G/SPS/N/CAN/1084/Rev.1  
 
25 June 2019  
(19-4275) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English/French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
Revision  
1. Notifying Member:  CANADA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Canadian Food Inspection Agency  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Food intended for human consumption (ICS  Codes:  67.020; 
55.200)  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Food Labelling Modernization . Language(s):  English 
and French . Number of pages:  67 
6. Description of content:  The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is launching a public 
consultation on proposed regulations on the labelling of pre -packaged food destined for 
sale in Canada. Known as "Food Labelling Modernization", the regulatory proposal is 
aimed at developing a mor e modern food labelling system to better protect consumers 
from deception and improve the consumers' ability to make informed purchasing 
decisions.  Briefly, the Food Labelling Modernization regulatory proposal would:  
1) Enhance the food label to better protect and inform consumers with clear and accurate 
information to make purchasing decisions, including:  
What the food contains (e.g., amendments to provide percentage of ingredient 
declaration for characterizing ingredients that are emphasized [i.e. emph asized 
ingredients]), How long the quality of the food will last (i.e., best before date);  
2) Streamline the regulatory framework by harmonizing food commodity labelling based 
regulations to create consistency across foods, by removing duplication and 
inconsi stencies, and by repealing certain commodity specific labelling requirements. 
This is consistent with the approach that was taken with the Safe Food for Canadians 
Regulations ; 
3) Introduce a more adaptable and responsive framework through the use of 
incorpora tion by reference where appropriate (e.g., container sizes, class names). 
This would support innovation.  
This consultation has been notified under the TBT Agreement (G/TBT/N/CAN/506/Rev.1) 
and SPS Agreement (G/SPS/N/CAN/1084/Rev.1).  
7. Objective and ratio nale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   G/SPS/N/CAN/1084/Rev.1  
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : CODEX STAN -1-1985 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] Internation al Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined. Final regulations are 
anticipated in June 2020.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined. Final regulations are 
anticipated in June 2020.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : The proposed regulations would come into effect upon final 
publication (anticipated in spring 2020); however there is a transitional period to allow 
regulated parties time to comply. This is described by the following three phases:  
• Phase 1: Requirements that do not significantly impact trade (e.g., class names, 
container sizes, test market food) - spring 2020  
• Phase 2: Requirements that change existing labelling (e.g., date marking, food 
company information) - late 2022  
• Phase 3: Requi rements that are more significant changes (e.g., legibility, declaration 
of percentage ingredient of emphasized ingredient) - late 2026  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 4 September 2019  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
The electronic version of the regulatory text can be downloaded a t: 
http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp -pr/p1/2019/2019 -06-22/html/reg1 -eng.html  
http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp -pr/p1/2019/2019 -06-22/html/reg1 -fra.html  
Canada's Notification Authority and Enquiry Point  
Global Affairs Canada  
Technical Barriers a nd Regulations Division  
111 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2  
Canada  
Tel: +(343) 203 4273  
Fax: +(613) 943 0346  
E-mail: enquirypoint@international.gc.ca