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5 April, 2018

April 5, 2018

Dear Madam/Sir,

As per Notification 57/2015-2020 dated 28 March, 2018 (Click Here) issued by the DGFT amendments have been made in the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020 with regard to import of Raw Sugar under Duty Free Import Authorisation (DFIA) scheme.

As per Notification 58/2015-2020 dated 28 March, 2018 (Click Here) issued by the DGFT import policy for Second Hand Goods imported for the purpose of repair / refurbishing / re – conditioning or re – engineering is laid down.

As per Notification 59/2015-2020 dated 28 March, 2018 (Click Here) issued by the DGFT import of seal skin, in any form, is prohibited.

As per Public Notice 69/2015-2020 dated 28 March, 2018 (Click Here) issued by the DGFT amendments related to import of Raw Sugar under DFIA scheme have been made in Hand Book of Procedures 2015-2020.

As per Public Notice 70/2015-2020 dated 28 March, 2018 (Click Here) issued by the DGFT period for installation and operationalization of Radiation Portal Monitors and Container Scanner in the designated ports is extended up to 31.10.2018.

The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Fourth Amendment Regulations, 2018 dated 4 April, 2018 (Click Here) specifying revised microbiological standards for fruits and vegetables and their products.

The Malaysian Ministry of Health published updated consolidation of its food additive regulations dated 29 March, 2018 (Click Here).

The Food and Drug Administration of Thailand published Notification dated 29 March, 2018 (Click Here) for determining rules, procedures and conditions for setting up inspection or certification bodies for food establishments.

National Health and Family Planning Commission of China published Announcement No. 3 of 2018 dated 22 March, 2018 (Click Here) pertaining to 6 New Varieties of Food-Related Products including 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane etc.

The Federal Commission for the Protection Against Sanitary Risk (COFEPRIS) of Mexico published following amendments of its food additive regulations dated 22 March, 2018:
- Annex III: Colorants with an established ADI (Click Here)
- Annex VI: Enzymes (Click Here)
- Annex VII: Sweeteners with an established ADI (Click Here)

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan published following:
- Notification no 153 on 30 March, 2018 (Click Here) regarding amendment to Food Additives of Japan. It amends food additives like Abamectin, gamithromycin, cyanazine, dinotefuran, difenoconazole, tiamulin, pyraziflumide, flutianyl, Flometokin, Hopetto, mandipropamid, metaflumizone, mepiquat chloride.
- Medicinal nutrition basis 0330 No. 6 on 30 March, 2018 (Click Here) regarding notes on test methods for pesticides remaining in food stipulated in standards for food, additives, etc

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) published public notice on Inspection of Consolidated cargo at the country of supply dated 3 April, 2018 (Click Here). According to notice all consolidators for both air and sea cargo are now required to register with KEBS to have their goods inspected under a new procedure created by the Kenya Bureau of Standards and Kenya Revenue Authority and issued with a Certificate of Inspection (CoI) before shipment to Kenya.

South Korea Food and Drug Administrator published Prime Ministerial Decree No. 1452, 30 March, 2018 (Click Here) amending regulation on Food and Drug Administration and its affiliated organisations.

Health Canada published a public notice regarding approval of Golden Rice GR2E for food dated 16 March, 2018 (Click Here). The announcement said that compared with the existing rice varieties on the Canadian market, the golden rice has no difference in nutritional value except for high vitamin A content and will not have adverse effects on human health.

Minister of Health and Labor of Estonia published following dated 4 April, 2018:
- Pharmaceutical regulations (Click Here). It contains regulation for the manufacture and import of medicinal products. The regulation will come into force from 7 April, 2018.
- Amendment to Regulation No. 74 of 17 December 2014 regarding Regulation on the Production of Medicinal Products (Click Here). The amendment pertains to the quality system for medicinal products, Good Manufacturing Practice assurance that ensures the manufacture, import and distribution of medicinal products. The amendment will come into force from 7 April, 2018.

Hong Kong amended Dangerous Goods (General) Regulations on 31 March, 2018 (Click Here).

The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) published following:
- Decision no 25 on 30 March, 2018 (Click Here) regarding a new version of the Unified List of Quarantine Facilities of the EAEC. The list has been supplemented with new types of plant pests that are not present on the territory of the EAEC.
- Decision no 24 on 30 March, 2018 (Click Here) regarding new version of the Uniform Quarantine Phytosanitary Requirements for Quarantine Products, previously approved by the decision of the ECE Council of 30.11.2016 No. 157. New demands are made, in particular, for seed and planting material, seed tubers of potatoes, seedlings and cuttings of fruit and berry crops, grapes, seedlings of forest and ornamental crops, pot plants, etc

National Health Surveillance Agency of Brazil (ANVISA) published Service Guideline No. 45 dated 29 March, 2018 (Click Here). The document provides guidance on procedures for the analysis of organic products. The specific codes have been created to facilitate the consultation of documents and normative instructions for addition of registration and post-registration of biological products.

The United Kingdom published following:
- Statutory Rules on Northern Ireland No 77 /2018 regarding the Condensed Milk and Dried Milk Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2018 on 27 March, 2018 (Click Here). The regulation will come into force from 23 April, 2018.
- Statutory Rules on Northern Ireland No 78 /2018 published the Jam and Similar Products Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2018 on 27 March, 2018 (Click Here). The regulation will come into force from 23 April, 2018.

The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources of Australia published Import industry advice notices no. 33-2018 dated 3 April, 2018 (Click Here). This notice pertains to importers for conditionally non-prohibited goods that require an import permit and agents acting on importers’ behalf. From 9 April 2018, the department will no longer facilitate the clearance of conditionally non-prohibited goods that arrive without the required import permit. Applications for import permits are made via BICON.

The European Union published Regulation (EU) 2018/523 on 28 March, 2018 (Click Here) amending veterinary drug MRLs for fluazuron in certain food-producing animals. The amended MRLs go into effect on June 3, 2018.

The US Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued directive 5000.4 Revision 2 dated 29 March, 2018 (Click Here) providing instructions to inspection program personnel (IPP) regarding how to perform the Public Health Information System (PHIS) Pre-Operational (Pre-Op) Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (Sanitation SOP) verification task in meat and poultry slaughter and processing operations, and official import companies.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published regulation which establishes exemptions from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of N,N-Dimethyl 9-Decenamide; N,N-Dimethyldodecanamide; N,N-Dimethyltetradecanamide dated 30 March, 2018 (Click Here) when used as inert ingredients (surfactant, solvent) on growing crops and raw agricultural commodities after harvest.