G/TBT/N/HKG/47
29 January 2015 
(15-0636)  Page: 1/2
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English
 
  NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member: HONG KONG, CHINA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):    
2. Agency responsible: 
Centre for Food Safety (Att n: Risk Assessment Section) 
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department 
43/F, Queensway Government Offices 66 Queensway, Hong Kong, China 
Tel: +(852) 2867 5699 
Fax: +(852) 2893 3547 E-mail: claims_consultation@fehd.gov.hk   
Website: http://www.cfs.gov.hk/   
Name and address (including telephon e 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 :   
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 applic able, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Infant formula, follow-
up formula, and prepackaged foods for infants and young children under the age of 36 
months 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document: Consultation 
Document on Proposed Regulatory Framework on Nutrition and Health Claims on Infant 
Formula, Follow-up Formula, and Prepackaged Foods for Infants and Young Children Under 
the Age of 36 Months in Hong Kong (52 page s, in English; 51 pages, in Chinese) 
6. Description of content: The consultation document invites views on the proposed 
regulatory framework for enhancing the regulation of nutrition and health claims on formula products and foods for infants and young children under the age of 36 months in 
Hong Kong. The proposed regulatory framew ork will encompass the following elements:  
a) The establishment of five overarching prin ciples to delineate the boundary of the 
regulatory framework and to prescribe conditions that will bind any claims eventually 
allowed; 
b) The regulatory options for the product-claim combinations that are within the 
bounds of the relevant overarching principles; 
c) The development of a mechanism for establishing and maintaining a list of approved 
claims and the corresponding conditions; 
d) The establishment of a mechanism for revising the list of approved claims; 
e) The provision of clear definition of claims; 
f) The possible establishment of a set of Nutrient Reference Values specifically for 
infants and young children; and 
g) The establishment of a grace period to allo w sufficient time for the trade to comply 
with the new requirements. G/TBT/N/HKG/47 
 
- 2 - 
 
  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: 
The purposes of proposed regulatory framework are:  
a) To better protect the health of infants and young children under the age of 36 
months; and  
b) To facilitate effective regulatory control over nutrition and health claims on infant 
formula, follow-up formula, and prepacka ged foods for infants and young children 
under the age of 36 months. 
8. Relevant documents:  Codex Alimentarius Commission Guidelines:  
a) General Guidelines on Claims (CAC/GL 1-1979); and 
b) Guidelines for Use of Nutrition and Health Claims (CAC/GL 23-1997). 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   To be notified.  Subject to views collected in the consultation 
period, we will come up with specific legislative proposals to be passed by the Legislative 
Council in due course. 
Proposed date of entry into force:   To be notified.  Subjec t to views collected in the 
consultation period, we will come up with specific legislative proposals to be passed by the 
Legislative Council in due course. 
10. Final date for comments: 17 April 2015 
11. Texts available from: Nati onal enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
Centre for Food Safety (Att n: Risk Assessment Section) 
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department 43/F, Queensway Government Offices 
66 Queensway, Hong Kong, China 
(Re: Proposed Regulatory Framework on Nutrition and Health Claims on Infant Formula, Follow-up Formula and Prepackaged Foods for Infants and Young Children Under the Age of 
36 Months in Hong Kong) 
Tel: +(852) 2867 5699 Fax: +(852) 2893 3547 
E-mail: claims_consultation@fehd.gov.hk  
The notified text could al so be downloaded from: 
In English: 
http://www.fhb.gov.hk/download/press_and_pu blications/consultat ion/150106_f_formula_pr
oduct/e_consultation_document.pdf   
In Chinese: 
http://www.fhb.gov.hk/download/press_and_pu blications/consultat ion/150106_f_formula_pr
oduct/c_consultation_document.pdf