Distribution date: 18 December 2017 | Final date for Comment: 16 February 2018

Proposed maximum residue limits (MRLs) for the following agricultural chemical: Pesticide: Mepiquat chloride.

Products Covered: - Meat and edible meat offal (HS Codes: 02.01, 02.02, 02.03, 02.04, 02.05, 02.06, 02.07, 02.08 and 02.09) - Dairy produce and birds' eggs (HS Codes: 04.01, 04.07 and 04.08) - Products of animal origin (HS Code: 05.04) - Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers (HS Codes: 07.09 and 07.10) - Edible fruits and nuts, peel of citrus/melons (HS Codes: 08.01, 08.02, 08.03, 08.04, 08.05, 08.06, 08.07, 08.08, 08.09, 08.10, 08.11 and 08.14) - Coffee, tea, mate and spices (HS Codes: 09.04, 09.05, 09.06, 09.07, 09.08, 09.09 and 09.10) - Cereals (HS Codes: 10.01, 10.02, 10.03, 10.04, 10.05, 10.06, 10.07 and 10.08) - Oleaginous fruits, miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits (HS Codes: 12.04, 12.05, 12.06 and 12.07)- Animal or vegetable fats and oils (HS Codes: 15.01, 15.02 and 15.06)                           

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 14 December 2017 | Final date for Comment: 12 February 2018

Revision of the Mandatory Standard SI 47, dealing with motor vehicle brake fluids. This draft standard revision adopts the American Standard FMVSS 116 published in 49 CFR, Chapter V, § 571.116 (10-1-15 Edition), with a few changes that appear in the standard's Hebrew section as follow: Adds to paragraph S4 a definition for DOT4 (Class 6) brake fluid; Adds to paragraphs S5 and S6 a requirement for DOT4 (Class 6) brake fluid to comply with the International Standard ISO 4925; Deletes paragraph S5.1.13 dealing with the requirement of stroking properties; Adds to paragraph S5.2 dealing with the packaging and labelling requirements for motor vehicle brake fluid also the requirement to comply with the packaging, marking and labelling requirements of Israel Mandatory Standard SI 2302 part1; Adds labelling requirements to paragraph S5.2.2.1(b) and S5.2.2.2(a) for different types of brake fluids including DOT4 (Class 6); Adds to paragraph S5.2.2.2 the following: Requires a label in Hebrew; Requires to label also DOT4 (Class 6) brake fluid (subsection e); Allows to mark the boiling point in Celsius (subsection f); Warns not to mix different types of brake fluids Replaces subsection g and requires among others to: Add a marking requirement to use all brake fluid immediately after opening, not to store any residues and to remove the container and any extra fluid to appropriate disposal place; Add a requirement to store in a shaded place.

Products Covered: Motor vehicle brake fluids

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 11 December 2017

Emergency phytosanitary measures for the importation of Citrullus lanatus, Cucumis melo, Cucumis sativa and Cucurbita pepo are being introduced to mitigate the biosecurity risk posed by Kyuri green mottle mosaic virus (KGMMV), Zucchini green mottle mosaic virus (ZGMMV) and Phomopsis cucurbitae.

Products Covered: Seeds for sowing of Citrullus lanatus (watermelon), Cucumis melo (melon), Cucumis sativus (cucumber) and Cucurbita pepo (zucchini)

Regulation Type: Emergency notifications (SPS)

Distribution date: 07 December 2017 | Final date for Comment: 05 February 2018

This Compulsory Specification requires that canned fish, canned marine molluscs and canned crustaceans and products derived therefrom, for human consumption, which are to be offered for sale, comply with this Compulsory Specification and the requirements of the latest edition of the South African National Standard (SANS) 587 that apply to the manufacture, production, processing, and treatment of the products covered by this specification. The hygiene requirements for the product, as well as chemical and microbiological contaminant requirements for the product, and the requirements for employees at the packing facility, shall comply with the requirements of the latest edition of SANS 587.

Products Covered: Canned fish, canned marine molluscs and canned crustaceans and products derived therefrom

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 05 December 2017 | Final date for Comment: 03 February 2018

This compulsory specification requires that canned fish, canned marine molluscs and canned crustaceans and products derived therefrom, for human consumption, which are to be offered for sale, comply with this compulsory specification and the requirements of the South African National Standard (SANS) 587 that applies to the manufacture, production, processing, and treatment of the products covered by this specification, the hygiene requirements for the product, as well as chemical contaminants, microbiological contaminants and the product and the packing facility employees requirements, shall comply with the requirements of the latest edition of SANS 587.  

Products Covered: FISH AND CRUSTACEANS, MOLLUSCS AND OTHER AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES (HS code(s): 03); Fish and fishery products (ICS code(s): 67.120.30)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 01 December 2017 | Final date for Comment: 30 January 2018

The notified draft Technical Regulation applies to portable low-pressure dry chemical powder fire extinguishers that are rechargeable or non-rechargeable, have a capacity between 0.5 kg and 12 kg, and are either domestically manufactured or imported. It sets out general requirements for extinguishers' external cylinder characteristics and their parts and components, and specific requirements for their physical characteristics, functioning and resistance, and the information that must appear on markings and labels.

Products Covered: Fire extinguishers, whether or not charged (excl. fire-extinguishing bombs and grenades) (HS code(s): 842410); (ICS code(s): 13.220)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 30 November 2017 | Final date for Comment: 29 January 2018

The BSMI intends to adopt the revised standard, CNS 11728:2016, of fire-retardant paints for buildings as the inspection standard. New requirements include volatile organic compound (VOC) content, limits of hazardous heavy metals and labelling. The products will be required to comply with the revised standard beginning 1 July 2018.

Products Covered: Fire-retardant paints for buildings

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 29 November 2017 | Final date for Comment: 28 February 2018

The notified draft Decree adopts the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). Its articles cover the following: Purpose; Scope; Exceptions; Definitions; Hazard classification; Hazard communication; Labelling; Safety data sheets; Access to information for emergency response; Chemicals for consumers; Chemical pesticides for agricultural use; Motor vehicle land transport of chemical substances; Chemicals used in the workplace; Responsibilities of chemical manufacturers, importers, marketers and users; Responsibilities of the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Agriculture; Responsibilities of Occupational Risk Managers (ARL); Inspection, surveillance and control; and Period of validity.

Products Covered: Chemicals (28.00.00)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 27 November 2017 | Final date for Comment: 15 January 2018

The notified draft Mexican Official Standard applies to evidential breathalysers that are imported into or marketed in the territory of the United Mexican States and used to detect and quantify alcohol in exhaled air. These devices are used to establish, for preventive, referential or police purposes, the quantity of ingested alcohol that is permitted for a given activity. The notified text also establishes a method for determining the level of alcohol in the blood by measuring the amount of alcohol in exhaled air.

Products Covered: Breathalysers (devices for measuring the level of alcohol in the blood) (national tariff heading 90268099)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 27 November 2017 | Final date for Comment: 15 January 2018

The notified draft Mexican Official Standard applies to alcohol measuring instruments imported into or marketed in Mexico which are used to detect or quantify alcohol in bodily fluids in order to establish, for reference purposes, the quantity of ingested alcohol that is permitted for a given activity.

Products Covered: Alcoholometers (devices for measuring the level of alcohol in the blood) (national tariff heading 90268099)

Regulation Type: Regular notification