. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/HKG/36/Add.1 
21 June 2012  
 (12-3268) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
Addendum 
  
The following communication, received on 15 June 2012, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of Hong Kong, China. 
 
_______________ 
  
Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation 
 Hong Kong, China notified in G/SPS/N/HKG/36 dated 21 July 2011 a consultation document 
on a Refined Regulatory Framework for Pesticide Residues in Food in Hong Kong which aimed to 
regulate pesticide residues in food.  The Pesticid e Residues in Food Regulation was tabled at the 
Legislative Council on 9 May 2012.  This addendu m notifies that the Pesticide Residues in Food 
Regulation will enter into force on 1 August 2014, following a two-year grace period. 
 Key features of the Regulation are as follows:  (1) to define "pesticide" and other relate d terms in a way consistent with the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission (Codex); 
 (2) to provide a list of maximum residue limits (MRLs)/extraneous maximum residue 
limits (EMRLs), to adopt MRLs/EMRLs r ecommended by Codex as the backbone as 
well as the Codex classification of foods; 
 (3) to prohibit the import and sale of the concerned food for which no MRL/EMRL has 
been specified, unless the Director of F ood and Environmental Hygiene (DFEH) is 
satisfied that the detected level will not be dangerous or prejudicial to health; 
 (4) to provide a list of exempted substances; 
 (5) to dovetail the proposed Regulation with the registration of pesticides for use on food 
crops under the Pesticides Ordinance (Chapter  133, Laws of Hong Kong, China);  and 
 (6) to commence the proposed Regulation after a two-year grace period. 
This addendum concerns a: 
[ ] Modification of final date for comments 
[X] Notification of adoption, publication or entry into force of regulation 
[ ] Modification of content and/or scope of previously notified draft regulation 
[ ] Withdrawal of proposed regulation 
[X] Change in proposed date of adoption, publication or date of entry into force 
[ ] Other:    G/SPS/N/HKG/36/Add.1 
Page 2  
 
  Comment period:  (If the addendum extends the scope of th e previously notified measure in terms 
of products and/or potentially affected Members, a new deadline for receipt of comments should be 
provided, normally of at least 60 calendar days.  Under other circumstances, such as extension of 
originally announced final date for comments, th e comment period provided in the addendum may 
vary.)  
[ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the addendum to the notification and/or 
(dd/mm/yy) :  Not applicable 
Agency or authority designated to handle commen ts:  [ ] National Notification Authority, [ ] 
National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body: 
Centre for Food Safety 
(Attn:  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  
Text available from:  [ ] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, 
fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body: 
Centre for Food Safety 
(Attn:  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 
Full text of the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation can be downloaded from the following 
websites:  
In English 
"http://www.gld.gov.hk/cgi-
bin/gld/egazette/gazettefiles.cgi?lang=e&y ear=2012&month=5&day= 4&vol=16&no=18&gn=73&he
ader=1&acurrentpage=12&df=1&nt=s2&agree= 1&gaz_type=ls2&part=1&newfile=1&pid= " 
In Chinese 
"http://www.gld.gov.hk/cgi-
bin/gld/egazette/gazettefiles.cgi?lang=c&y ear=2012&month=5&day= 4&vol=16&no=18&gn=73&he
ader=1&acurrentpage=12&df=1&nt=s2&agree= 1&gaz_type=ls2&part=1&newfile=1&pid= " 
Brief on the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulati on can be downloaded from the following websites: 
In English 
http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr11-12/en glish/subleg/brief/73_brf.pdf  
In Chinese 
http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr11-12/chinese/subleg/brief/73_brf.pdf   
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