G/SPS/N/MAC/23  
 
14 September 2018  
(18-5673) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member: MACAO, CHINA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible: Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM), The Government of the 
Macao Special Administrative Region  
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 
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: Regulamento Administrativo nº 23/2018 Limites 
máximos de metais pesados contaminantes em géneros alimentícios (Administrative 
Regulation No. 23/2018 Maximum Limits of Heavy Metal Contaminants in Food) . 
Language(s): Chinese and Portuguese.  Number of pages: 9 
http://images.io.gov.mo/bo/i/2018/36/rega -23-2018.pdf  
6. Description of content: The Administrative Regulation No. 23/2018 Maximum Limits of 
Heavy Metal Contaminants in Food  is a food safety standard that establishes the 
maximum levels of heavy metal contaminants presenting in various foodstuffs. In this 
administrative regulation, the term "heavy metal contaminants" refers to elements or 
chemical compounds of heavy metals whi ch contaminate foodstuffs; "maximum limits" 
are defined as maximum levels of heavy metals contaminants, expressed in mg/kg or 
mg/L, legally established for the edible part of food products.  
The administrative regulation stipulates that levels of specified heavy metal contaminants, 
including arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury and tin and their compounds in a variety of 
food, shall conform to the limits listed in this regulation.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protecti on, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.  
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 193 -1995 General Standard for 
Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Pro tection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  G/SPS/N/MAC/23  
 
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  Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [X] No  
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard: The proposed regul ation has made reference to the relevant 
Codex standard. On the same time, based on the fact that the majority of imported 
primary agricultural produce in the local market are sourced from China, this standard 
has made reference to the Chinese national sta ndard for contaminants in food and 
corresponding national standards of major exporting countries, in addition to the Codex 
standards.  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 10 August 2018  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 3 September 2018  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 4 September 2018  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if av ailable) 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: