G/TBT/N/BHR/364  
 
10 November 2014  
(14-6561)  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: KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):    
2. Agency responsible: Bahrain Standards & Metrology Directorate (BSDM) 
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 : 
Ministry of Industry and Commerce  
Kingdom of Bahrain 
P.O. Box 5479  Tel.:  +973 17574871 Fax:  +973 17530730 
E-mail:  bsmd@moic.gov.bh   
Web site:  http://www.moic.gov.bh  
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): Black pepper, whole 
and ground (ICS Code: 67.220.10) 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Black pepper, 
whole and ground (8 pages, in English; 9 pages, in Arabic) 
6. Description of content: This draft technical regulation specifies the requirements stated 
in the Gulf standard GSO 717 "Black Pepper, Whole and Ground" under clauses 7.1, 7.2 & 
8 (packaging and labeling) as mandatory requirements.  
It describes the packaging requirements as follows: The used packages shall comply with 
the GSO standards No. 839:1997 "Food Packages - Part 1: General Requirements" and 
GSO 719 "Whole Pepper – Determination of Apparent Bulk Density"  
The product shall be packed in clean, sound, dry containers and made of material which 
does not affect the product. It also describes the labeling requirements as follows: 
The product should be without prejudice to wh at is stated in the Gulf standard No. 9 
"Labeling of Prepackaged Foodstuffs" and GSO 150-2 "Expiration Dates for Food Products - 
Part 2: Voluntary Expiration Dates" and the following should be included in the label: 
• Name of the product and the tradename, if any 
• Name and address of the manufacturer or packer, or trademark • Code or batch number 
• Net mass 
• Commercial stage (NP or SP or P) • Producing country, destination, the name of port or town 
• Production and expiration date 
• Any other information such as the year of harvest and the date of packaging • Way of use G/TBT/N/BHR/364 
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: 
To maintain consumer protection and food safety 
8. Relevant documents:   
 GSO 717 "Black Pepper, Whole and Ground" 
 Egyptian Standard - ES 385-1:2008 "Pepper, Whole or Ground – Part 1: Black 
Pepper" 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   To be determined 
Proposed date of entry into force:   To be determined   
10. Final date for comments: 60 days from date of notification 
11. Texts available from: Nati onal enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body 
Ministry of Industry and Commerce  
Kingdom of Bahrain 
P.O. Box 5479 Tel.:  +973 17574871 
Fax:  +973 17530730 
E-mail:  bsmd@moic.gov.bh   
Web site:  http://www.moic.gov.bh