The Secretariat of Animal and Plant Health and Inspection of Brazil notified the World Trade Organization of the Normative Instruction (Instrução Normativa) nº 22 from 24 July of 2018.

The National Agrarian Health Service of Peru (SENASA) has notified the World Trade Organization of the Draft Directorial Resolution establishing the mandatory phytosanitary requirements governing the importation into Peru of almond tree (Prunus dulcis) cuttings originating in and coming from Spain.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) issued a proposal to amend Schedule 20 of the revised Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (August 14, 2018).

The Ministry for Primary Industries of New Zealand notified the World Trade Organization of the Addition of temporary precautionary requirements to the Import Health Standard for Sea Containers to manage the risk of brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) for consignments exported from Italy until 2020.

According to the USDA GAIN Report “Japan to Create Food Packaging Materials Positive List”, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) is revising its approach to packaging materials and is developing a positive list for materials that come into contact with foods.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan notified the World Trade Organization of the Revision of the Standards and Specifications for Foods and Food Additives under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards).

The Republic of Korea notified the World Trade Organization of the Proposed Amendments to the Standards and Specifications for Foods. 

During the Standing Committee held on June 11, 2018, EU Member States postponed the deadline for Commission Recommendation (EU) 2017/84 on the monitoring of mineral oil hydrocarbons in food.

During the Standing Committee held on June 11, 2018, EU Member States endorsed a draft Commission Recommendation on the monitoring of acrylamide in certain foodstuffs.

The European Commission notified the World Trade Organization of two drafts concerning the non-renewal of approval of the active substance quinoxyfen and etoxazole, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market, and amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011.