Regulatory Updates

Distribution date: 10 June 2025 | Final date for Comment: 09 August 2025

This Draft Malawi Standard specifies requirements and methods of sampling and test for the following two types of varnish for interior use on wooden surfaces: 

Products Covered: Paints and varnishes, incl. enamels and lacquers, based on synthetic polymers or chemically modified natural polymers, dispersed or dissolved in a non-aqueous medium; solutions of products of headings 3901 to 3913 in volatile organic solvents, containing > 50% solvent by weight (excl. solutions of collodion) (HS code(s): 3208); Paints and varnishes (ICS code(s): 87.040)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 10 June 2025 | Final date for Comment: 09 August 2025

 This Draft Malawi Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for thinner for acrylic resin based auto-refinishing paints.  

Products Covered: Organic composite solvents and thinners, not elsewhere specified or included; prepared paint or varnish removers. (HS code(s): 3814); Paints and varnishes (ICS code(s): 87.040)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 10 June 2025 | Final date for Comment: 09 August 2025

This Draft Malawi Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for water based textured paints suitable for exterior and interior use on concrete surfaces, boards, primed wood, primed metal to give a protective and decorative coating   

Products Covered: TANNING OR DYEING EXTRACTS; TANNINS AND THEIR DERIVATIVES; DYES, PIGMENTS AND OTHER COLOURING MATTER; PAINTS AND VARNISHES; PUTTY AND OTHER MASTICS; INKS (HS code(s): 32); Paints and varnishes (ICS code(s): 87.040)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 10 June 2025 | Final date for Comment: 09 August 2025

 This Draft Malawi Standard covers wax polish suitable for use on cement surfaces, and available in three colours. 

Products Covered: Polishes, creams and similar preparations, for footwear or leather, whether or not in the form of paper, wadding, felt, nonwovens, cellular plastics or cellular rubber, impregnated, coated or covered with such preparations (excl. artificial and prepared waxes of heading 3404) (HS code(s): 340510); Paints and varnishes (ICS code(s): 87.040)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 10 June 2025 | Final date for Comment: 09 August 2025

 This Draft Malawi Standard specifies the requirements for two categories of mineral solvents for reducing paints, varnishes and related materials and for other purposes, as follows:  

Products Covered: Organic composite solvents and thinners, not elsewhere specified or included; prepared paint or varnish removers. (HS code(s): 3814); Solvents (ICS code(s): 87.060.30)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 10 June 2025 | Final date for Comment: 09 August 2025

 This Draft Malawi Standard specifies the requirements, sampling and test methods for auto refinishing paint, nitrocellulose resin based.  

Products Covered: Ether-alcohols and their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives (excl. 2,2'-Oxydiethanol "diethylene glycol, digol" and monoalkylethers of ethylene glycol or of diethylene glycol) (HS code(s): 290949); Paints and varnishes (ICS code(s): 87.040)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 10 June 2025 | Final date for Comment: 09 August 2025

This Draft Malawi Standard specifies the requirements, sampling and test methods for synthetic resin based auto-refinishing paint.   

Products Covered: Paints and varnishes, incl. enamels and lacquers, based on synthetic polymers or chemically modified natural polymers, dispersed or dissolved in a non-aqueous medium; solutions of products of headings 3901 to 3913 in volatile organic solvents, containing > 50% solvent by weight (excl. solutions of collodion) (HS code(s): 3208); Paints and varnishes (ICS code(s): 87.040)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 10 June 2025 | Final date for Comment: 09 August 2025

 This Draft Malawi Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for a 2-pack epoxy solvent based primer used for protection of iron, steel, galvanized iron, galvanized steel, and reinforced concrete against atmospheric corrosion in an industrial or aquatic environment. 

Products Covered: Epoxides, epoxyalcohols, epoxyphenols and epoxyethers, with a three-membered ring, and their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives (HS code(s): 2910); Paints and varnishes (ICS code(s): 87.040)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 10 June 2025 | Final date for Comment: 09 August 2025

This Draft Malawi Standard covers wax polish suitable for use on leather goods including leather shoes, boots, bags. 

Products Covered: Polishes, creams and similar preparations, for footwear or leather, whether or not in the form of paper, wadding, felt, nonwovens, cellular plastics or cellular rubber, impregnated, coated or covered with such preparations (excl. artificial and prepared waxes of heading 3404) (HS code(s): 340510); Paints and varnishes (ICS code(s): 87.040)

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 10 June 2025 | Final date for Comment: 09 August 2025

This Draft Malawi Standard prescribes the requirements and the methods of sampling and testing for washable distemper   

Products Covered: Other paints and varnishes (including enamels, lacquers and distempers); prepared water pigments of a kind used for finishing leather. (HS code(s): 3210); Paints and varnishes (ICS code(s): 87.040)

Regulation Type: Regular notification