G/TBT/W/620  
 
2 April  2019 
(19-2095) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
INDIA - DRAFT FOOD S AFETY AND STANDARDS (ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES  STANDARDS) 
REGULATIONS, 2015  
STATEMENT BY INDIA  TO THE COMMITTEE ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS T O TRADE  
6 AND 7 MARCH 2019  
The following communication, dated 2 April  2019, is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of India. 
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1.  India would like to  thank the delegation s of the European Union and Jamaica fo r their interest in 
the matter.  
2.  My delegation would like to recall the detailed statement made by  India in various  previous 
meeting s of the TBT Committee. A fter conclusion of the previous meeting s, my delegation ha d 
passed on written responses to the delegation  of EU . On some of the additional queries raised by EU 
prior to the last meeting of TBT Comm ittee, my delegation had provided the relevant information to 
the concerned delegation of EU on 22 March 2018. Accordingly, m y delegation believes that India 
has already responded to most of the questions raised , either through written responses or orally 
during the committee meetings . 
3.  In brief, my delegation would like to state that:  
• A comprehensive set of standards on Alcoholic Beverages namely "Food Safety and 
Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018 has been gazette notified on 
28 March  2018. These regulations have been formulated based on existing national 
standards (BIS) and international standards like OIV keeping in view the prevailing Indian 
conditions and practices.  
• The draft regulation s were notified in WTO -TBT/SPS Committees way b ack in  2015.  
• Comments submitted by EU were duly considered  and wherever appropriate , suitable 
amendments were made to the Regulation. In particular , the provisions of Additives are 
now largely harmonized with OIV standards as requested by EU delegation. A ccordingly , 
standards for additives /enzymes/processing aids for use in category 14.2 (Alcoholic 
Beverages including alcohol free and low alcoholic counterparts ) are prescribed in table 14 
of FSS (Food Product Standards and Food Additives)  Regulations,  2016 (notified on 
5 September  2016). Further provisions of additional additives/ processing aids and 
enzymes for grapes wine, distilled spirituous beverages and aromatized alcoholic 
beverages have been notified on 31 July 2017 in FSS (Food Product Standards a nd Food 
Additives) Regulations, 2017.  
• With regard to GI products, it is again informed  to the Members that all GI products have 
been omitted from the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018 
as the GI products in general are regula ted through "Intellectual Property Act " (IPR act)  
of India.  G/TBT/W/620  
 
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  • My delegation would also like to inform the delegation of the United States that far as 
recent receipt of comments from the US on India's Draft Food Safety Standard (Labelling 
& Display) Regulatio n is concerned, the same has been forwarded to the concerned 
authority in the Capital for the necessary inputs and response to the US.   
• My delegation has taken note of the statement made by the delegation of Jamaica on their 
understanding on the descriptio n of "rum" and will forward the same to the concerned 
Indian authority in the Capital for their examination and comments in the matter.  
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