G/TBT/N/ISR/791 11 April 2014 (14-2253) Page

G/TBT/N/ISR/791

11 April 2014

(14-2253) Page: 1/2

Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original: English

NOTIFICATION

The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6

1. Notifying Member: ISRAEL If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):

2. Agency responsible: Israel WTO-TBT Enquiry Point Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above: Israel WTO-TBT Enquiry Point Ministry of Economy Tel.: + (972) 3 7347502 Fax: + (972) 3 7347626 E-mail: [email protected]

3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X ], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], other:

4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Food additives (ICS 67.220.20)

5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Public Health Regulations (Food) (Food Additives) (Amendment) 5774-2014 (5 pages, in Hebrew)

6. Description of content: Draft amendment to Israel's Ministry of Health regulations titled "Public Health Regulations (Food) (Food Additives) (Amendment) 5774-2014". The major changes introduced in this amendment are as follows: 1. Amends the definitions in regulation 1, including Processing Aid - any substance or material, not including apparatus or utensils, and not consumed as a food ingredient by itself, intentionally used in the processing of raw materials, foods or its ingredients, to fulfil a certain technological purpose during treatment or processing and which may result in the unintentional but unavoidable presence of residues or derivatives in the final product. This new definition allows the use of processing aids that appear in the list of approved food additives. 2. Adds to regulation 3 a new paragraph, (b), dealing with Carry-Over, an additive that may be present in a food as a result of being carried-over during the food production. The use of carry-over is prohibited unless it is acceptable for use in the raw materials or other ingredients of the final product and its amount does not exceed the maximum use level. This does not apply to infant formulae and follow-up formulae and formulae for special medical purposes for infants. 3. Adds a new regulation, 6a, requiring that food containing sweetener shall bear the following warnings in Hebrew: a. For pre-packaged food with polyols: "excessive consumption may induce laxative effects"; b. For pre-packaged food with aspartame/aspartame-acesulfame salt: "contains a source of phenylalanine". In the case of table-top sweetener to add also "not G/TBT/N/ISR/791

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suitable for baking or cooking"; c. For drinks containing aspartame and/or aspartame-acesulfame salt, the following warning should be added: "store in a cool and shaded place".

7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: Protection of Human health or Safety

8. Relevant documents:  Public Health Regulations (Food) (Additives) (Amendment) 5774-2014;  Public Health Regulations (Food) (Additives) 5761-2001.

9. Proposed date of adoption: To be determined Proposed date of entry into force: The amendment should enter into force 6 months after publication in Israel Official Gazette, section of Government Notice but with respect to packaged food manufactured or imported before their entry into force. These regulations will enter into force 1 year after their publication.

10. Final date for comments: 60 days from notification

11. Text available from: National enquiry point [ ], or address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body: Draft amendment to Public Health Regulations (Food) (Additives) 5774-2014 (Hebrew): http://www2.moital.gov.il/cmstamat/rsrc/tkina/PublicHealthReg-Food-FoodAdditives.pdf Public Health Regulations (Food) (Additives) 5761-2001(Hebrew): http://www2.moital.gov.il/cmstamat/rsrc/tkina/PublicHealthReg-Food-FoodAdditives- Original.pdf