G/TBT/GEN/154  
 
25 October 2013  
(13-5900)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
 A NEW REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR FEDERAL  
FOOD INSPECTION: DISCUSSION DOCUMENT 
COMMUNICATION FROM CANADA 
The following communication, received on 21 October 2013, is being circulated at the request of 
the delegation of Canada. 
 
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1.  The Government of Canada would like to inform Members of its proposal for a new Regulatory 
Framework for Federal Food Inspection. This  could impact Canada's trading partners. 
2.  Passage of the Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA) in November 2012 sets the stage for 
important changes to Canada's food safety system . New regulations are required to bring the SFCA 
into force. 
3.  The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)  is proposing to draw together federal food 
inspection regulations in Canada into one overarching system. The CFIA is proposing to replace 13 federal food inspection regulations with one set of regulations that include: 
 horizontal provisions applying to all food impo rted and prepared for trade inter-provincially 
(e.g. licensing, preventative controls, outcom e-based requirements, traceability, record-
keeping, review and redress mechanisms); 
 commodity-specific safety requirements (e .g. fresh fruit and vegetable), commodity-
specific trade and consumer protection provisions (e.g. labelling, standards of identify); and 
 complementary regulations regarding disclosure of information and administrative 
monetary penalties. 
4.  Canada notified the New Regulatory Framework for Federal Food Inspection: Discussion 
Document to the WTO in G/TBT/N/CAN/394 (19 July 2013) and G/SPS/N/CAN/700 (8 July 2013). 
This discussion document sets out proposed elem ents of a broad framework for new federal food 
inspection regulations and can be found at: 
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/act ion-plan/food-safety-regulatory-
forum/presentations/discussion-document/eng/1370029593829/1370029641557  (English) 
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/aliments/plan-d-action /forum-sur-la-reglementa tion-de-la-salubrite-
des-al/exposes-presentes-dans-le-cadre-du-forum/document-de-
travail/fra/1370029593829/1370029641557  (French) 
5.  WTO Members have until 30 November 2013 to provide comments on the proposed framework. 
Responses received as a result of this consultation will be considered in drafting the regulations. 
6.  In spring 2014, a Notice of Regulatory Intent will be notified for consultation and will contain a 
discussion draft of the proposed new regulations as  well as interpretive guidelines developed to 
support the proposed new regulatory framework. At that time, Members will have the opportunity to comment on the draft of the proposed regulations. G/TBT/GEN/154 
 
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  7.  The Safe Food for Canadians Act and associated regulations are anticipated to come into force 
in January 2015. 
8.  Canada encourages Members to comment on the New Regulatory Framework: Discussion 
Document currently under consultation.  
9.  Comments can be submitted directly to: CFIA-Modernisation-ACIA@inspection.gc.ca . 
10.  Canada will provide an update on the status of this initiative and advise you of next steps at 
the March 2014 WTO TBT Committee meeting.  
 
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