Distribution date: 01 September 2023 | Final date for Comment: 29 April 2025

Draft to establish, Ministerial Order and Notification amending the Ministerial Order and Notification of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries pertaining to Act on the Quality Control of Fertilizer notified in G/TBT/N/JPN/771 has been adopted and published on dated 1 September 2023.

Products Covered: Fertilizer (HS: 3101)

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification

Distribution date: 04 September 2023 | Final date for Comment: 29 April 2025

The Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu notified the first amendment to the "Procedure for the Recognition of Infectious Animal Disease-Free Status of a Foreign Country" on 23 November 2021 (G/SPS/N/TPKM/543/Rev.1/Add.1). Since 1 August 2023, the Council of Agriculture (COA) and the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ), COA have been reorganized and renamed as the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA), MOA. In addition, the abbreviation of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) was changed as the WOAH. Therefore, with the changes (marked in red), the amendment of the "Procedure for the Recognition of Infectious Animal Disease-Free Status of a Foreign Country (Zone)" was updated and promulgated on 25 August 2023. 

Products Covered: Animals and Animal Products (HS codes: 01, 02, 0401, 0402, 0407, 0408, 0410, 0502, 0504, 0505, 0506, 0507, 0510, 0511, 1214, 1502, 1506, 1601, 1602, 1902, 1904, 1905, 2104, 2301, 2308, 2309, 3001, 3002, 3101, 3105, 3502, 4101, 4102, 4103, 4205, 4301, 4601, 5101, 5102, 5103, and 6701)

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification

Distribution date: 05 September 2023 | Final date for Comment: 29 April 2025

The purpose of this notification is to provide the final texts of "Amendments to the Legal Inspection Requirements of Toys" and relevant dates of its implementation. The draft texts notified in “G/TBT/N/TPKM/524” were adopted with minor changes.

Products Covered: Toys (HS code(s): 3213; 3307; 3407; 3824; 3918; 3923; 3924; 3926; 4006; 4016; 4202; 4823; 6114; 6211; 6306; 6307; 6506; 8306; 8414; 8472; 8505; 8516; 8543; 8715; 8806; 9208; 9404; 9503; 9504; 9505; 9506) 

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification

Distribution date: 06 September 2023 | Final date for Comment: 29 April 2025

The draft Food (Amendment No. Y) Regulations 2023 (concerning microbiological standards for non-ready-to-eat food) notified in G/SPS/N/SGP/82 was gazetted as the Food (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2023 on 4 September 2023 and will enter into force on 4 March 2024.

Products Covered: Non-ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and meat products: 02011000, 02012000, 02013000, 02021000, 02022000, 02023000, 02031100, 02031200, 02031900, 02032100, 02032200, 02032900, 02041000, 02042100, 02042200, 02042300, 02043000, 02044100, 02044200, 02044300, 02045000, 02050000, 02061000, 02062100, 02062200, 02062900, 02063000, 02064100, 02064900, 02068000, 02069000, 02071100, 02071200, 02071300, 02071410, 02071420, 02071430, 02071499, 02072400, 02072500, 02072600, 02072710, 02072799, 02074100, 02074200, 02074300, 02074400, 02074500, 02075100, 02075200, 02075300, 02075400, 02075500, 02076000, 02081000, 02085000, 02089010, 02089090, 02091000, 02099000, 02101100, 02101200, 02101930, 02101990, 02102000, 02109300, 02109910, 02109990, 05040000, 15011000, 15019000, 15021000, 15029010, 16010010, 16010090, 16022000, 16023110, 16023199, 16023290, 16023900, 16024110, 16024190, 16024210, 16024290, 16024991, 16024999, 16025000, 16029090; Non-RTE eggs and egg products: 04072100, 04072910, 04072990, 04079010, 04079020, 04079090, 04081100, 04081900, 04089100, 04089900, 21069099, 35021100, 35021900; Non-RTE oysters and blood-cockles: 03071110, 03071120, 03071200, 03077110, 03077120, 03077200

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification

Distribution date: 11 September 2023 | Final date for Comment: 10 November 2023

Draft Resolution 1154, 6 April 2023 - previously notified through   G/SPS/N/BRA/2155  - was adopted as Normative Instruction 245, 1 September 2023. The regulation updates the monographs of the active ingredient I32 - ISOCYCLOSERA on the Monograph List of Active Ingredients for Pesticides, Household Cleaning Products and Wood Preservatives, published by Normative Instruction 103 on 19 October 2021 in the Brazilian Official Gazette (DOU - Diário Oficial da União).  The final text is available only in Portuguese and can be downloaded at:

Products Covered: Organic chemicals (HS code(s): 29); Environment. Health protection. Safety (ICS code(s): 13)

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification

Distribution date: 11 September 2023 | Final date for Comment: 29 April 2025

Resolution number 698, 13 May 2022 - previously notified through G/TBT/N/BRA/1393 - which contains provisions on sanitizing products categorized as bleach and its market registration, was revoked by Resolution 813, 01 September 2023. The final text is available only in Portuguese and can be downloaded at:  http://antigo.anvisa.gov.br/documents/10181/6651220/RDC_813_2023_.pdf/1ac713a6-7fdb-46a6-ac4f-e7b3bc2d9830   

Products Covered: Organic surface-active agents (other than soap); surface-active preparations, washing preparations (including auxiliary washing preparations) and cleaning preparations, whether or not containing soap, other than those of heading 34.01. (HS code(s): 3402)

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification

Distribution date: 11 September 2023 | Final date for Comment: 29 April 2025

In notification G/TBT/N/AUS/151, it was advised that Australia is considering potential reforms primarily to the regulation of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDs). The scope of the proposed reforms has expanded to cover all vapes, including electronic non-nicotine delivery systems (ENNDs). The proposed reforms to ENDs previously notified are still being pursued. However, subject to further consultation, it is now intended that all vapes (both e-liquids and devices used to produce vapour) will be prohibited unless they are therapeutic products to be used for smoking cessation or to treat nicotine addiction in accordance with Australia’s therapeutic goods legislation. It is also intended to prohibit all single use disposable vapes.  It is proposed that this would involve:Making changes to Australia’s border controls to:Prohibit the importation of all single use disposable vapes;Prohibit the importation of all other vapes without an import permit. Permits would only be granted for therapeutic vapes (mainly ENDs) that comply with Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) requirements, including new pre-market requirements and a strengthened product standard regarding minimum quality and safety standards; andRestrict individuals from importing therapeutic vapes for personal use under the Personal Importation Scheme.Implementing equivalent restrictions on the manufacture and supply of vapes within Australia. It would only be permissible to manufacture and supply therapeutic vapes that comply with TGA requirements. Ensuring therapeutic vapes are only available for the purpose of smoking cessation or to treat nicotine addiction with a doctor’s prescription (which is largely the current position). The objectives of, and rationale for, the proposal outlined in G/TBT/N/AUS/151 also apply to the broader proposal. Due to the health risks of vapes and the escalating use of vapes by young people, it is considered necessary to strictly control access to circumstances where a medical professional has assessed the need for the product (mainly for smoking cessation but also possibly to treat nicotine addiction if clinically appropriate). It is also considered necessary to impose quality standards to mitigate the health risks for lawful users and reduce the attractiveness of vapes to children and adolescents. The original consultation paper is available at the following link: https://consultations.tga.gov.au/medicines-regulation-division/proposed-reforms-to-the-regulation-of-nicotine-vap/. A further consultation paper will be available before 11 September 2023 at: https://consultations.tga.gov.au/medicines-regulation-division/df36e4a0. 

Products Covered: Nicotine-containing products intended to be used in vaping devices such as e-cigarettes, e-cigars and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDs). One of the possible reform options would also affect the importation of vaping devices that do not contain nicotine (ENNDs).  TOBACCO AND MANUFACTURED TOBACCO SUBSTITUTES (HS 24); PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS (HS 30)

Regulation Type: Addendum to Regular Notification

Distribution date: 12 September 2023 | Final date for Comment: 29 April 2025

Kazakhstan notified in G/SPS/N/KAZ/80 (1 March 2021) the Letter of the Committee for Veterinary Control and Surveillance of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the introduction of temporary restrictions on the importation into the territory of Kazakhstan from Kherson and Kiev regions of the Ukrainian Republic of live poultry and hatching eggs, down and feathers, poultry meat and all types of poultry products that have not undergone heat treatment (at least 70 °C), feed and feed additives for birds (except for feed additives of plant origin, chemical and microbiological synthesis), hunting trophies that have not undergone taxidermic treatment (feathered game), as well as used equipment for keeping, slaughtering and butchering birds. The notified measure was modified by the Letter of the Committee for Veterinary Control and Surveillance of the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan.

Products Covered: Live poultry, hatching eggs, down and feathers, poultry meat and all poultry products, feed and feed additives for birds, trophies of the chase, used equipment for the keeping, slaughter and cutting of birds

Regulation Type: Addendum to Emergency Notification (SPS)

Distribution date: 12 September 2023 | Final date for Comment: 11 November 2023

This Draft East African Standard specifies the requirements, sampling and test methods for alkaline thioglycollic based hair removers.Note: The product may also be referred to as chemical depilatory. This standard does not cover hair removers of the epilatory type and those having metallic sulphides or stannite composition.

Products Covered: (HS code(s): 330790); Cosmetics. Toiletries (ICS code(s): 71.100.70), Hair remover

Regulation Type: Regular notification

Distribution date: 12 September 2023 | Final date for Comment: 11 November 2023

This Draft East African Standard specifies the requirements, sampling and test methods for alkaline thioglycollic based hair removers.Note: The product may also be referred to as chemical depilatory. This standard does not cover hair removers of the epilatory type and those having metallic sulphides or stannite composition.

Products Covered: (HS code(s): 330790); Cosmetics. Toiletries (ICS code(s): 71.100.70), Hair remover

Regulation Type: Regular notification