G/TBT/N/CAN/575  
 
16 January 2019  
(19-0245) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English/French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member: CANADA   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible: Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)  
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 different from above:   
Canada's Notification Authority and Enquiry Point  
Global Affairs Canada  
Technical Barriers and Regulations Division  
111 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2  
Canada  
Telephone: (343)203 -4273 
Fax: (613)943 -0346 
E-mail: enquirypoint@international.gc.ca  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Alcoholic 
beverages (HS Code: 220860; ICS Codes: 67.160.10)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Notice of Intent 
to amend the Food and Drug Regulations to  update the vodka standard (available in 
English and in French)    
6. Description of content: The federal vodka standard under the Food and Drug 
Regulations (FDR) regulates what inter -provincially traded or imported products can be 
labelled as vodka.  The Canadian Food Inspection Agency intends to implement 
amendments to modernize the vodka compositional standard and is seeking feedback on 
the proposed changes to the Food and Drug Regulations . 
The proposed amendments will modernize the standard of ident ity for vodka to enable 
industry to take full advantage of innovation and market developments, removing barriers 
to trade, and enable businesses to be more competitive and grow.  
The proposed amendments include:  
• Requiring vodka to be a potable alcoholic d istillate produced from any material of 
agricultural origin.  
• Allowing flexibility in cases where vodka is produced from agricultural material 
other than potato or cereal grain to have some distinctive character, aroma or 
taste.  
Additional labelling and adv ertising requirements for vodka produced from agricultural 
material other than potato or cereal grain and requirements to include the common name G/TBT/N/CAN/575  
 
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  reflecting the agricultural material when there are distinctive character, aroma or taste 
remaining (e.g. vodk a produced from apples would be labelled and advertised as "Apple 
Vodka").  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: The proposed amendments are part of a Government of Canada action to 
enhance economic competitiveness and improve trade. Modernizing and expanding the 
vodka standard will encourage innovation in the distillery sector and allow broader trade 
of spirits vodka, both within Canada’s borders and across the world.The proposal was 
drafted with a v iew to make it more inclusive and innovative by allowing flexibility in the 
ingredients and characteristics of vodka and labelling non -traditional vodka products 
appropriately.  
8. Relevant documents:   
The Notice of Intent for this regulatory proposal is a vailable from the following web sites, 
in English and French:  
http://inspection.gc.ca/about -the-cfia/account ability/consultations -and-
engagement/notice -of-intent/eng/1547142819027/1547142850073  (English)  
http://inspection.gc.ca/au -sujet-de-l-acia/responsabilisation/consultation -et-
participation/avis -d-intention/fra/1547142819027/1547142850073  (French)   
9. Proposed date of adoption: To be determined.  
Proposed date of entry into force: The regulations will come into force on the day they 
are published in Canada Gazette Part II.  
10. Final date for comments: 15 March 2019  
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:   
The electronic version of the regulatory text can be downloaded at:  
 
http://ins pection.gc.ca/about -the-cfia/accountability/consultations -and-
engagement/notice -of-intent/eng/1547142819027/1547142850073  
http://inspection.gc.ca/au -sujet-de-l-acia/responsabilisation/consultation -et-
participation/avis -d-intention/fra/1547142819027/1547142850073