Voluntary Report – Voluntary - Public Distribution Date: May 04,2020

Report Number: CO2020-0016

Report Name: Colombia Notifies Draft Measure to Restrict Processed Foods that Exceed Sodium Targets

Country: Colombia

Post: Bogota

Report Category: FAIRS Subject Report, Policy and Program Announcements

Prepared By: Moises Huerta

Approved By: Benjamin Rau

Report Highlights:

On July 26, 2019, Colombia notified a proposed technical regulation that defines the maximum sodium content for a list of 67 processed foods to the WTO TBT Committee as G/TBT/N/COL/238. This measure ultimately seeks to reduce hypertension and related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) associated to excess salt intake. The proposed measure establishes a mandatory one and three-year maximum sodium content targets for each of the 67 food categories.

THIS REPORT CONTAINS ASSESSMENTS OF COMMODITY AND TRADE ISSUES MADE BY USDA STAFF AND NOT NECESSARILY STATEMENTS OF OFFICIAL U.S. GOVERNMENT POLICY On July 26, 2019, Colombia notified to the WTO TBT Committee a “Draft Technical Regulation establishing the maximum sodium content for food products prioritized in the National Strategy for the Reduction of Sodium Consumption and setting forth other provisions”. The draft regulation was notified to the WTO as G/TBT/N/COL/238. The text of this proposed regulation can be located at: https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/TBT/COL/19_4077_00_s.pdf

This measure was developed by Colombia’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MINHEALTH) and seeks to reduce hypertension and related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) associated to excess salt intake. MINHEALTH claims that this proposed regulation is one of the multiple mechanisms that the Colombian government is using to reduce the allegedly high salt intake among Colombians. MINHEALTH is working towards reaching the per capita daily salt consumption of 5,000 mg, recommended by the World Health Organization.

To help achieve this, MINHEALTH identified 67 processed foods of high interest and established maximum sodium content levels for each product, following a mg of sodium per 100 mg of total content basis for year 1 (12 months after the regulation goes into effect), and year 3 (36 months after the regulation goes into effect). Below is the list of 67 targeted product categories:

1) Tuna in oil

2) Tuna in water

3) Mixed Tuna

4) Dehydrated bases

5) Dehydrated broths

6) Ground chicken

7) Mixed Cereals and multi-ingredient breakfast items

8) Extruded and puffed breakfast cereal

9) Frosted breakfast cereal

10) sausage

11) Chicken chorizo sausage

12) Packaged crouton

13) Natural flavor extrudates THIS REPORT CONTAINS ASSESSMENTS OF COMMODITY AND TRADE ISSUES MADE BY USDA STAFF AND NOT NECESSARILY STATEMENTS OF OFFICIAL U.S. GOVERNMENT POLICY 14) Flavor extrudates

15) Pretzel/crackers

16) Special pretzels/crackers

17) Ham

18) Chicken ham

19) Peanuts with other nuts

20) Peanuts with raisins

21) Salted peanuts

22) Sweet peanuts

23) Lightly salted peanuts

24) Peanuts mixed with other ingredients

25) Japanese peanuts

26) Butter

27) Industrial margarine

28) Table and cooking margarine and spread

29) Mayonnaise

30) Mix to prepare flavoring seasoning

31) Mix to prepare tenderizing seasonings

32) Flavored natural mixtures

33) Flavored mixtures

34)

35) Chicken mortadella

36) Mustards 37) Packaged soft bread

38) Packaged pastry bread

39) Packaged sliced bread

40) Packaged toasted bread

41) Flavored potato chips

42) Natural flavor potato chips

43) Wheat flour-based snacks

44) Fried -based snacks

45) Vegetable pasta

46) Bananas and/or yuccas/cassavas

47) Wheat flour products

48) Baked products made from yucca/cassava starch

49) Cream cheese

50) Fresh unripened cheese

51) Fresh unripened string cheese

52) /sausage

53) Chicken hot dog/sausage

54) Bologna sausage

55) Chicken bologna sausage

56) Soy sauce

57) Tomato sauce

58) Tomato-based sauces

59) Sauces with tomato 60) Vegetable-based sauces

61) Emulsified sauces

62) Non-emulsified sauces

63) Sardines in oil

64) Sardines in tomato sauce

65) Dehydrated soups containing pasta

66) Dehydrated soups and creams

67) Corn tortillas

Under this regulation, domestic and foreign suppliers must not exceed the established maximum sodium content and will be subject to government compliance verification and sanctions if found in non- compliance.

In terms of compliance verification, the proposed regulation establishes the use of “certificates of conformity” Although these certificates are currently used by domestic and foreign manufacturers of toys, detergents, and some electrical items to demonstrate compliance with certain health and environmental regulations, if the draft measure is implemented, this may be the first time Colombia requires manufacturers to submit certificates of conformity for food products. Furthermore, on the possible sanctions due to non-compliance, the proposed regulation suggests that these will include those described under Law 9 of 1979.

Many domestic and international food manufacturers and sellers have expressed serious concerns regarding the eventual implementation of this regulation as it may require extensive and costly reformulation to bring their products into compliance. In October 2019, the United States Government submitted comments and questions to the Colombian Government about this draft measure. The European Union, and Governments of Mexico, Peru, and other international groups also submitted questions and comments about this regulation. As of April 2020, the measure has not yet been officially issued. Attachments:

No Attachments.