Notifications for Switzerland (48 notifications)

The amendment contains 43 authorization renewals of feed additives, 18 new authorizations and 69 withdrawals of authorizations. In accordance with the agreement between the Swiss Confederation and the European Community on trade of agricultural products, these modifications were intended to bring the authorizations for additives in animal feed in line with those of the European Union.

The regulation on the import of guar gum originating in India is repealed. Since July 2007, in the European Union, high levels of pentachlorophenol (PCP) and dioxins were repeatedly found in batches of guar gum originating in or coming from India. Special provisions or the import of guar gum originating in or coming from India were introduced in the European Union in 2008. In 2010, Switzerland adopted an ordinance on the import of guar gum originating in or coming from India, in line with the EU ordinance. This was done to ensure that only compliant guar gum enters Switzerland and that food safety is therefore guaranteed. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 of 22 October 2019 on the temporary reinforcement of official controls and on emergency measures on the entry of certain goods from certain third countries into the Union for the implementation of Regulations (EU) 2017/625 and (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/175 was repealed. The new regulation regulates, among other things, the provisions for the import of guar gum from India and reviews them at regular intervals. Based on satisfactory controls, the control of guar gum from India was suspended in the European Union in 2024. As the controls in Switzerland were also satisfactory, there is no longer any justification for continuing these controls. The Ordinance on the import of guar gum originating in or coming from India should therefore be repealed.

The Ordinance on phytosanitary products (RS 916.161, OPPh) was notified in document G/SPS/N/CHE/82 of 19 December 2019. The OPPh establishes conditions for the placing on the market of phytosanitary products. Annex 1 to the OPPh contains a list of active substances that may be used as phytosanitary products in Switzerland. A new substance is included in this Annex if, once the application accompanying the request has been examined, it meets the conditions established in Article 5. On the other hand, a substance will be removed when it is withdrawn in the European Union.The following amendment of the OPPh includes the removal of six chemical substances (Dodemorph, Fenpyrazamin, Flufenacet, Meptydinocap, Metribuzin and Tritosulfuron). They have already been withdrawn (Flufenacet, Metribuzin and Tritosulfuron), or have expired (Dodemorph, Fenpyrazamin and Meptyldinocap) in the European Union and are given the same length in grace periods. The macroorganism “Micromus angulatus” will be added to the Annex. In accordance to EU regulation, the copper-variant “(as Oxide): copper(I) oxide” will be added to the substance “Copper compounds”.These amendments are in alignment with EU decisions and regulations. Details are stipulated in the attached draft document.

The Ordinance on phytosanitary products (RS 916.161, OPPh) was notified in document G/SPS/N/CHE/82 of 19 December 2019. The OPPh establishes conditions for the placing on the market of phytosanitary products. Annex 1 to the OPPh contains a list of active substances that may be used as phytosanitary products in Switzerland. A new substance is included in this Annex if, once the application accompanying the request has been examined, it meets the conditions established in Article 5. On the other hand, a substance will be removed when it is withdrawn in the European Union.The following amendment of the OPPh includes the removal of six chemical substances (Acibenzolar-S-methyl, Asulam, Dimethomorph, Mepanipyrim, Spinetoram, Spirotetramat) as well as one microorganism (Adoxophyes orana granulovirus BV-0001). They have already been withdrawn (Acibenzolar-S-methy, Dimethomorph, Mepanipyrim), have expired without an application for renewal (Adoxophyes orana granulovirus BV-0001, Spinetoram, Spirotetramat) or were not approved (Asulam) in the European Union and are given the same length in grace periods. The microorganisms “Bacillus amyloliquefaciens - strain MBI 600", "Pepino mosaic virus - strain LP, isolate VX1" and “Pepino mosaic virus - strain CH2, isolate VC1” as well as the macroorganism “Chysoperla lucasina” and the basic substance “Chitosan” will be added to the Annex. The substance “Proteins” will be changed to “blood meal” as well as adding the CAS-Nr. and CIPAC-Nr. in accordance to EU regulation. The basic substance “sodium hydrogen carbonate” will be extended with the use in berries. These amendments are in alignment with EU decisions and regulations. Details are stipulated in the attached draft document.

The Ordinance on phytosanitary products (RS 916.161, OPPh) was notified in document G/SPS/N/CHE/82 of 19 December 2019. The OPPh establishes conditions for the placing on the market of phytosanitary products. Annex 1 to the OPPh contains a list of active substances that may be used as phytosanitary products in Switzerland. A new substance is included in this Annex if, once the application accompanying the request has been examined, it meets the conditions established in Article 5. On the other hand, a substance will be removed when it is withdrawn in the European Union.The following amendment of the OPPh includes the removal of five chemical substances: Benthiavalicarb, Clofentezine, Metiram, S-Metolachlor and Triflusulfuron-methyl. All have already been withdrawn in the European Union and are given the same length in grace periods. The macroorganism Trissolcus basalis will be added to the Annex. The IUPAC- name of the substance Bifenazate is corrected; the substance Calcium carbonate is supplemented by the variant Limestone; the active substance Fatty acids C7 to C20 is supplemented by various variants; the substance Octanoic acid is removed as an independent entry, as it is already listed under Fatty acids C7 to C20 as variant: Caprylic acid (octanoic acid); the substance Tribenuron is supplemented by the variant Tribenuron-methyl whereby Tribenuron-methyl is removed from the Annex as an independent entry; and the name of the microorganism Paecilomyces lilacinus is given a new name.These amendments are in alignment with EU decisions and regulations. Details are stipulated in the attached draft document.

The amendment contains 49 authorization renewals of feed additives, 8 new authorizations, 12 withdrawals and 6 corrections of authorizations.

The Swiss rules and conditions for the admission of Plant Protection Productscontinue to be harmonised with those of the European Union.

The Ordinance on phytosanitary products (RS 916.161, OPPh) was notified in document G/SPS/N/CHE/82 of 19 December 2019. The OPPh establishes conditions for the placing on the market of phytosanitary products. Annex 1 to the OPPh contains a list of active substances that may be used as phytosanitary products in Switzerland. A new substance is included in this Annex if, once the application accompanying the request has been examined, it meets the conditions established in Article 5. The following amendment of the OPPh includes three new chemical substances: Kieselgur (diatomaceous earth), Mefentrifluconazole and Oxathiapiprolin. The substance Kieselgur (diatomaceous earth) replaces the substance siliciumoxyde previously listed in this Annex, which is accordingly deleted from the Annex. Kieselgur (diatomaceous earth) better describes the substance currently contained in the approved plant protection product with siliciumoxyde and thus also corresponds to the equivalent designation in the EU. One microorganism (Bacillus firmus) is deleted from the Annex for formal reasons. For the substance Cydia pomonella Granulovirus there is a formal change to the name as well the addition of the classification as a "low-risk substance". These amendments are in alignment with EU decisions and regulations. Details are stipulated in the attached draft document.

Adjustment of the FDHA ordinance to the relevant Regulations of the EU:Regulation (EU) No. 609/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 on food intended for infants and young children, food for special medical purposes, and total diet replacement for weight control and repealing Council Directive 92/52/EEC, Commission Directives 96/8/EC, 1999/21/EC, 2006/125/EC and 2006/141/EC, Directive 2009/39/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Regulations (EC) No. 41/2009 and (EC) No. 953/2009 in its version from 1 March 2023Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/127 of 25 September 2015 supplementing Regulation (EU) No. 609/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the specific compositional and information requirements for infant formula and follow-on formula and as regards requirements on information relating to infant and young child feeding in its version from 17 March 2023Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1798 of 2 June 2017 supplementing Regulation (EU) No. 609/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the specific compositional and information requirements for total diet replacement for weight control, in its version from 9 November 2022Opinion of the BfR No. 052/2019 from 20 December 2019The labelling requirements for products for sportspersons was aligned with the labelling requirement for food supplements.

Amending the ordinance on food supplements in line with the directives of the European Union regarding the permitted maximum levels of the substances: Niacin and Catechin/ Epigallocatechingallat (EGCG) for adults per recommended daily intake. The maximum levels for the substances L-Isoleucin, L-Leucin, L-Valin are amended based on the scientific recommendation No. 052/2019 20 December 2019 of the German Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR).

The Swiss ordinance is adjusted to the Commission Regulation (EU) 2020/2081 of 14 December 2020 amending Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as regards substances in tattoo inks or permanent make-up.All further modification in the Swiss Ordinance "Ordonnance du DFI sur les objets destinés à entrer en contact avec les muqueuses, la peau ou le système pileux et capillaire, et sur les bougies, les allumettes, les briquets et les articles de farces et attrapes" are clarifications on how to apply the regulation for certain products. Furthermore the technical testing instructions and methods are updated.

Since 2008, it is prohibited in Switzerland to handle, i.e. to deliberately use, 14 invasive alien plant and animal species (or groups of species) in the environment. Exempt from the ban are measures to control these species and the handling of therapeutic products, food and animal feed. In order to bring legislation in line with the current state of scientific knowledge and thus to better protect human, animal and plant health as well as biodiversity against the threats posed by invasive alien plants, the prohibition shall be extended to eleven other plant species (or groups of species). In addition to this, by means of the draft project, a ban on marketing 27 invasive alien plant species will be introduced. Their sale as well as their import will be prohibited. Thus the marketing of a total of 49 invasive alien plant species (or group of species) will be banned. The draft amendments implement Switzerland’s obligations under the CBD. Similar restrictions exist in the EU.

The Swiss regulation will be adjusted to reflect the changes in the corresponding EU regulation. In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2023/905, new import conditions will be implemented for farm animals treated with certain antimicrobial medicinal products and for products derived from such animals.

The amendment contains 67 authorization renewals of feed additives, ten new authorizations and three withdrawals of authorization.

Snails of the family of Helicidae, Hygromiidae or Sphincterochilidae are added to the list of permitted snails for human consumption.Frogs' legs of the genus Pelophylax from the family of Ranidae, and the genus Fejervarya, Limnonectes and Hoplobatrachus from the family of Dicroglossidae, are added to the list of permitted animals for human consumption.Due to changes in eating habits, frogs' legs and snails of other species are also produced and placed on the market for human consumption. The specific hygiene rules should therefore be extended to cover those species to ensure the safety of food derived from these species.

Based on Regulation (EU) 2022/2388, maximum levels for the four perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and their sum were introduced for various foodstuffs of animal origin.

Amendment of the list of plants, parts of plants as well as preparations and substances thereof, which shall not be used as food nor for the production of food.The current Annex 1 (not contained in this notification) lists plants that are not allowed to be used as food stuffs only. This revision completes the Annex with a new part on substances and preparations derived from plants. It also updates the Annex with provisions of Regulation (EU) No 2021/4681. Because of their genotoxic and carcinogenic properties, substances and preparations derived from the leaves of aloe species are prohibited for use in foodstuffs. A further adaptation is taking into account the 2nd edition of the lists of substances of the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Länder.

Producers are allowed to voluntarily indicate potential allergens (traces or unintentional mixtures) whose content is below the defined maximum level. Only in this cases it is allowed to use general terms such as "nuts", "hard-shelled fruit" or "edible nut" for allergens according to Annex 6 number 8 of the Ordinance on labelling of food stuffs or "cereals containing gluten" for allergens according to Annex 6 number 1 in such a case. It should be noted that the presence of peanuts must always be indicated separately as they are botanically and allergologically different from nuts (Annex 6 item 5).

The Ordinance on phytosanitary products (RS 916.161, OPPh) was notified in document G/SPS/N/CHE/82 of 19 December 2019. The OPPh establishes conditions for the placing on the market of phytosanitary products. Annex 1 to the OPPh contains a list of active substances that may be used as phytosanitary products in Switzerland. A new substance is included in this Annex if, once the application accompanying the request has been examined, it meets the conditions established in Article 5. The following amendment of the OPPh includes one safener (cyprosulfamide) and eight macroorganisms (Anagyrus vladimiriAnastatus bifasciatusCephalonomia tarsalisEncarsia citrinaExochomus quadripustulatusHeterorhabditis downesiPronematus ubiquitusSphaerophoria rueppellii) into the Annex 1. One macroorganism (Heterorhabditis sp) is deleted for formal reasons. For several active ingredients (paraffin oil, copper, fish oil), formal changes (such as the deletion of obsolete variants that no longer exist) are made. For the active substance fish oil, the classification "low-risk substance" is also added. These formal adjustments are in alignement with EU decisions and regulations. Details are stipulated in the attached draft document.

This notification concerns the amendment of an existing ordinance (VpM-BAFU SR 916.202.2) which specifies the provisions of the Ordinance on the Protection of Plants against Particularly Dangerous Harmful Organisms (Plant Health Ordinance, PGesV, SR 916.20, which was notified under G/SPS/N/CHE/83). The purpose of the amendment is to maintain the harmonization with the European plant health legislation in accordance with the bilateral agreement on trade in agricultural products (agricultural agreement) between Switzerland and the European Union.The main changes are as follows:- Adapted temporary measures against the introduction of Anoplophora chinensis- Adjustment of tariff numbers due to the revised nomenclature of the Harmonized System (HS).