G/TBT/N/ISR/1109  
27 March 2020  
(20-2485) 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:  ISRAEL   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Israel WTO -TBT Enquiry Point  
Name and address (including telephone 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:   
Israel WTO -TBT Enqu iry Point  
Ministry of Economy and Industry  
Tel: + (972) 3 7347501  
E-mail: Yael.Friedgut@economy.gov.il  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [   ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [X], 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):  Intoxicating 
Beverages; (HS: 2204, 2205, 2207, 2208); (ICS: 67.160.10)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Protection of 
Public Health Regulations (Food) (Food that is an Intoxicating Beverage) 5779 -2019 
(19 page(s), in Hebrew)  
6. Description of content:  New draft regulations announced by Israel's Ministry of  Health 
called "Protection  of Public Health Regulations (Food) (Food that is an Intoxicating 
Beverage) 5779 -2019". These regulations aim to regulate production procedures, import 
and inspection of intoxicating beverages by Israel's Minister of Health.  
Until now, the import and marketing procedures were enforced by Israel's Ministry of 
Economy and Industry, due to the power given to them by the Standards Law, the Free 
Import Order  and by the  Director General's Provision  2.5 "Import of Intoxicating 
Beverages". The sanitation provi sions of manufacturing were enforced by the Ministry of 
Health due to the power given to them by the Services and Products Supervision Order 
(Food Trade, production and sell).  
When legislating Israel's new Food Law in 2015, it was decided to transfer all r elevant 
authorities  from the Minister of Economy and Industry to the Minister of Health,  in a 
manner that will ensure  imported intoxicating beverages' safety and compliance, as well as 
public confidence in those who manufacture, import and distribute these  beverages.  
These new regulations  transfer all enforcement means to the Minister of Health and specify 
the new infrastructure regulating food that is an intoxicating beverage as follows:  
• Regularization  of food manufacturing;  
• Regularization  of food importa tion, including obligations applies to food importer, 
pre-ratification, compliance certification for releasing the product from customs G/TBT/N/ISR/1109  
 
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  and importers registration;  
• General requirements for manufacturers, importers and distributors of food that is 
an intoxi cating beverage, including specific regulations for preventing food 
endangering public health;  
• Annex for unique and quality intoxicating beverages such as Protect Geographical 
Indications (PGI) wines, whiskey, cognac, rum and others;  
• Annex detailing the li st of tests performed in an approved laboratory on food that is 
an intoxicating beverage and required for  delivery certification;  
• Annex for recognition of an approved laboratory for testing intoxicating beverage;  
• Annex detailing the list of tests performed  in an approved laboratory on food that is 
an intoxicating beverage and required for a compliance certificate.  
All registered importers that were recorded in the Ministry of Economy and Industry's 
importers' registry before the entry into force of these ne w regulations and that hold a 
pre-import certificate, will be considered as registered importers for additional six months 
from the entry into force of these new regulations.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protection of human health or safety; Reducing trade barriers and facilitating 
trade  
8. Relevant documents:   
• Protection of Public Health Regulations (Food) 5775 -2015;  
• Standards Law 5713 -1953;  
• Israel's Free Import Order;  
• Ministry of Economy and Industry Director General's Provision  2.5 "Import of 
Intoxicating Beverages".  
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 notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/TBT/ISR/20_2190_00_x.pdf