East Africa: Standards on Raw In-shell Macadamias, Cashew Flour and Peanut Flour
Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda have notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) that the draft East African Standards on raw in-shell macadamias, cashew flour and peanut flour were adopted by the East African Community Council of Ministers on June 14, 2024.
EU: “Stop Fake Food: Origin on Label” Citizens’ Initiative
A Commission Implementing Decision registering a European citizens’ initiative entitled “Stop Fake Food: Origin on Label” was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on August 2, 2024.
The aims of the initiative, as expressed by the organizers, are to call for: (i) European consumers to have access to transparent information about the food they buy; (ii) the respect of the expectations of European consumers in terms of high quality and sustainability standards of food; (iii) the origin of all products entering the common market to be clearly and explicitly indicated; and (iv) all products entering the common market to respect the same environmental, health and labor standards applicable in the internal market, in order to protect consumer health and the planet.
The organizers have six months to collect 1 million signatures from EU citizens, whereupon the European Commission will decide what action (if any) to take and communicate its reasons for doing so.
Peru: Draft Technical Standard on Food Packaging Labels
Peru has notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of a draft Peruvian Technical Standard establishing quality specifications and characteristics for high-tack adhesives used for self-adhesive food packaging labels. Among other commodities, the standard would apply to “other nuts, fresh or dried, whether or not shelled or peeled” under tariff heading 0802. The deadline for comment is September 24, 2024.