Notifications for Dominican Republic (18 notifications)

The notified Regulations establish the sanitary conditions and regulations with which the following processes must comply: production, handling, importation, exportation, processing, packaging, storage, distribution, transport and sale of food for human consumption. The mandatory regulations apply nationwide to all natural or legal persons connected to or involved in the processes referred to therein, and to establishments and means of transport and distribution used for such purposes in order to protect human health and safety.

The notified Resolution covers the placement of nutrition labelling, its application and exempted foodstuffs, in relation to fats for the manufacture, production and marketing of food.

The notified resolution steps up efforts to control the risk of banana wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4)) through: 1. Increased inspection in ports and airports of imports from Musaceae-producing countries, especially those where banana wilt disease (Fusarium oxysporum) is present; 2. A ban on imports of plants, the fresh fruit or germplasm of Musaceae from countries where banana wilt disease (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4)) is present; 3. Other measures.

The draft Sanitary Regulation of the Dominican Republic on milk and milk products, which seeks to establish legal, technical and administrative standards relating to safety in the production, distribution and consumption of milk and milk products, has been replaced. The notified draft Sanitary Regulation will establish the sanitary specifications to be met by establishments engaged in the production, processing, storage, transport and marketing of milk and milk products, with a view to ensuring the safety of such products, whether intended for domestic consumption or export.

Extension of the deadline for submitting comments on the draft Food Health Regulations, which establish the sanitary conditions and regulations for the following processes: production, handling, importation, exportation, preparation, packaging, storage, distribution, transportation and sale of food for human consumption; authorization of commercial establishments in order to protect the nutrition and health of the population; and the monitoring of compliance with the Regulations, to ensure a healthy and safe food supply. They repeal all parts of the current Decree No. 528-01 of 15 May 2001, and any other regulations or standards that are contrary to it - Notified in document G/SPS/N/DOM/71 on 18 January 2018.

The notified text establishes the sanitary conditions and regulations for the following processes: production, handling, importation, exportation, preparation, packaging, storage, distribution, transportation and sale of food for human consumption; authorization of commercial establishments in order to protect the _x000b_nutrition and health of the population; and the monitoring of compliance with the Regulations, to ensure a healthy and safe food supply. It repeals all parts of the current Decree No. 528-01 of 15 May 2001, and any other regulations or standards that are contrary to it.

The notified Resolution provides for the removal of the agricultural chemical paraquat from the list of products the importation, manufacture, marketing and use of which in the Dominican Republic are prohibited, subject to the following conditions:the statement "RESTRICTED USE" must appear on the label and package insert;the product must have a characteristic sharp smell and a distinctive colour and contain a vomiting agent to prevent damage to health in the event of accidental ingestion; agrochemical formulations ready for distribution must not contain more than 27.6% of dichloride or 20% of paraquat ion;paraquat-based products must be marketed in containers with a capacity of not less than one litre and not more than 20 litres;repackaging is not permitted;prior authorization from the Department of Agrifood Safety and the Department of Plant Health is required for product marketing, handling and storage.

The purpose of the notified Resolution is to lay down the requirements for the registration of botanical pesticides, microbiological pesticides, processing aids and growth regulators for agricultural use.

The notified Resolution provides for the following:the insecticide acephate is declared to be of restricted use; it is permitted for cotton, tobacco, rice, pasturage, tomatoes, potatoes and soya beans;use of the insecticide diafenthiuron is extended to chilli pepper, cabbage, cauliflower and tomato crops and the pre-harvest waiting periods are established as follows: seven days for tomatoes, 14 days for cabbages and cauliflowers, 21 days for potatoes and 28 days for chilli peppers;the pre-harvest waiting period for rice treated with the insecticide profenofos is reduced to 14 days and the pre-harvest waiting period for bananas treated with the fungicide propiconazole is reduced to three days; use of the fungicide thiabendazole is extended to plantain, mango, cucurbit, onion and rice crops and the post-harvest waiting period for bananas is reduced to zero days.The notified Resolution partially replaces Resolution No. 61-2011.

The notified Resolution establishes guidelines for the proper implementation of certain provisions of Law No. 311 of 2 May 1988 on the use and control of pesticides and its Implementing Regulation No. 322 of 12 July 1988 in respect of the following:validity of the certificate of free sale at the time of the application for pesticide registration;efficacy trials;quality control analysis; inclusion and exclusion of recommended crops;waiting periods; publication of registration applications;origin and provenance; addition of manufacturers; expiry dates.

The notified draft Law seeks to establish basic rules for animal health protection in the Dominican Republic, with a view to preventing, controlling and/or eradicating diseases and pests that affect animals, protecting human health from zoonoses, facilitating domestic and international trade in animals and products and by-products of animal origin, and ensuring proper control of veterinary drugs and establishments. The provisions of this Law govern matters of public policy and social interest.The following Articles have been amended in the first revision of the Law:3 (paragraphs "a", "b", "c" and "d");4 (paragraph "c");8 (paragraphs "a", "b" and "c");9 (paragraphs "f", "h", "i" and "n");10, 16, 22, 25, 28, 35;36 (paragraphs III and IV);40 and paragraphs thereof;41;43 (paragraph "a");48, 49, 51;54 (paragraphs "c" and "e");57, 58;Insertion of second and third transitional provisions.

The notified draft Law seeks to establish basic rules for plant protection in the Dominican Republic, with a view to preventing and controlling pests, protecting plant resources, facilitating domestic and international trade in plants and plant products and ensuring the proper introduction, use and handling of crop protection products (CPPs). The provisions of this Law govern matters of public policy and social interest.The following Articles have been amended in the first revision of the Law:2 (paragraph "e");4 (insertion of paragraph "o" and amendment to paragraph "w");5 (insertion of paragraph "i" and amendment to paragraph "b");13, 15;19;24 (insertion of paragraphs "s", "t", "u", and "v");25, 29;31 (paragraphs "a" and "b");38;39 (paragraphs "c" and "j");55, 61, 69, 72;77, 79, 80, 81 (previously 79, 81, 82 and 83, respectively);Insertion of second and third transitional provisions;Amendment to third final provision.

The Dominican Republic has decided to begin a nationwide vaccination campaign against classical swine fever, following the reappearance of this disease in national territory.Animal owners must present the relevant vaccination certificate, which must be up to date and signed by an official or accredited veterinarian, in order to move pigs and pig products from one location to another or to market these animals and products. The certificate must also be presented in any other situation in which the authorities wish to verify that the animals concerned have been vaccinated.The notified text establishes the Executive Committee for the Control and Eradication of Classical Swine Fever. The ultimate aim of the Committee's work is to eradicate classical swine fever throughout national territory, have the country recognised as one free of the disease, and ensure adequate surveillance in order to maintain this status.

Extension of the final date for comments given in notification G/SPS/N/DOM/17/Rev.1 of 19 July 2016 in respect of a proposal for a draft Sanitary Regulation of the Dominican Republic on milk and milk products. Text available at: http://cnmsf.gob.do/Portals/0/docs/Texto%20Legales/Reglamentos/Proyecto%20de%20Reglamento%20sanitario%20de%20Leche%20y%20Productos%20l%C3%A1cteos%20de%20la%20Rep%C3%BAblica%20Dominicana.pdf

The notified Resolution establishes provisions on the notification and epidemiological surveillance of, and compulsory vaccination against, Newcastle disease in birds.Newcastle disease is a notifiable disease throughout the Dominican Republic. Vaccination against the disease is compulsory throughout the country.All clinically suspected cases of the disease shall be notified immediately to the Directorate-General of Livestock, and shall be investigated in the field and in the laboratory.The official tests used to diagnose Newcastle disease shall be the ELISA antibody and haemagglutination tests, or any other test that is prescribed or recommended by relevant international animal health agencies, subject to authorization by the relevant national animal health agency.Bird populations shall be subject to epidemiological surveillance every six months, so as to verify the effectiveness of the vaccination programme.

This Resolution lists the animal diseases that are notifiable in national territory.Veterinary professionals and technicians, animal owners, livestock workers, inspectors, transporters and any other individuals with links to livestock must properly notify, in a timely manner, the Directorate-General of Livestock at the Ministry of Agriculture of the suspected or confirmed presence of any of the diseases listed in Article 1 of the Resolution.Veterinary professionals and technicians, animal owners, livestock workers, inspectors, transporters and any other individuals with links to livestock must immediately notify the Directorate-General of Livestock, by the quickest means possible, of the suspected or confirmed presence of an exotic disease.It is also mandatory to notify any unusual rise in mortality and/or morbidity rates on farms, even where the presence of a disease listed in Article 1 or an exotic disease is not suspected.

The aim of the notified draft Regulation is to lay down the legal, technical and administrative rules relating to the safety of milk and milk products during production, distribution and consumption.This draft Regulation also lays down the sanitary requirements to be met by establishments engaged in the production, processing, storage, transport and marketing of milk and milk products, whether intended for domestic consumption or export, with a view to ensuring their safety.

The notified Regulation seeks to create and implement the Programme for the prevention and control of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) has been declared a notifiable disease throughout the territory of the Dominican Republic. Pursuant to this provision, any person who suspects or diagnoses the presence of BSE in live or dead animals belonging to that person or to another individual, must notify the relevant competent authority within 24 hours. The official delegate to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) will notify the OIE of all confirmed cases of BSE.The relevant competent authority will carry out a BSE risk analysis, based on the latest version of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code. By implementing the notified Regulation, the Dominican Republic will be able to obtain a specific BSE risk status, in accordance with the guidelines established by the OIE.