G/TBT/N/MUS/12  
5 November 2020  
(20-7855) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  MAURITIUS   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate 
Change  
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 d ifferent from above:   
Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate change  
Ken Lee Tower  
Barracks Street  
Port Louis  
E-mail: menv@govmu.org  
Fax: + 230 212 9407 / +230 210 2459  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [   ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [X], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  
Non-biodegradable plastic bag and Biodegradable and compostable plastic bag  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  GN 197 of 2020 
Environment Protection (Banning of Plastic Bags) Regulations 2020 (24 page(s), in 
English)  
6. Description of content:  As from 01 March 2021, the possession, use, distribution, 
selling, exportation, importation, manufacture or supply of plastic bags will be banned 
with certain exemptions as provided in First Schedule of the Regulations.  
The importation or manufacture of an exempt pla stic bag or a biodegradable plastic bag 
or a compostable plastic bag will be subject to registration with the Director of 
Environment. A Certificate of Registration will be issued which will be valid for a period of 
three years and will be renewed.  
Furthermore, the importation or manufacture of a biodegradable plastic bag or a 
compostable plastic bag will be subject to obtention of a clearance the Director of 
Environment. Importers of biodegradable or compostable plastic bag are required to:  
1. apply fo r a clearance at least 30 days prior placing of order of the bag to be 
imported; and  
2. submit copy of the original certificate of conformity issued by the manufacturer 
as well as samples of the biodegradable or compostable plastic bag to be tested 
by such la boratory as the Director may approve.  
On the coming into operation of the above regulations on 01 March 2021, the Environment 
Protection (Banning of Plastic Bags) Regulations 2015 will be revoked and every existing G/TBT/N/MUS/12  
 
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  importer or manufacturer of exempt plasti c bag, or biodegradable plastic bag or 
compostable plastic bag will have to make a fresh application to be registered as 
manufacturer or importer of such bags.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Over the past few recent years, Mauritius has been subject to flash floods 
during period of heavy rain due to clogged waterways. One of the main reasons is plastic 
products such as plastic bags end up as litter, clogs drains and waterways. Moreover, 
concern for abu sive use and disposal of plastic bags has emerged as a major 
environmental issue in Mauritius. With efforts to tackle plastic pollution, a major policy 
response taken to minimize the use of plastic bags was the promulgation of the 
Environment Protection (B anning of plastic bags) Regulations 2015. The Regulations ban 
the import, manufacture, sale or supply of plastic bags as from 1 January 2016, including 
non-woven polypropylene bags and excluding all exempted plastic bags listed in the First 
Schedule. The R egulations applied to plastic bags designed to carry goods purchased at 
a point of sale. Since various loopholes were identified and difficulties were encountered 
during enforcement of the Environment Protection (Banning of Plastic Bags) Regulations 
2015, this Ministry has reviewed the latter regulations. Thus, the Environment Protection 
(Banning of Plastic Bags) Regulations 2020 has been made on the 26  August 2020 and 
will be effective as from 01 March 2021 with a six month moratorium period to deplete 
existing stocks. The Environment Protection (Banning of Plastic Bags) Regulations 2015 
will be revoked with the coming into operation of the new regulations and every existing 
importer or manufacturer of exempt plastic bag, or biodegradable plastic bag or 
compostable plastic bag will have to make a fresh application to be registered as 
manufacturer or importer of such bags.  
8. Relevant documents:   
https://environment.govmu.org/Documents/regulations/GN%20197%20of%202020%2
0-
%20Environment%20Protection%20(Banning%20of%20Plastic%20Bags)%20Regulatio
ns%202020.pdf   
9. Proposed date of adoption:  26 August 2020  
Proposed date of entry into force:  1 March 2021  
10. Final date for comments:  N/A G/TBT/N/MUS/12  
 
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  11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
Mrs. S. Soobron  
Divisional Environment Officer  
Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate change  
Ken Lee Tower  
Barracks Street  
Port Louis  
T :+ 230 203 6200  
Fax: + 230 212 9407 / 210 2459  
E-mail: menv@govmu.org  / ssoobron@govmu.org  
Mauritius Standards Bureau (TBT Enquiry Point)  
Email: msb@intnet.mu / KRamsarrun@msb.intnet.mu  
Fax : +230 4335051  
International Trade Division (TBT National Notification Authority)  
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integrati on and International Trade  
E-mail: motas@intnet.mu ; vidan_2@yahoo.com  
Fax: +230 210 8145  
https://environment.govmu.org/Documents/regulations/GN%20197%20of%202020%2
0-
%20Environment%20Protection%20(Banning%20of%20Plastic%20Bags)%20Regulatio
ns%202020.pdf