Intoxicating Beverages; (HS: 2204, 2205, 2207, 2208); (ICS: 67.160.10)

Protection of Public Health Regulations (Food) (Food that is an Intoxicating Beverage) 5779-2019 (19 page(s), in Hebrew)

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 provisions 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 relevant 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 importation, including obligations applies to food importer, pre-ratification, compliance certification for releasing the product from customs and importers registration;

• General requirements for manufacturers, importers and distributors of food that is an intoxicating 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 list 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 new 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.