G/SPS/N/MYS/54  
 
28 November 2022  
(22-8843) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  MALAYSIA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Food Safety and Quality Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia  
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):  Beer made from malt (HS code(s): 2203); Wine of fresh grapes, 
including fortified wines; grape must other than that of headi ng 20.09 (HS code(s): 2204); 
Vermouth and other wine of fresh grapes flavoured with plants or aromatic substances 
(HS code(s): 2205); Other fermented beverages (for example, cider, perry, mead, saké); 
mixtures of fermented beverages and mixtures of ferment ed beverages and non -alcoholic 
beverages, not elsewhere specified or included (HS code(s): 2206); Undenatured ethyl 
alcohol of an alcoholic strength by volume of 80 % vol. or higher; ethyl alcohol and other 
spirits, denatured, of any strength (HS code(s): 2207);  Undenatured ethyl alcohol of an 
alcoholic strength by volume of less than 80  % vol.; spirits, liqueurs and other spirituous 
beverages (HS code(s): 2208)  
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:  Amendments to regulations 361 to 386A and 387 and 
insertion of a new regulation, i.e. regulation 384A to the Food Regulations 1985 
[P.U.(A)  437/1985 ]. Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  10 
6. Description of content:  The proposed amendments to the Food Regulations 1985 
[P.U.(A) 437/1985 ] involve the following:  
1. Amendments to regulation 361 on general standard for alcoholic beverages ; 
2. Amendments to reg ulations 362 to 386A and 387 on specific requirements of alcoholic 
beverages in relation to the alcohol content, the addition of other ingredients, the use 
of food additives and labelling requirements. The purpose of the amendments on all 
provisions of foo d additives for alcoholic beverages is to harmonise the food additive 
requirements with the Codex Alimentarius, i.e., Codex General Standard for Food 
Additives (GSFA, Codex STAN 192 -1995), in line with subregulation 19(2) of the Food 
Regulations 1985 [ P.U.(A) 437/1985 ]. The conditions under which food additives may 
be used in alcoholic beverages can be directly referred to GSFA, Codex STAN 192 -
1995; and  
3. Insertion of a new regulation, regulation 384A which prescribes the standard and 
labelling requirements f or tequila and mezcal.  
7. Objective and rationale: [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 /MYS/54  
 
- 2 - 
 
  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 General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA, 
Codex STAN 192 -1995)  
[ ] World Organization for Animal  Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  The proposed amendments of food additives are to be aligned 
with Codex GSFA. However, there is no Codex standard for the alcoholic beverages. 
The proposed amendmen ts are based on regulations from other countries including 
Australia, Brunei  Darussalam , Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, 
the Republic of Korea, Mexico , New Zealand, the Philippines,  Singapore and  the 
United  States of America . 
9. Other rel evant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [X]  Six months from date of publ ication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) :  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 27 January 2023  
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:   
Food Safety and Quality Division  
Ministry of Health Malaysia  
Level 4, Menara Prisma  
No. 26, Jln. Persiaran Perdana, Precint 3  
62675 F.T. Putrajaya, Malaysia  
Tel: +(603) 8885 0797  
Fax: +(603) 8885 0790  
E-mail: sps.fsqd@moh.gov.my  
Website: http://fsq.moh.gov.my/  
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
Food Safety and Quality Division  
Ministry of Health Malaysia  
Level 4, Menara Prisma  
No. 26, Jln. Persiaran Perdana, Precint 3  
62675 F.T. Putrajaya, Malaysia  
Tel: +(603) 8885 0797  
Fax: +(603) 8885 0790  
E-mail: sps.fsqd@moh.gov.my  
Website: http://fsq.moh.gov.my/