. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/HKG/27 
24 August 2006 
 (06-3994) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   HONG KONG, CHINA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   The Health, Welfare and Food Bureau of the Government of the 
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
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 applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):   Chilled beef, mutton or 
pork 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Food Business 
(Amendment) Regulation 2006 (5 pages, in Chinese and 5 pages, in English) 
6. Description of content:   The Amendment Regulation requires chilled beef, mutton or pork 
to be pre-packaged and properly labelled if it is sold in fresh provision shops/market stalls 
which also sell fresh beef, mutton or pork.  In formation required to be shown on the labels 
is similar to the existing labelling requirement  for pre-packaged food in general under the 
Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Re gulations (Cap. 132 sub. leg. W), e.g. 
name, "use by" date, net weight, etc.  In additio n to that, the labels are required to indicate 
the name and address of the slaughtering plant and the slaughtering date.  Where pre-
packaging and labelling are required under th e Amendment Regulation, such procedures 
may be completed either in the exporting country or in Hong Kong, China. 
This Amendment Regulation will have no impli cation on other types of food exported to 
Hong Kong, China. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
There have been recent cases where meat tr aders display or sell imported chilled beef, 
mutton or pork as fresh beef, mutton or pork in Hong Kong, China.  This is not satisfactory 
from the food hygiene perspective as fresh and chilled meat have different shelf life and should therefore be subject to different storage conditions.  There is a contamination risk if 
fresh meat and chilled meat are mishandled  or mixed during the retail stage.  The 
Amendment Regulation will reduce the chances of  such malpractice, thereby enhancing 
food safety and protecting consumers' interest. G/TBT/N/HKG/27 
Page 2  
 
  8. Relevant documents:   Nil 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  The Amendment Regulation was published in the 
Government Gazette on 7 July 2006. 
Proposed date of entry into force:  The Amendment Regulation came into effect on 18 
August 2006, but the legislative process is still ongoing.  A Legislative Council Subcommittee has been formed to scrutinize the Amendment Regulation and it is scheduled 
to meet on 26 September 2006. 
10. Final date for comments:   19 September 2006 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   
Health, Welfare and Food Bureau 
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 20/F, Murray Building Garden Road Central 
Hong Kong 
 Tel.:  (+852) 2973 8189 Fax:  (+852) 2136 3281 Email:  sypkwan@hwfb.gov.hk