Regulatory Updates

Distribution date: 14 February 2020 | Final date for Comment: 14 April 2020

This East African Standard specifies the requirements for steel sheet in coils and cut lengths for high-strength low-alloy steel (HSLA) supplied as hot-rolled sheet and cold-rolled sheet. For the purposes of determining conformance with this specification and the various material specifications, values shall be rounded to the nearest unit in the right-hand place of figures used in expressing the limiting values. For the purposes of determining conformance with this product specification, measured values, calculated values, or observed values shall be rounded to the nearest unit in the right hand place of figures used in expressing the limiting values.

Products Covered: Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, of a width >= 600 mm, hot-rolled, not clad, plated or coated (HS code(s): 7208); Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, of a width >= 600 mm, hot-rolled, not clad, plated or coated (HS code(s): 7208); Iron and steel products (ICS code(s): 77.140)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 14 February 2020 | Final date for Comment: 14 April 2020

This draft East African Standard specifies the requirements, sampling and test methods for hand and machine hacksaw blades.

Products Covered: Hand saws, with working parts of base metal (excl. power-operated saws); blades for saws of all kinds, incl. slitting, slotting or toothless saw blades, of base metal (HS code(s): 8202); Handsaws, with working parts of base metal (excl. power-operated saws); blades for saws of all kinds, incl. slitting, slotting or toothless saw blades, of base metal (HS code(s): 8202); Handsaws, with working parts of base metal (excl. power-operated saws) (HS code(s): 820210); Saws (ICS code(s): 25.100.40)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 14 February 2020 | Final date for Comment: 20 April 2020

This draft resolution establishes the regulation with technical requirements for the market authorization, modifications and classification of sanitizing products, according to their potential risk to the health.

Products Covered: HS Code(s): 3402; 340119; 340120; 330290 (sanitizing products).

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 14 February 2020 | Final date for Comment: 14 April 2020

Sodium Formaldehyde sulfoxylate is a power full reducing agent. It also finds extensive applications in textile industry for printing and stripping dyed textiles prior to redying and discharge printing. It is  used in bleaching sugar cane juice for making jaggery, as a redoxs catalyst in emulsion of polymers and as a stabilizer/anti-oxidant in Pharmaceutical drug formulations. It also has a niche use as a water conditioner, reducing the amount of chlorine. The standard of the product stipulates minimum purity and maximum permissible content of heavy metals like lead, iron, copper and zinc etc. The locally manufactured or imported Sodium Formaldehyde Sulphoxylate shall conform to the Indian standard (IS 4505: 2015) and shall bear the standard mark under license from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The use of standard mark is governed by the provisions of Bureau of Indian Standards Act 1986 and the Rules and Regulations made there under. Bureau of Indian Standards shall be the certifying and enforcing authority.

Products Covered: Sodium Formaldehyde Sulphoxylate (HS Code 2831 1020)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 13 February 2020

Products Covered: ): pencil sharpeners (HS 8214.10); backpacks and briefcases (HS 4202); drawing sets (HS 9017); Ball point pens; felt tipped and other porous -tipped pens and markers; fountain pens, stylograph pens and other pens; duplicating stylos; propelling or sliding pencils (HS 9608); student rubber (HS 4016); child scissors (HS 8214); student glue (HS 3505) and others school items.

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification

Distribution date: 13 February 2020 | Final date for Comment: 13 April 2020

Potassium carbonate is used as a dehydrating agent and for making other potassium salts, such as chlorates and chromates. It also finds its use in ceramics, explosives, fertilizers, mineral water, tanning electroplating, shampoo preparations, process engraving and soft soaps, textile dyeing, bleaching and finishing oil, and photography. The Indian standard of Potassium Carbonate prescribes minimum purity and the percentage of heavy metal content such as lead, iron etc. The locally manufactured or imported Potassium Carbonate Anhydrous shall conform to the Indian standard (IS 7129: 1992) and shall bear the standard mark under license from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The use of standard mark is governed by the provisions of Bureau of Indian Standards Act 1986 and the Rules and Regulations made there under. Bureau of Indian Standards shall be the certifying and enforcing authority.

Products Covered: Potassium Carbonate Anhydrous (HS Code 2836 4000)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 13 February 2020 | Final date for Comment: 13 April 2020

Sodium Sulphide is widely used in paper and pulp industry, in tanneries, dyestuff and textile industries, and ore beneficiation. The solution being caustic, it needs proper care in handling. The standard prescribes purity of Sodium Sulphide and maximum content of impurities such as iron, aluminium and sodium compounds. The locally manufactured or imported Sodium Sulphide shall conform to the Indian standard (IS 297: 2001) and shall bear the standard mark under license from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The use of standard mark is governed by the provisions of Bureau of Indian Standards Act 1986 and the Rules and Regulations made there under. Bureau of Indian Standards shall be the certifying and enforcing authority.

Products Covered: Sodium Sulphide (HS Code 2830 1000)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 13 February 2020 | Final date for Comment: 13 April 2020

Pyridine is used as solvent in dyestuff industry, pharmaceutical industry and as a laboratory reagent. It is also used in the manufacture of drug intermediates like 2- aminopyridine, 2, 6-diaminopyridine, pheniramine, vitamins, adhevies, food flavouring agent etc. it is also used in the manufacture of pesticides. The Indian standard of pyridine stipulates minimum purity content, and maximum limit of impurities such as copper content, ammonium compounds, chlorides and sulphates etc.  Since pyridine finds application in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, its quality need to conform to the BIS standards otherwise impurities present in Pyridine enter the animal & human chain. The locally manufactured or imported Pyridine shall conform to the Indian standard (IS 8058: 2018) and shall bear the standard mark under license from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The use of standard mark is governed by the provisions of Bureau of Indian Standards Act 1986 and the Rules and Regulations made there under. Bureau of Indian Standards shall be the certifying and enforcing authority.

Products Covered: PYRIDINE (HS Code 2933 3100)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 13 February 2020 | Final date for Comment: 13 April 2020

Phosphorous Trichloride is used as a chemical intermediate to produce a variety of products which are used in several applications including agricultural products, surfactants and metal extractants, flame retardants, additives for lubricants etc. The Indian standard  prescribes minimum purity of Phosphorous Trichloride and maximum content of heavy metals. The locally manufactured or imported Phosphorous Trichloride shall conform to the Indian standard (IS 4581:1978, reaffirmed 2015) and shall bear the standard mark under license from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Bureau of Indian Standards of the State Governments shall be the enforcing authority.

Products Covered: Phosphorous Trichloride (HS Code 2812 1021)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 12 February 2020

This letter introduces a temporary restriction on import of live swine, meat of swine and products containing pork, embryos of swine and boar semen from specific territories due to the registration of outbreaks of ASF.

Products Covered: Live swine, meat of swine, meat and edible meat offal, swine embryos and boar' semen (HS Code(s): 0103; 0203; of 0511; 020630000; 020910; 4103300000; of 0210; of 5002; of 0511, 0f 9601; of 9705 00 000 0; 3101; 2309* of 160100*; 1602*) *with exception of prepared heat-treated goods of pork, prepared goods containing pork or raw materials of animal origin (from pork) for the production of feeds for non-productive and fur-producing animals with the use of technologies providing destruction of ASF in accordance with the provision of Chapter 15.1 of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code.

Regulation Type: Emergency notifications (SPS)