WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CAN/464 
2 September 2010  
 (10-4544) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  CANADA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Food products and ingredients in the Canadian "Non-Federally Registered 
Sector" (NFRS) regulated solely under the Food and Drugs Act and Food and Drug 
Regulations .  This applies to NFRS products that  meet the definition of "agricultural 
product" in the Canada Agricultural Products Act .  This means agricultural products that:  
 (a) are intended for use as food, or as an ingredient for food, and   (b)  are not
 already defined as the following: 
 a meat product as defined in the Meat Inspection Act  
 a dairy product as defined in the Dairy Products Regulations  
 eggs as defined in the Egg Regulations  
 fresh fruit, fresh vegetable, nuts or edible fungi to which the Fresh Fruit 
and Vegetables Regulations  apply 
 honey to which the Honey Regulations  apply 
 maple products as defined in the Maple Products Regulations  
 processed egg as defined in the Processed Egg Regulations  
 processed products to which the Processed Product Regulations  apply 
Products such as bottled water, minerals a nd synthetic colours are excluded from this 
regulatory proposal as they do not meet the definition of "agricultural product" in the 
Canada Agricultural Products Act . 
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:  Online Consultation for the Imported Food Sector 
Regulatory Proposal  Language:  English and French  Number of pages:   
6. Description of content:  Consultation document outlining Ca nada's Imported Food Sector 
Regulatory Proposal, for importers of food produc ts and ingredients that meet the definition 
of an "agricultural product" and are within  the scope of the Non-Federally Registered 
Sector (NFRS). G/SPS/N/CAN/464 
Page 2  
 
  The proposed initiative contains two parts:  ge neral provisions and licensing provision.  The 
general provisions establish minimum food saf ety and labelling requi rements for imported 
foods in the NFRS that meet the definiti on of "agricultural product".  The licensing 
provision requires all importers of food products and ingredients that meet the definition of 
"agricultural product" in the NFRS to have a license in order to import such products into 
Canada and lays out the conditions for licensi ng.  The purpose of this proposed initiative is 
to:  strengthen the accountability of importers in this sector for the safety of the food products that they import; better identify and engage regulated parties importing food 
products and ingredients in this sector; and facilitate and enhance verification of 
compliance with Canadian requirements, th ereby reducing the risk of unsafe products 
entering the Canadian marketplace. 
Responses received during this consultation will be considered in drafting the pre-
publication version of the regulations (Part I of the Canada Gazette ).  There will be a 
second opportunity to submit comments following pre-publication of the regulations in Canada Gazette I . 
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 stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)  Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems: 
Guidelines for Food Import Control Systems, CAC/GL 47-2003 
[ ] 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:  Additional 
information is available from the follo wing websites, in English and French: 
Acts & Regulations 
Food and Drugs Act 
Food and Drug Regulations Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations 
Weights and Measures Act 
Meat Inspection Act Canada Agricultural Products Act Dairy Products Regulations Egg Regulations 
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Regulations 
Honey Regulations 
Maple Products Regulations  G/SPS/N/CAN/464 
 Page 3 
 
 
  Processed Egg Regulations 
Processed Product Regulations 
English:  http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/reg/rege.shtml  
French:  http://www.inspection.gc.ca/francais/reg/regf.shtml  
Non-Federally Registered Sector 
English:  http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/invenq/invenqe.shtml  
French:  http://www.inspection.gc.ca/fra ncais/fssa/invenq/invenqf.shtml  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  Not stated. 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  Not stated. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  It is proposed that the general provisions would come into effect at the time of 
final publication in the Canada Gazette , Part II, normally within 12-18 months of pre-
publication in the Canada Gazette , Part I.  The licensing provisions would come into effect 
two years after that date. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  4 October 2010 
Reponses received during this consultation w ill be considered in drafting the pre-
publication version of the regulations in Part I of the Canada Gazette , anticipated for 
winter 2010.  There will be a second opportunity to submit comments following pre-publication of the regulations in Canada Gazette , Part I. 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
• by email:  Subject line:  "IFS Regulatory Proposa"  IMFD/DAIM@inspection.gc.ca 
or  
• by postal mail to: 
  "IFS Regulatory Proposal" 
 Imported and Manufactured Food Division 
 Canadian Food Inspection Agency  1400 Merivale Road (Tower 2, Floor 6)  Ottawa, Ontario  Canada K1A 0Y9 
13. Texts available from:  [ ] National Notification  Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
The online consultation and survey is available at:   
English:  http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/imp/lic/lice.shtml  
French:  http://www.inspection.gc.ca/fra ncais/fssa/imp/lic/licf.shtml