Standard specifies requirements for self-supporting, double skin metal faced insulating sandwich panels, which are intended for discontinuous laying in the following applications: a) roofs and roof cladding; b) external walls and wall cladding; c) walls (including partitions) and ceilings within the building envelope. The insulating core materials covered by this Standard are rigid polyurethane, expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene foam, phenolic foam, cellular glass and mineral wool.

Products Covered: Structures and parts of structures "e.g., bridges and bridge-sections, lock-gates, towers, lattice masts, roofs, roofing frameworks, doors and windows and their frames and thresholds for doors, shutters, balustrades, pillars and columns", of iron or steel; plates, rods, angles, shapes, sections, tubes and the like, prepared for use in structures, of iron or steel (excl. prefabricated buildings of heading 9406) (HS code(s): 7308); Surface treatment and coating (ICS code(s): 25.220)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 12 August 2024

Prohibition of import and transhipment of adhesives for construction and decoration exceeding the content limit value of volatile organic compound (VOC) to the Macao Special Administrative Region.

Products Covered: ex.32141000, ex.32149000, ex.35061000, ex.35069110, ex.35069120, ex.35069190, ex.35069900

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 09 August 2024

Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda would like to inform WTO Members that the DEAS 1142: 2023, Liquid glass cleaner — Specification, First Edition, notified in G/TBT/N/BDI/355, G/TBT/N/KEN/1427, G/TBT/N/RWA/863, G/TBT/N/TZA/969, G/TBT/N/UGA/1771 was adopted by the East African Community Council of Ministers on 14 June 2024 as EAS 1142: 2023, Liquid glass cleaner — Specification, First Edition.

Products Covered: Glass or metal polishes, whether or not in the form of paper, wadding, felt, nonwovens, cellular plastics or cellular rubber, impregnated, coated or covered with such preparations (HS code(s): 340590); Surface active agents (ICS code(s): 71.100.40)

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification

Distribution date: 09 August 2024

Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda would like to inform WTO Members that the Draft East African Standard  DEAS 1143: 2023, Household fabric softeners — Specification, First Edition inG/TBT/N/BDI/353, G/TBT/N/KEN/1425, G/TBT/N/RWA/861, G/TBT/N/TZA/967, G/TBT/N/UGA/1769  was adopted by the East African Community Council of Ministers on 14 June 2024 as EAS 1143: 2023, Household fabric softeners — Specification, First Edition.

Products Covered: SOAP, ORGANIC SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENTS, WASHING PREPARATIONS, LUBRICATING PREPARATIONS, ARTIFICIAL WAXES, PREPARED WAXES, POLISHING OR SCOURING PREPARATIONS, CANDLES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, MODELLING PASTES, ‘DENTAL WAXES’ AND DENTAL PREPARATIONS WITH A BASIS OF PLASTER (HS code(s): 34); Surface active agents (ICS code(s): 71.100.40)

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification

Distribution date: 09 August 2024

Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda would like to inform WTO Members that the DEAS 1142: 2023, Liquid glass cleaner — Specification, First Edition, notified in G/TBT/N/BDI/355, G/TBT/N/KEN/1427, G/TBT/N/RWA/863, G/TBT/N/TZA/969, G/TBT/N/UGA/1771 was adopted by the East African Community Council of Ministers on 14 June 2024 as EAS 1142: 2023, Liquid glass cleaner — Specification, First Edition.

Products Covered: Glass or metal polishes, whether or not in the form of paper, wadding, felt, nonwovens, cellular plastics or cellular rubber, impregnated, coated or covered with such preparations (HS code(s): 340590); Surface active agents (ICS code(s): 71.100.40)

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification

Distribution date: 09 August 2024

Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda would like to inform WTO Members that the Draft East African Standard; DEAS 1144: 2023, Baby toilet soap — Specification, First Edition, notified in G/TBT/N/BDI/354, G/TBT/N/KEN/1426, G/TBT/N/RWA/862, G/TBT/N/TZA/968, G/TBT/N/UGA/1770 was adopted by the East African Community Council of Ministers on 14 June 2024 as EAS 1144: 2023, Baby toilet soap — Specification, First Edition

Products Covered: SOAP, ORGANIC SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENTS, WASHING PREPARATIONS, LUBRICATING PREPARATIONS, ARTIFICIAL WAXES, PREPARED WAXES, POLISHING OR SCOURING PREPARATIONS, CANDLES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, MODELLING PASTES, ‘DENTAL WAXES’ AND DENTAL PREPARATIONS WITH A BASIS OF PLASTER (HS code(s): 34); Surface active agents (ICS code(s): 71.100.40)

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification

Distribution date: 09 August 2024

Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda would like to inform WTO Members that the Draft East African Standard; DEAS 1144: 2023, Baby toilet soap — Specification, First Edition, notified in G/TBT/N/BDI/354, G/TBT/N/KEN/1426, G/TBT/N/RWA/862, G/TBT/N/TZA/968, G/TBT/N/UGA/1770 was adopted by the East African Community Council of Ministers on 14 June 2024 as EAS 1144: 2023, Baby toilet soap — Specification, First Edition

Products Covered: SOAP, ORGANIC SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENTS, WASHING PREPARATIONS, LUBRICATING PREPARATIONS, ARTIFICIAL WAXES, PREPARED WAXES, POLISHING OR SCOURING PREPARATIONS, CANDLES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, MODELLING PASTES, ‘DENTAL WAXES’ AND DENTAL PREPARATIONS WITH A BASIS OF PLASTER (HS code(s): 34); Surface active agents (ICS code(s): 71.100.40)

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification

Distribution date: 09 August 2024

Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda would like to inform WTO Members that the Draft East African Standard  DEAS 1143: 2023, Household fabric softeners — Specification, First Edition inG/TBT/N/BDI/353, G/TBT/N/KEN/1425, G/TBT/N/RWA/861, G/TBT/N/TZA/967, G/TBT/N/UGA/1769  was adopted by the East African Community Council of Ministers on 14 June 2024 as EAS 1143: 2023, Household fabric softeners — Specification, First Edition.

Products Covered: SOAP, ORGANIC SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENTS, WASHING PREPARATIONS, LUBRICATING PREPARATIONS, ARTIFICIAL WAXES, PREPARED WAXES, POLISHING OR SCOURING PREPARATIONS, CANDLES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, MODELLING PASTES, ‘DENTAL WAXES’ AND DENTAL PREPARATIONS WITH A BASIS OF PLASTER (HS code(s): 34); Surface active agents (ICS code(s): 71.100.40)

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification