. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/HKG/2
4 April 2001
(01-1712)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   HONG KONG, CHINA
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   The Environment and Food Bureau, Government of the HKSAR
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:           
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):   Genetically modified
(GM) food
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Consultation Paper on
"Labelling of Genetically Modified Food" (27 pages, in English)
6. Description of content:    To invite views on the following proposals:
(a) To adopt an approach that requires that the presence of genetically modified content
of any ingredient of a food product above a threshold and any significantly different
characteristic of the GM content to be labelled (paragraph 4.1 in the document);
(b) To set the threshold under the approach proposed in (a) at 5% (paragraph 4.2);
(c) When the GM content of an ingredient of a food product exceeds 5%, to have more
detailed labelling of significant modifications that have taken place under the
following conditions:
- The composition or nutritional value is significantly different from that of
its conventional counterpart;
- The level of anti-nutritional factors or natural toxicants is significantly
different from that in its conventional counterpart;
- The presence of an allergen that is not found in its conventional
counterpart;
- The intended use of the food is significantly different from that of its
conventional counterpart; or
- An animal gene has been introduced into food of plant origin
(paragraph 4.3);
(d) "GM free" and similar labels should be used with caution to avoid giving consumers
misleading information (paragraph 4.4);
(e) Any negative claim in a food label should be substantiated by documents certifying
that an identity preservation system was in place for the ingredients used
(paragraph 4.5);G/TBT/N/HKG/2
Page 2
(f) A labelling system for GM food should cover only pre-packaged food at this stage
(paragraph 4.6);
(g) Three possible options for introducing a labelling system for GM food:
A. To encourage the food trade to label GM food voluntarily following a set of
guidelines issued by the Government;
B. To provide for mandatory labelling by introducing legislative amendments;
and
C. As a first step, to encourage the food trade to label GM food voluntarily
following guidelines issued by the Go vernment and to provide for mandatory
labelling by legislative amendments at a later date taking into account
developments on the international front (paragraph 4.7).
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
To facilitate consumer information.
8. Relevant documents:   Consultation Paper on “Labelling of Genetically Modified Food”
(27 pages, in English)
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: }To be determined. The date of adoption/ entryinto force is pending the result of the
consultation exercise.
10. Final date for comments:   31 May 2001
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X] or address, telephone and fax
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:  The text is also
available on the internet at:  http://www.info.gov.hk/efb/front.html