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The Ministry of Health is the competent authority for identifying principles, procedures, and enforcement related to health claims made on the labels, presentation, and advertising of foods and food supplements for the end consumer.

Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries invites public comments on proposed revisions of the Japan Agricultural Standards for cross laminated timber (CLT), sawn lumber (except dimension lumber), and flooring through July 2, 2024. Comments must be submitted in Japanese.

New export establishment registration applications that have been submitted in the U.S. FDA Export Listing Module (ELM) and GACC Bureau of Import Export Food Safety (BIEFS) China Import Food Enterprises Registration (CIFER) system since January 2022 are now being processed to allow U.S. exporters to register their manufacturing, processing, and storage facilities subject to Decree 248.

On December 7, 2023, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a new Regulation on the protection of animals during transport to replace Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005.

The Government of Japan (GOJ) has opened the public comment period for the “amendment of positive list of synthetic resins used for food apparatus, containers, and packaging.”

Ukraine established a simplified procedure for temporary registration of genetically engineered cotton varieties only.

On May 8, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) announced the issuance of new and renewed biosafety certificates for genetically engineered (GE) and gene-edited events.

The Brazilian Government announced the elimination of import taxes on paddy rice (100610), husked/brown rice (100620), and milled rice (100630) for all countries.

The Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) of Japan proposed revisions to Japan’s maximum residue levels for seven agricultural chemicals (Benthiavalicarb-isopropyl, Hexaconazole, Isopyrazam, Metaflumizone, Broflanilide, Teflubenzuron, and Phenoxyethanol) for various agricultural commodities.

On April 4, 2024, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published on its website, Order F. No. TIC-B02/2/2022-IMPORTS-FSSAI. The FSSAI order extends the effective implementation date for the mandatory registration of foreign food manufacturing facilities (FFMF) for the import of certain categories of foods such as milk and milk products; meat and meat products including poultry, fish, and their products; egg powder; infant food; and nutraceuticals to India.

In 2019, the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) entered into force. As a result, Japan approved 16 new wine additives that were previously not allowed in wine produced or consumed in Japan.

FAS has received inquiries about several websites that offer facility registration to export various food and agricultural products to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Many of these websites, however, are not official PRC government websites. Exporters should register their facilities through official government websites or through a U.S. government agency.