G/SPS/N/ZAF/56  
 
30 October 2017  
(17-5860) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member: SOUTH AFRICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible: Department of Trade and Industry  
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):  
 Frozen fish, frozen marine molluscs and frozen products derived therefrom - VC 8017  
 Frozen shrimps (prawns), langoustines and crabs, and products derived therefrom – 
VC 8031 
 Canned fish, canned marine molluscs and canned crustaceans - VC 8014  
 Canned meat products  - VC 8019  
 Live lobster - VC 9104  
 Smoked snoek, smoked fiifish  and smoke -flavoured finfish - VC 8021  
 Frozen rock lobster and frozen lobster products derived therefrom - VC 8020  
 Live aquacultured abalone - VC 9001  
 Live and raw chilled bivalves  
 Other fishery products regulated under the NRCS Act  
4. Regions or countrie s likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners  
[ ] Specific regions or countries:  
5. Title of the notified document: The administrative regulatory requirements  for imported 
fish and fishery products and canned meat products regulated under the National 
Regulator for Compulsory Specifications Act, 2008 (Act No . 5 of 2008), as amended . 
Language(s): English.  Number of pages: 8 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/SPS/ZAF/17_4767_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: This regulation outlines the administrative regulatory 
requirements of fish and fishery products and canned meat products regulated under the 
National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications Act, 2008 (Act No . 5 of 2008) as 
amended through the Legal Metrology Act (Act No . 9 of 2014), which are imported into the 
Republic of South Africa (RSA). The main requirements include that the Competent 
Authority in the exporting country issue s a health certificate/guarantee for each 
consignment exported to South Africa and  lists approved establishments . 
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.  G/SPS/N/ZAF/56  
 
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  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 tex t): Guidelines for food  import control systems 
(CAC/GL  47-2003)  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are av ailable:  
 Guidelines for the Exchange of Information Between Countries on Rejections of 
Imported Food , CAC/GL 25 -1997 
 Principles and Guidelines for the Exchange of Information Between Importing and 
Exporting Countries to Support the Trade in Food  
(available in English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined after all comments are 
taken into consideration.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined after all comments are 
taken into consideration.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [X]  Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) :  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 29 December 2017  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:  
National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS)  
Private Bag X25 Brooklyn  
0075  
Tel: +(27 12) 482 8930  
E-mail: maphuti.kutu@nrcs.org.za  
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS)  
Private Bag X25  
Brooklyn  
0075  
Tel: +(27 12) 482 8930  
E-mail: maphuti.kutu@nrcs.org.za