G/SPS/N/NPL/22  
 
19 April 2016  
(16-2207)  Page: 1/3  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
1. Notifying Member: NEPAL 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible: Government of Nepal, Ministry of Agricultural Development, 
Department of Food Technology and Quality Control 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): HS Code 220110: Packaged drinking water, mineral 
water 
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: Quality standard for Packaged drinking water and 
Mineral Water  Language(s): Nepali  Number of pages: 4 and 5 
http://www.spsenquiry.gov.np  
http://www.dftqc.gov.np  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2016/SPS/NPL/16_1504_00_x.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2016/SPS/NPL/16_1504_01_x.pdf  
6. Description of content: The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control 
proposes the quality standard for above mentioned food products: 
i. as a compulsory provision under food law and regulation; 
ii. to monitor export/import of these food products; and 
iii. to maintain safe and quality food product to the consumer. 
"Packaged waters", other than natural mineral waters, are waters for human 
consumption and may contain minerals, naturally occurring or intentionally added; may contain carbon dioxide, naturally occurring or intentionally added; but shall not contain 
sugars, sweeteners, flavourings or other foodstuffs. 
"Natural mineral water" is a water clearly distinguishable from ordinary drinking water 
because:  
a) it is characterized by its content of certain mineral salts and their relative 
proportions and the presence of trace elements or of other constituents; 
b) it is obtained directly from natural or dr illed sources from underground water bearing 
strata for which all possible precautions should be taken within the protected 
perimeters to avoid any pollution of, or external influence on, the chemical and physical qualities of natural mineral water; 
c) of the constancy of its composition and the stability of its discharge and its 
temperature, due account being taken of the cycles of minor natural fluctuations;  
d) it is collected under conditions which guarantee the original microbiological purity 
and chemical composition of essential components; 
e) it is packaged close to the point of emerge nce of the source with particular hygienic 
precautions; and G/SPS/N/NPL/22 
 
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  f) it is not subjected to any treatment other than those permitted by this standard. 
The proposed standard sets the requirement for essential composition and quality 
factors, hygiene, packaging and labelling requirements as per the codex standard. 
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.   
8. Is there a relevant international st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial  n u m b e r  o f  C o d e x  
standard or related text)  
 CODEX STAN 227-2001 General Standard for Bottled/Packaged Drinking 
Waters (Other Than Natural Mineral Waters) 
 CODEX STAN 108-1981 Standard for Natural Mineral Waters 
[ ] 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 available:  
 Proposed quality standard for Packaged drinking water (except natural mineral 
water) (available in Nepali language, 4 pages) 
 Proposed quality standard for Mineral water (available in Nepali language, 5 pages)   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 11 June 2016 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 11 July 2016 
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [X] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : On publication of the final regulations in the Government 
Gazette. 
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 18 June 2016 
Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [X] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
National Notification Authority of SPS 
Food Security, Agri-business Promotion and Environment Division Ministry of Agricultural Development, Kathmandu 
Government of Nepal 
Tel: +(977 1) 421 1687 Fax: +(977 1) 421 1935 E-mail: info@moadwto.gov.np 
Website: http://www.moadwto.gov.np  
SPS National Enquiry Point, Department of Food Technology and Quality Control 
Tel: +(977 1) 425 6947 
Fax: +(977 1) 426 2337 
E-mail: spsnepal@ntc.net.np Website: http://www.spsenquiry.gov.np  G/SPS/N/NPL/22 
 
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  13. Text(s) available from: [X] National Notifi cation Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
National Notification Authority of SPS  
Food Security, Agri-business Promotion and Environment Division 
Ministry of Agricultural Development, Kathmandu Government of Nepal 
Tel: +(977 1) 421 1687 
Fax: +(977 1) 421 1935 E-mail: info@moadwto.gov.np 
Website: http://www.moadwto.gov.np  
Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, Kathmandu, Nepal 
Fax: +(977 1) 422 6337 E-mail: dftqc@mail.com.np 
SPS National Enquiry Point, Department of Food Technology and Quality Control 
Tel: +(977 1) 425 6947 Fax: +(977 1) 426 2337 
E-mail: spsnepal@ntc.net.np 
Website: http://www.spsenquiry.gov.np